Jenius Creations

Category: Caring for yourself

  • Are we done stretching? Not yet!!

    So, throughout August we have stretched our artisticness away from the harp. We’ve stretched our bodies and we’ve stretched our repertoires.  What could possibly be left?

    Maybe the most important part. Have you stretched you?

    I hear you grumbling. I’m all stretched out. Yes, I’ve stretched me.

    But have you stretched all of you?

    Have you stretched to playing for others, in new places? For new audiences? Have you put yourself out there to share your art?  Have you stretched emotionally?

    I really thought I had. I’d played for all kinds of people. What could be left? And then I was asked to play for first graders! Wow! A very different audience that I had never even thought of. They were great! Just imagine what I would have missed if I had said no. Was it out of my comfort zone? Oh yeah – I couldn’t even see it from my comfort zone!  But if I had to take a chance, what a great place to land!

    How about that gig that isn’t your norm? I booked that one. Now I’m learning a tune that I’d never select – a pop tune I have always hated! But, now that I’m working on it, while I don’t like the tune any better than before, I can appreciate its rhythmic qualities.  And I can respect the technique that I need to play it accurately. It is drawing on skills I rarely use. So, I also got to stretch my practice routine to boot!

    How about finding a new way to share with friends, family, or audiences? Have you taken the opportunity to unguard your heart (you know, the one that’s in your mouth when you contemplate something new, different, and challenging!) and share just a bit of the joy you find in playing? Or some other emotion – loss? happiness? contemplation? contentment?

    Stretching to share your emotions can be very freeing. You know, after the freefall of terror.  As we’ve identified before, stretching can be many (good) things, and here are six:

    1. Stretching is the opposite of static and facing things straight on is definitely not static!  Meeting your resistance to something will help you keep moving, growing, developing.
    2. Stretching makes you flexible. When you’re sharing with others, you can telegraph what you’re feeling. Being flexible gives you the opportunity to change up what you’re doing to suit your audience (and yourself). I try to have a couple of options available for each program – for those times when noting is coming together. I want to convey to the listener that, even in the face of [pick one: forgetting how the tune goes, being unable to exert any control over my fingers, starting in the wrong key, (why yes, I have done all these things and more – in front of audiences)], I’m glad to be there with them, and grateful to know that they’re on my side, even if I can’t seem to conjure any knowledge of how to play the harp!
    3. Stretching helps alleviate stiffness – and putting yourself out there might make you feel stiff (terrified stiff?).  Nothing like working on music way beyond the pale of your favorites will help you approach new, different things with more freedom – that comes from the comfort of being less stiff as you approach the music…or the audience. Remember to “bend your knees” musically. Just imagine what I might do with that tune I hate (after I deliver it for the gig – I could completely rejigger it (perhaps literally – make it into a jig? Just an idea – I’m flexible like that!)
    4. Stretching helps relieve stress. Don’t you ever think that you’re the only one who feels stress (nervousness, tension, etc.) when you’re performing. We all do – even your harp hero! If you’ve done the stretches we have been talking about, you will be more comfortable no matter where you play.  And that will help you feel less stress while you are playing. Don’t get me wrong – you might feel a little bit of nervousness (and research suggests that this actually helps you play better) but you won’t have that heart-pounding, breath-stealing paralysis that gets in the way (ok, you can call it stage fright, but I can only focus on how I can’t breathe…until I remember that I’m looking forward to playing…once I get started!).
    5. Stretching helps develop and maintain focus. By stretching yourself to new audiences, you have to focus on them to share all that you have brought. You will, of course, get better at this with practice, so keep at it!  And remember to focus on the good – you know your music, you enjoy playing, and they will love you!
    6. Stretching stretches you. You will definitely benefit from sharing yourself and your music with others. Open your heart and give your gift. Do not worry about receiving a gift in return – just enjoy the delightful feeling of giving! And keep on giving as you stretch yourself again and again.

    So, as the end of summer nears and we have stretched ourselves in so many ways – physically, artistically, emotionally, and through our repertoire. Each of these aspects of playing are essential – and stretching in each of them helps keep you flexible – ready to take on any challenge and not only succeed but also the enjoy it! Now that you’re all stretched – what will you take on next? Let me know in the comments!

  • Expand your musical reach – another stretch (or 7!)

    We have talked about stretching through making art and stretching our bodies.  There’s another place we need to stretch and that is in our music.  And it’s the perfect time to think about it – it will be the winter holidays and all the lovely opportunities to play will be coming.  I mention the holidays because they are the perfect foil for stretching our music.

    The holidays are great from a repertoire perspective.  There is a relatively small set of tunes to work from and each year, those that have been on our set lists for a while seem to become easier to prepare and to play.  It’s also easier to knuckle under and practice – we know it’s coming; we know we’ll be playing; and we know the bulk of what we’ll bring to each performance.

    That doesn’t exactly sound like stretching.

    And that’s why it’s so great!  There are loads of holiday tunes – so you probably don’t know them all.  But you know some and so each year you can add another one or two to fill in your set list.  But we have to fight the urge to be lazy and just play all the same stuff. 

    I don’t know about you, but I really like hearing new (to me) stuff at the holidays.  From countries whose music I don’t know well, from new sources, and from the set of those songs that hardly anyone records but are just so good. 

    So, the holidays are an opportunity to stretch ourselves – musically.

    What does stretching musically mean? Trying new things!  It can be adding techniques we don’t usually use, playing music we don’t usually play, finding stuff we didn’t know existed and fitting it into our lives, arranging music we like (from other instruments) and playing it on the harp, or more.

    How is stretching musically good for us?  Here are seven unsurprising ways (some of these might sound familiar since they are as with making art)

    1. Stretching is (still) the opposite of static!  Static is not moving or changing.  Static introduces b-o-r-i-n-g into your playing.  It also means that you’re not growing as a musician.  So, learn how to do some effect you think is cool…and actually use it in your playing!  Do the work of technique practice.  And after learning some new technique, actually add it to your playing!
    2. Stretching makes you more flexible.  By adding new music, new sources, new techniques, new practice approaches, just new stuff to your playing, you will begin to explore yourself more and bring that into your playing and performance.  And you will be free to do more than you thought you could when you were less flexible.
    3. Stretching helps defeat stress.  The more you stretch your music, the more comfortable you become with playing it – because you’ll become more accustomed to being stretched.  In your practice, in performance, in ensemble, in sessions – no matter where you’re playing you will be more relaxed, able to enjoy the process and product of making music.  That comfort is an indication of your reduced stress.
    4. Stretching helps overcome pain and discomfort.  You might decide to stretch your music when you feel the discomfort be becoming bored.  Of course, once you decide to stretch your music, you might feel self-conscious, uneducated, or ignorant.  The music activities that stretch you might make you feel uncomfortable in and of themselves.  But keeping at it – a little bit each day – will help you be more comfortable and soon, you’ll be interested in the flexibility of trying new music.  I’d suggest adding time for creativity in your practice each day so you will be able to stretch musically with less (perceived) “stiffness”.
    5. Stretching helps you focus.  You can be mindful when you are stretching your music.  Mindful of what it is about the music that attracts (or repels) you, what technique elements you need to work on, what your harp really shines with.  In addition, a broader repertoire may help you to feel more accomplished and allow you to comfortably book gigs previously out of reach.  Be sure to pay attention as you’re stretching your music to identify what to keep on doing.
    6. Stretching improves your range.  As you add music to your toolbox, and include the listening, reading, technique and effects the new music might require of you, you will become more able to do more things with greater musicality – and add new things more quickly.
    7. Stretching stretches you.  There’s nothing like playing something you never thought you’d be able to (or possibly even that you never thought about adding) to boost your confidence and encourage you to try even more new things!

    Stretching – the gentle kind that broadens your abilities, and leaves you relaxed and enjoying making music, is just what you need.  With these seven stretches you might become a better musician!  What kind of music might you add to stretch yourself?  What else might you do to stretch yourself musically?  Tell me in the comments – I can’t wait to hear!

  • Can there be a First Inning stretch?

    Last week we talked about stretching yourself in your art and I hope you’ll agree that is important.  But, we might have been a little bit ahead of ourselves.  Typically when we talk about stretching, we are talking about moving our bodies, stretching our muscles.  Maybe that’s the First Inning stretch?

    Well, that’s pretty important too. And for a lot of the same reasons.  And for a few different ones.  Physically stretching may be important purely because playing the harp is a physical activity.  Don’t believe me?  Play a 3 hour gig!  Or even an intense hour long practice.  Then you’ll know. 

    So that physicality, which is easy to minimize or rationalize away, is exactly why we need to be rigorous about stretching our bodies.  Here are six benefits when you need to stretch your body.

    1. Decrease stiffness – all over.  You won’t just stretch part of you – stretch all of you!  As stated before, stretching will also increase your ranges of motion – all those joints and muscles need to work together so you can play…and play well.
    2. Remember what relaxed feels like.  Now, you might think this is about chilling out, but really it’s about letting the muscles relax.  This relaxation needs to be paired with the contraction of the opposing muscle.  And together these actions make playing possible.  Balancing these is what really makes the tone possible – and you’ll get that when you not only contract the muscles but also let them relax.
    3. Stretch your body, refresh your mind.  Whether you’re practicing, performing, or just going through your day, you can have a little break just by stretching.
    4. You already know this – stretching may help you avoid injuries.  And while it will help you be flexible enough to not develop big injuries – perhaps more importantly, you’ll be more likely to avoid those nagging little nigglings that bug you but don’t qualify as injuries in your mind. These little insults can build up over time while you’re ignoring them – so stretch to prevent them in the first place.
    5. Stretching helps you become aware of your body.  That includes when you’re body is humming along….and when something is out of whack.
    6. Stretching helps you focus.  By helping to increase circulation and by promoting breathing, you will be more able to draw your focus to your activities of practicing, playing, and performing. 

    If you’re not already stretching, you might consider adding it to your day.  You can incorporate ministretch sessions throughout your day.  At a minimum consider at least stretching during your practice time. Are you really out of practice?  Then you could start by having a big stretch before you get out of bed in the morning! 

    Are you stretching?  Do you stretch as part of your harp practice?  What stretches do you do?   Which is your favorite?  Let me know – share them in the comments!

  • 7th Inning Stretch

    The start of August is sort of the “7th Inning Stretch” of Summer. 

    Most of the Summer is gone, but there’s easily another six (or more!) weeks to go, so it is the metaphorical 7th Inning.  For those of you unaccustomed to baseball, there are nine innings (in a regular game) so the 7th is about ¾ of the way.  Onlookers are encouraged to stand up and stretch before the end of the game commences.  It is a time of frivolity, merriment, and getting the last snacks before the vendors shut down.

    In our case, it’s not the inning that matters – it’s more about the stretch.  So, for August, we’ll talk about stretching.

    We actually started stretching ourselves in July by giving ourselves permission to cross into making art in other media.  This challenge to ourselves is a type of stretching –

    • Stretching our creative muscles
    • Stretching how we think about our arts
    • Stretching our comfort zone to share pieces in various phases of done-ness
    • Stretching our world of sharing.

    So many of you graciously shared your work in other media (and continue to do so – don’t stop!).  This is a relatively easy way to stretch yourself.

    Why is stretching so important? There are loads of reasons you should stretch yourself, but here are 7 (one for each Inning up to the stretch? Maybe ????):

    1. Stretching is the opposite of static!  Being static is stultifying.  It is not making progress of any type.  It is status quo.  What it isn’t is electrifying!  Or creative.  Or enriching.  So we want to avoid being static.
    2. Stretching makes you more flexible.  The more you stretch, the more all of you can be brought to everything! Practice. Creating. Lunch with friends. Everything!
    3. Stretching helps defeat stress.  The more you stretch, the more comfortable you become with being stretched.  Because you are comfortable with stretching and being flexible, you can be more relaxed in the face of stressors and this comfort allows you face every stressor more easily.  And the more you create, the more flexible you will be as you create – anything.
    4. Stretching reduces pain and discomfort.  When you first start stretching you will feel self-conscious, uncoordinated, ignorant, and you might feel discomfort or pain from the activities that stretch you.  But if you go gently and keep at it daily, you will soon (sooner than you think) adapt and become more flexible.  So, by adding some time for creativity in each day you will be able to do so with less stiffness (e.g. “I don’t know what to draw!” or “I can’t paint!”)
    5. Stretching helps you focus.  You can be mindful when you are stretching, and your enhanced presence means you can focus on where you are rather than being focused on any pain or discomfort. By creating more in all domains, you will be able to focus on the act of creating at your harp when you are there (or your easel, your notebook, your kitchen counter – wherever you are focused and being creative).
    6. Stretching improves your range of motion.  As you might have seen by the challenge, your “range of motion” in other media might be limited – by self-critique, by lack of experience, by lack of training.  Stretching will allow you to side step these things and create anyway.
    7. Stretching stretches you.  What?  That might sound silly, but by stretching you are always challenging yourself to try more, new, different – and it feels good!

    So, we’ve sort of gone backwards starting with stretching your creativity but that’s ok – we’re nothing if not flexible, right?  As we progress through August, we’ll look at other, more conventional views of stretching.  But as you’re creating, remember to stretch and be flexible.  What do you do to be creatively flexible?  Share in the comments – I can’t wait to hear!

    PS – as I mentioned last week – if you’ve got a piece of art from another medium that you’d like to share – I will add it to the post.  Haven’t finished your piece?  Haven’t finished convincing yourself?  Still on the fence about sharing? Just do it for yourself!  When you send it to share, I will put it up.  If you missed last week’s post where people shared their amazing art from other media, prepare to be amazed and check it out here:

  • Challenge Accepted! Updated

    You are amazing!!  All I can say is “WOW!!”  and “Thank you!” 

    So many of you were willing to make art and share it with the rest of us.  You were artistic, creative, and definitely away from the harp.  And you made such wonderful stuff!

    I know some of you are away on vacation.

    I know others of you were in “watch and wait” mode – you may have made something but maybe not been willing to share it.  And that’s ok – the real point of this was to make something.  The willingness to share can come later.

    And I know some of you are in that place of “can’t” – that’s ok, but I think we might be having a little bit more fun over here. I hope you know there’s always room on our blanket (and there’s always an extra cookie) when you’re ready to come over here.

    Here are a sample of the wonderful things people sent.  We have art made from pastels, markers, textiles, pencil, and clay!  Some of these pieces have been in the making for a bit and others were dashed off to participate – either way, all are welcome.  I hope you find this encouraging and go off to try something new!  And if you didn’t finish in time, you were full of trepidation (but now you see that really, they won’t take away your birthday!), or you just forgot but now you’re willing to share, I’m still willing to post – just send it to jeniuscreationschallenge@gmail.com and we can keep this up for a while! 

    New pieces added to end as they come it – thank you!

       

     

  • Give yourself permission – be a mixed media artist

    I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty comfortable being a musician.  And that’s good.  I don’t avoid the topic – I tell people that’s what I am and it’s what I do.  And I guess now I can say I’m a recording artist too*.  But then I become less comfortable.  I have a hard time seeing myself as an artist of any kind!

    That word conjures up visions of “real” artists like DaVinci, Rafael, Van Dyke, Mondrian, or Basquiat (don’t like my list?  I’d love to know how you like better! Tell me in the comments.).  And then I become full of “can’t”.  I can’t draw, I can’t paint.  I can’t sketch.  Heck I can’t even doodle (no seriously, check any of my margins.  They are all starkly blank!).

    And that pile of “can’t” starts to weigh me down.  If I can’t be an artist how can I call myself one?

    How you look at something defines what you’ll see.  Reframing is simply actively deciding to look at something differently.  For instance, if I need to find a particular word on a page of text, I turn the book upside-down.  Because it is now harder to read, it becomes easier to search.  By reframing the problem, I have changed my perspective and thereby made finding the answer just a little bit easier.

    And so, to become comfortable calling myself and artist, I have to think about reframing how I see – myself, art, as well as the various media within which I can work.  Sometimes we need to push ourselves and allow ourselves to grow as artists.  And that push is not just at the harp – we need to push ourselves to do what we don’t think we can…in another medium.  We have to give ourselves permission to work in multiple media and possibly we’ll see growth across media!

    Remember when you started playing the harp?  It certainly is a forgiving instrument, but even so, there were probably times when you were sure you’d never learn to (Gliss accurately? Play harmonics? Get faster?).  You were a beginner.  When you’re a beginner, everything is a challenge, but you’re excited and curious and while you hope it will come easily, you sort of expect to not do it right immediately. As adults we have a much more difficult time adapting this beginner mindset and we stop allowing ourselves to be beginners – we expect a perfect try straight from the box.  Which is ridiculous – we’d never expect other people to do that well on the first try, but we maintain ridiculous expectations of ourselves!

    Being creative away from the harp will allow you to have room to grow.  Working in another medium also means learning new things, practicing different things that you need at the harp and having to think differently – even if only briefly.  Being creative in any medium will help you be more confident in your capacity to be creative.  And while the skills you master may (or may not) transfer – the freedom certainly will.

    I have a number of creative, artistic, free friends who make amazing art.  They create knitwear that actually looks like clothing, paint pictures that look like actual scenes, take breathtaking photographs, write captivating poetry.  They freely make and create and generate.  They are all harpers.  They create all the time.

    I have learned a lot from them.  OK, I’m still learning!  What have I learned?

    1. Be Creative.  As the shoes say, just do it.  Stop talking (inside your head) and make!
    2. Don’t judge! No really.
    3. Be Flexible.  It didn’t turn out the way you imagined?  Is it still kind of cool or do you need to learn some more and try again?  Either way…ok.
    4. Try things.  Just try it – you might like it!  Don’t know how to draw?  Ok, well, pick up your pen and do something and keep working on it.  And try again.  You’re learning!  (A friend also exasperatedly reminds me to go find a YouTube video to learn how to do something – she’s right, there’s videos for just about everything).
    5. Identify your hang-ups. What’s stopping you?  I usually know I can’t do what they’re doing so I’m tempted to not try, because it won’t be good enough (reference TWO and FOUR above).  Be tough here – what is r-e-a-l-l-y stopping you?  Name it!
    6. And defeat it!  Now that you have named what your hang-ups are – defeat them.  Look into their metaphorically beady little eyes and tell them to pound sand!
    7. Be Brave.  What’s the worst that can happen?  Your drawing of your dog looks like a firetruck? Your photo looks less like Loch Ness and more like Loch Mess? So what? It’s not like they’re going to take away your birthday!  Sneer at your inner doubter and be brave!

    Being creative away from the harp in another medium will allow you to have room to grow.  Being creative in any medium will help you be more confident in your capacity to be creative.  And while the skills may (or may not) transfer – the freedom certainly will.

    I talk a big game.  I am always starting to make art in other media and get caught up in “can’t”.  So, let’s set ourselves a challenge.  Within the next week, make some art.  It doesn’t have to be large, complicated, complex, or tortured – it just has to be yours.  Take a picture of it and post it in the comments and we’ll share them next week.  I say this with trepidation – because, you know, I can’t draw.  But I’ll be doing it too.  A doodle? A sketch? Photo from your phone that you crafted? An ashtray (are these still made in art?) Whatever you want – make it, photograph it and post it and I’ll make a gallery of our work next week.  We’ll all be in this together.

    UPDATE: PLEASE EMAIL YOUR CONTRIBUTION TO JENIUSCREATIONSCHALLENGE@GMAIL.COM (YOU WON’T BE ABLE TO LOAD IT INTO THE COMMENTS!).

    * why yes, my cd, This Moment, is available in ShamelessSelfPromotionLand.

  • In the Bleak Mid-Summer…8 ways to stay Motivated

    It is the Bleak Midsummer – that time of year when it might as well be winter for all that you intend to go outside!  It’s predicted to be about 100o tomorrow – ugh.  And raining.  The remnants of a tropical depressed (yes, I meant that).

    Of course, it will be pouring while I try to load my car to head to Somerset Folk Harp Festival.  Why does it always rain when you need to load your harp into the car?  It’s just a law of nature I supposed.

    But that’s the thing about the Bleak Midsummer (you might call it the Summer Doldrums, but that’s not bleak enough for me) – the heat, the humidity, the knowing that it will last another eight weeks – all gang up on you and sap your strength and motivation!  Who wants to play when you know you’re going to sweat on your harp?

    Ugh.

    So, how do you stay motivated?  Here are 8 ways that might work for you:

    1. Go to summer harp events! I’m delighted to be going to Somerset Folk Harp Festival and I’m missing all the fun we had at the Ohio Scottish Arts School, and I’m really looking forward to Harp Quest! I wish I was able to fit more in, but these events (and others like them) really help you break out of any rut you might be in, let you catch up with old (but distant) harp friends, make new harp friends, and learn a lot in a relatively short time.  Best of all, you come home with new tunes, cool tricks and tips, and usually a bounce in your harp-step!  [BTW -There only a few remaining spots in Harp Quest and registration will close soon, so be sure to get in while there’s space!  More info here or contact us here]
    2. Use the long days to your advantage – if you normally practice in the evening, you can use the early light to get a new view on your playing. Never gonna happen that you get up at 5 to practice? No worries – enjoy practicing in the late afternoon or early evening – here too the light is so bright and the sun still so high that it feels like you’re practicing much earlier than you are. Or wait until the lingering sunsets of summer to enjoy the feel of playing the evening in.  No matter what, you can use the longer days to get a fresh perspective on your playing.
    3. Don’t let the short nights get the better of you – be sure you’re still getting enough sleep. Getting enough sleep will not only help you play better but will also help stave off the blues.  Those long nights will be upon us before we know it (even if it feels like they’ll never come) but you can still arrange to get plenty of rest.
    4. It’s VACATION TIME! You can take this a number of ways. You’re going to go away and have a frabjous time somewhere else doing nothing (including not playing).  Or you’re going somewhere amazing and taking your harp with your time away.  Either way – use the down time to rest and recover.  And maybe devote a few quiet moments to reminding yourself of how much you love playing the harp and that the work is just a path to enjoyment. [And if you want to plan ahead – you could never go wrong spending your vacation on a trip with us!  Harp the Highlands and Islands 2020]
    5. Use those long sunny (hot) days to spend time in your favorite chair with your favorite libation thinking about how lucky you are to play the harp! That should perk you up and make you want to play (and maybe even to practice?). Of course, that libation should be part of your hydration plan – it’s so easy to get dehydrated in the summer and that will throw you off your game, sap your motivation, and probably give you a headache – all no fun.
    6. Think about Christmas – every year Christmas comes racing up and we’re never really ready, so give it a little thought now. Maybe plan out your cold weather strategy while it’s still nice and hot. When will you start?  What tunes are you going to add this year?  What have you played in the past that needs more work  (and inevitably, more than you think)?  Where are you going to play?  What non-holiday tunes will you keep in the rotation to avoid boring the socks off your listeners?  See, there’s loads to think about, while you’re sweating and not wanting to play.
    7. Just sit for 15 minutes. Promise yourself that you’ll only play for 15 minutes – after all, it’s hot and you won’t be able to concentrate for too long, so don’t think you will – just do it in bite sized chunks throughout the day.
    8. Have ice cream. Really? You’re going to question this?  Fine, I’ll have yours.

    Power through – it’ll be autumn soon and before you know it, we’ll be complaining about how cold it is!  There’s eight ideas – do you have others?  How do you stay motivated throughout the summer?  Leave me a comment and share!

  • Permission Granted x20

    Playing the harp is more challenging than it looks. You already know that. That’s why we work hard during practices. It’s why we try to practice regularly – so that we enjoy small, incremental improvements each day. And this is one reason I’m always suggesting that we track our progress – to acknowledge, accept, and grow from that practice.

    Practicing certainly gives us a way to work on the technical aspects of playing, but there is so much more to playing – things that go beyond the technical. However, to get to those things we sometimes need to get out of our own way.

    So, how do we do that? We start by giving ourselves permission. Permission for lots of things. But mostly, you have to give yourself permission to be YOU!

    Here are 20 types of permission you might consider giving yourself:

    1. Permission to fail. It happens. Actually, if you’re learning, you’ll fail a lot on the way. But if you refuse yourself the opportunity to fail, you won’t learn…and that would be a shame.
    2. Permission to be silly. There is so much seriousness in music, but a little silly will probably help you enjoy more.
    3. Permission to give it rest. Sometimes you need to percolate – and taking a little break will give you the option to do just that.
    4. Permission to be as good as you are (and no better). You are where you are. Be there.
    5. Permission to work on just one thing (until you get it right). Sometimes we think we have to master everything, all at once. But this doesn’t really do much except frustrate you.
    6. Permission to do scary things. When you scare yourself, you learnt that it didn’t kill you to try something new. We’re usually most scared that we will embarrass ourselves – you’re going to embarrass yourself one way or another, so embarrass yourself your own way!
    7. Permission to get out there and share. We often huddle in the safe cocoon of our harp room at home. But the music is best shared – so get out there!
    8. Permission to fail again (and again and again and again). You can’t just stop at one failure – do it over and over and over – and each time you’ll learn more that you can apply to the next failure.
    9. Permission to make art in multiple ways. This can be as small as playing a new kind of music or as big as learning to sculpt or paint or write. All your art will work to help you in the others.
    10. Permission to create “first drafts” (and second and third and on and on as needed). You know that what you see on stage or on YouTube is not spontaneous, right? So why do you expect your initial efforts to be performance ready? Think of the pre-work as your “drafts” that you will continue to refine and develop – until they are ready to share.
    11. Permission to have fun. Ok, this is pretty self-explanatory!
    12. Permission to laugh at yourself. No really, you should be able to laugh at yourself. Keep it light – it’s not rocket surgery after all.
    13. Permission to expect more from yourself. You don’t have to be content with your lot – you can want more (as long as you’re willing to work for it).
    14. Permission to be good at some things, not good at some others, and even to be terrible at a few. Here’s an example – I’m good at playing the harp, I’m not as good at cooking and I’m terrible at gardening. I’m ok with that – I allocate my time and resources accordingly (e.g., I practice for hours, I heat soup for dinner, and I pay a kid in the neighborhood to tend the garden – that’s that sorted!).
    15. Permission to practice as much as you need – and no more. I know some of you struggle to get your butt on the bench, but others spend too much time there – practice while it’s productive, and then go do something else. Got a deadline? Try a little practice multiple times in the day.
    16. Permission to be happy with where you are. This might seem counterintuitive (or counter to development) but it’s not – you are where you are. Be there. Right then. Realize too that time is a river – there is only constant change and you are changing when you are where you are – give yourself permission to accept that.
    17. Permission to want more. You think I’m contradicting myself – but remember I said there is constant change – if you want more, want it – and work for it!
    18. Permission to change your mind. Playing classical music and tired of it? Trapped in session tunes but longing for something more “substantial”? OK. It’s ok to change your mind about what you want to play. Just do it.
    19. Permission to keep track of what you are doing…and what you want to do next. However, you need to – keep track in your own way and build on that.
    20. Permission to spend your valuable time doing what you love. After all, time may be your most precious commodity – so spend the time you have doing what you love.

    There are plenty of permissions to give yourself. What other ones do you give yourself (or do you need to give yourself)? Share that in the comments!

  • Is it getting warm in here?

    Yes, it’s now spring. And yes, temperatures are going up – it’s starting to get warm. The question is – are you?

    Every morning, when I head out for a walk or run, I start slow. Work out the kinks. Settle into my body.  Paying attention to my body. Feeling my feet hit the ground and roll up again.

    Do you take the time to warm up when you play? No matter if you’re practicing for 15 minutes or preparing for a 3 hour background gig, you should should take a little time to warm up. Why?

    Really?

    Oh yes – you need to warm up! One of my favorite sayings is that musicians are the athletes of the small muscles. This is central, not only because it equates us with athletes – who are more far more respected in modern society – but also because it focuses on the corporal elements of making music, rather than on how “pretty” our music is!

    While we may not spend hours in the gym (not that getting additional exercise would be bad), you can still keep in mind that you’re about to do physical work. Caring for those muscles will allow you to do more.

    Why is warming up so important? Well, for at least four reasons:

    • Gently moving lets those muscles gradually make ready to work. While significantly experienced humans (read: older) probably appreciate this, it is important begin to warm up long before you even actually feel the need to do it. And if you are a growing human (read: not yet out of adolescence) you have the opportunity to build the habit long before you need it.
    • Warming up is work – it’s “pre-work” so it is a legitimate part of your practicing time.
    • Warming up is actually about warming up – you want to warm up those hands that they will be more limber and flexible.
    • Warming up is a great time to check in on yourself – to really focus on how you feel and if you are ready to play.

    But, you don’t just warmup for the fun of warming up! Doing some warmups will allow you achieve flexibility to play better. Warmer hands will result in better technique because your hands will be better able to move – keeping your thumbs up maybe? will be easier if your hands are limbered up. Loads of crossovers for scales? certainly easier if your whole hand is warmed up and working together. And of course, it’s not just your hands – you should warm up your arms and shoulders at a minimum.

    What should you do to warmup? Here are a couple of ideas:

    • Wash your hands in warm water with nice soap – be luxuriant. Massage your hands while you’re at it.
    • Simple stretching. Stretch. Go slowly. Raise your arms overhead and reach for the ceiling. Stretch through your fingers. Wiggle your fingers. It’s not a race and it should be like when you wake up. Don’t overstretch.
    • Palm taps – you probably learned this in your first lesson. Tap your palm with each of your fingers to mimic closing.
    • Shoulder rolls – this is an iconic stretch – do rolls both forward and back.

    Then move to your harp and begin there – you already know this but remember – you’re warming up, so go slowly! There are loads of warmups but here are a couple of easy ideas for use at the harp:

    • Scales. No, not the “how quickly can I get these over with” scales – slow, careful, accurate, gentle, fully closing. Check your posture. Go up and down all of the harp. Yup. All of the way up and all the way down. A few times – remember you’re warming up.
    • After that, it’s up to you.  You want your warm up to reflect what you’re going to be doing. So, that means you could make part of what you’ll be working on into a warmup! Take it slowly – you’re warming up, so maybe the rhythm doesn’t matter as much as the placement certainly does.

    Remember this is warming up – not exercises. Yes, you can do the same stuff, but the focus is different. Warmup scales are slower and quieter, while exercise scales may be focused on intonation, speed, articulation, or something else.

    When you’re warmed up, you’re ready to play or practice and to get more from it. It only takes a moment and the benefits will become readily apparent. Do you warm up already? If so, what do you do? If you haven’t been, are you going to try any of this? Let me know in the comments what’s working for you (or what totally doesn’t!).

    PS – per request of a reader, I have increased the text size – please leave a comment and let me know what you think.  Thanks!

  • First Day of Spring – Get outside!

    No matter where you live, the first day of Spring can be a wonderful day. The farther you are from the equator (and whether you have Spring in March or September), Spring portends change and newness. Although I grew up near enough to the equator that Spring is just another day on the calendar, I now live where Spring occurs very palpably. And although it is my least favorite season, I still very much look forward to it’s arrival.

    Here we are slowly transitioning from winter, and just now we are enjoying a faux May day. Of course, we’re not quite there yet and we will be returning to our regularly scheduled March in just a few hours. But for the moment, it is Spring. And it’s a perfect day to take get harp outside…and play!

    There are all kinds of reasons to take the opportunity to do it right now!

    • The fresh air will do you good. There’s a reason “Spring Cleaning” is a thing. We have been cooped up in furnace air for months, so a little fresh air will be a welcome change (and you also want to enjoy it before A/C season shuts you up again).
    • The sunlight will do you good. This is a perfect time – bright clear days while the sun angle is changing – it’s not beating down on you or your harp.  No sweating on the soundboard.  No worrying that the glue might be in jeopardy.  Research keeps showing the importance of getting some sun – to collect Vitamin D precursors, to stave off the winter blahs, and to put the finishing touches on your adaptation to the time change.  Playing your harp will only enhance all that.
    • The warmth will do you good. Some research suggests that you will feel better with just 15 minutes of contact with the earth each day. When it’s Spring, it is warm enough to take your shoes and socks off and keep your feet on the ground. No matter how it operates, taking 15 minutes to stand still (or sit still) will do you good.
    • Being present will do you good. Sometimes when we take our harps outside, we are worried – will the harp be stable? will other people hear me? does anyone see me? We might feel exposed with our bare arms and our bare harp. But that’s not the point. Instead – be present. Enjoy the feel of the wood, the strings, the air, the sun, the deck/park/garden/yard in which you are sitting, the breeze, the sound. Be present and remind yourself how much you enjoy the feeling of playing – no matter how experienced you are (or aren’t).

    Spring is a great time to remind yourself to be thoughtful. After the bundled up, flurry and flutter of the holidays and the start of the new year – take a breath. Be here. Now. Enjoy your harp.

    Go play now. Spring is fleeting. Soon it will be Summer, with its hustle and bustle and A/C and harp events! Ok. Gotta go – the deck is calling me, the trees are beckoning, the birds are off key so they need help. Where will you play? Let me know in the comments below!