Tag Archives: Caring for Yourself

Makin’ a List

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Makin’ a List

Since the end of the year is coming, many people are spending a moment taking stock (which is a great idea, BTW!).  My own led to a list of random thoughts that I, of course, felt compelled to share with you!

1. If you need gift ideas (or hints?) I stand by this list for ideas. I should have added index cards to keep a running collection of tunes you have learned (I talk about that here).

2. Regardless of whether you play for your own edification, the cat and the curtains, your church, paid audiences, or you’re opening for the Rolling Stones, never lose sight of the reality that you not only have a gift, but you sharing that gift with others simply magnifies it. Playing music is never a waste of time or resources.

3. Take care of you. Beyond basic self-care, never play through pain or in pain.  Use good techniques, use the tools your teachers have shared with you – placing, fingering, posture, etc.  But no matter how long you practice each day, there are still the habits of the other hours of your day that can gang up on you – darn day job!  If you are developing discomfort or if you have allowed that discomfort to grown into pain, of if something else is impinging on your playing (I’m looking at you desk job keyboard un- functional posture) seek help from a Certified Music Ergonomist – like me*!

4. Take time to enjoy. Even as the hustle and bustle, the premanufactured stress of the season, the actual stress of life, and the chores pile up – you play the harp!  Play the tunes you like (or those that come easily to you).  Really listen, feel, and resonate with your instrument and draw some peace to you, in you, and around you.  If it’s midnight and you’re keyed up, sit for just a moment and put a little disturbance into the air.  Let the ick of stress, etc., ride those sound waves right out of you!

5. Is it possible to say thank you enough? I doubt it.  So, sincerely, thank you for sharing your year with me.  I really enjoy your thoughts, observations, and comments, and I remain delighted and grateful for you and your willingness to share!

Told you, just a jumble of thoughts.  What’s on your list?  Let me know in the comments!

 

 

* Shameless plug.  But seriously, if not me, let me point you in the right direction~

Bzzzztzzzztzzzzzzzzz

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Practice Improvement

Do you ever feel like your practice needs fixing?  Like you should be doing something more but you’re not sure what?  After all, you do all the things (as the meme says).  And it’s our busy season coming, with friends, family, church, civic organizations, even strangers on the street, all asking for music for events or just to create a holiday vibe.  It is a gift to share your gift.  So the question is, is your practice ready or is your practice static?

Practice Improvement

Unfortunately, we can’t just wrap bows around our hands (or our brains!) and be ready to present our gift. So we practice.  And practice. And practice some more.  We listen to the gurus (I’m going to be presumptuous and add myself to that list!) and try to follow their advice.  We do the technical work, and we write down everything, we make recordings, we do repetitions, we make exercises from fumbles, we repeat and repeat and repeat.  Just like the “people who know things” tell us to.

But sometimes even all that might leave you feeling like you still don’t quite have it. Like all that practicing you should be doing isn’t getting you where you want to be.  Ever feel like that? Oh, it’s just me? Ok, well…yeah, I didn’t think so.

There’s just one problem with what I’ve described, and with “doing as your told” in general.  And that is that you can’t be static – not moving, not changing.

You have probably cobbled together (from all that guru advice) that you should do your technical work, then do your learning, then do your polishing, then play for fun and call it a day, invariantly, in that order.  But that may be where your unease is coming from!

You can’t always practice the same way all the time.  Mostly because you don’t always need the same thing from your practice each day.  There are so many factors that go into what you need to practice each day –

  • what you’re working on
  • what you’re working toward
  • what you’re doing the rest of the day
  • how tired you are
  • and more – all those things that impact everything in your day

So how should you practice? Well, start by knowing that, just like your learning, your practicing cannot be static. It has to change to fit what you need. 

But how do you know what you need? Well, as a beginner you might have to depend on your teacher to tell you – after all, you’re a beginner so you probably don’t know where to start and a teacher will certainly help with that.  But as you become more accomplished, you will be able to notice what works for you (and what doesn’t).  Before we go on, noticing what works is not the same as convincing yourself that practicing all the easy stuff is good and working on something you don’t want to do/don’t feel comfortable doing/is challenging can be skipped…these are usually the things you most need to work on (don’t ask me how I know this).

Practicing is the time to find what works for you – and what doesn’t.  It’s the opportunity to try different approaches to your music – play faster, play slower, try shoving your way through, break everything down, listen to a recording, read the music, listen to a recording while reading the music, work backward, work phrase by phrase, walk away and come back with a clearer head, sit until you get it, repeat 3 times, 10 times, 100 times, sing it, play it on another instrument (all things some guru has probably suggested to you before).

What do all of these approaches have in common?  They require that you pay attention.  No formulaic, mindless practicing!  Be critical (but not self-critical!).  Note what seems to help you move forward for each of a variety of situations.  Be open to changing as needed – and as the situation requires.  Follow your progress like it’s your favorite facetictweegram influencer!  Remember to start with your goals in mind so your can modify your process to get there  Focus on your progress and don’t be static!

What have you noticed impacts your practice success?  How do you modify your practice? How do you keep track of what you’ve done that worked and what didn’t?  Let me know in the comments!

Sad

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Recently, a harp friend told me that she was going to move along.  That she was done with the harp.  That she had completed what she set out to accomplish. And now that that’s done, it’s time to move on to something else.

I struggled for what to reply.  The concept of being done with playing the harp is an anathema to me.  I don’t get it.  What?

I wanted to argue.  She’s a good player.  She’s put in so much work.  So much time. So much money!

But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that arguing with her wasn’t the right tack.  After all, she knows her own mind.  If she’s done, she’s done.  No amount of my quizzing her to death would help.  And all those questions surely wouldn’t woo her back and might just push her farther away. 

I just needed to be sad.

Sad because I’m likely to lose a friend.  When your friendship is built on sharing music, will it survive without it?

Sad because the harp gives me such joy (while also being a challenge) that I can’t conceive of leaving it, yet I have to allow her to do just that.

Sad because I felt badly that, although I think she’s a fine harp player, she had evaluated her own harp life and found it lacking.

And I’m still hopeful that it’s just that she just needs a break and that she’ll come back to the harp – and her harp friends.  That she’ll miss playing and just sort of migrate back to it.  That the simple act of playing will remind her of the joys to be had. 

But if that’s not the case, I really hope that she finds something that is a balm to her like I find my harp is to me – in good times and bad, it’s there for me and I want my friend to have that too.  Even if it’s from doing something else.

Because it’s about her and her happiness – and satisfaction – with playing.  If that’s not happening, then she probably should move on. I don’t know what she’s going to do with her time now that she won’t be practicing, going to workshops, playing, and all the other things we do.  It’s a lot of time to fill.  I’m not sure that when we’re in the middle of it, we realize how much time we spend – sometimes it really is more time that we spend with other people (not that there’s anything wrong with that! 😉).

And although I’m sad about all this, I also fervently hope that she is not sad at all.  That her choice to move along is standing her in good stead and that she’s finding something that makes her heart sing.  I’ll get over it.  I’ll play my harp to do so.  Maybe I’ll feel compelled to write a tune about it. Or maybe I’ll just play things that we had played together – as a commemoration of sorts.

I know I shouldn’t be sad – things change.  And I’ll move past it.  But for now, I’m going to be just a little bit sad about it while wishing my friend all the best. 

How are you? Let me know in the comments!

Upon Reflection

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Do you ever hear someone say, “I’ll never play as well as (insert-the-name-of-your-favorite-accomplished-harper here) does”.  I always wonder if they’ve reflected on what they are actually saying.

Because, while It is a natural phenomenon to compare ourselves with others, it is only upon reflection that we have the chance to grow.  In addition, no matter how natural it is to make those comparisons, it does you no good.  You might convince yourself you’re determining where the “bar is set” but you’re not.  We do comparisons as a shortcut for self-assessment, so we have to stop it before it can fully derail our progress!

There are a few reasons people make comparisons and each holds a potential lesson:

  • If your goal is to be someone else, I hate to tell you this, but they are already them, so you should stick to being you. You don’t know where other people started or how their path has differed from yours, so your comparison is a false assessment at best and certainly doesn’t serve you!
  • If you only look at people who you think are “better” than you, you don’t have time to look around for others who could learn something from you where you are or how you got there. We all have something to contribute – someone may need to learn something you already have.
  • If you are watching someone else, by definition, you only see their “performances”.  That means you haven’t seen all the work they had done before, behind the practice room door over a long time. You only see the polished, finished work while you likewise have to suffer through (and endlessly replay) your own bloopers – how is that an accurate comparison?
  • If you keep watching someone else, you won’t be paying attention to yourself.  And that means that you won’t necessarily see when you make a breakthrough. You have to be paying attention to yourself so you will be able to detect your own improvements – but you won’t see them if you’re watching someone else.
  • If your goal is a who, you’ll definitely miss the what. Wanting to be someone else isn’t really an actionable goal.  If instead, you pay attention to you and work toward what you’d like to achieve (you might identify the what by watching someone else, just don’t try to be them!).
  • If you consistently compare yourself to others, you’ll always be disappointed. This is because you’ll either be comparing up (and thereby find yourself wanting) or comparing down (thus finding yourself “better” but not more satisfied).  If you instead compare yourself to you – that is, compare where you were to where you are – you’ll be delighted by what you find!

While it might be natural to compare yourself to others, it doesn’t help you improve.  So how do you escape this?  There are a few things you can do that will help you grow without making you grow green with envy!

  • Write it down (I know, I know, I’m always telling you to write things down… because I mean it!) – identify what it is that you think you’re lacking in comparison. Be specific – is it a technique you don’t know? Or a manner of playing? The harp itself? Something else?  Once you know what it is, you can work on it.
  • Write more down – now that you know why you’re feeling comparatively lacking, write down what your gap is (or if you even have a gap!) – this will help you realize what you have to do to close your perceived shortfall.
  • Be nice – remember to talk to yourself like you’re someone you like and are friends with!  Pillorying yourself won’t help and might actually hurt.
  • Get to know them – talk to the person you’re comparing yourself to. We harpers are a small, friendly, and accepting group and I’m always delighted by others’ willingness to share their journey, their tips and tricks, and they’re own thoughts.  All you have to do is ask.
  • State your goal – no, really, be very clear on what it is you think you need to work on…and do it!
  • Keep track of what you do – and how much progress you make.
  • Lather, rinse, repeat – consistent, persistent effort will help you move forward – but it has to be both consistent and persistent!

It also helps to keep track of when you’re feeling like you’re falling short and instead focusing on you (rather than on someone else). 

Have you ever felt like you’d never measure up? Have you tried any of these suggestions?  Let me know in the comments!

The Pandemic Slump

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It’s been two years of pandemic.  Two long, challenging, isolated, soul-smushing years.  One thing I have seen really grow over these two years is the Pandemic Slump*.  I am experiencing it myself.  And I know all too well that many of you are too. 

What is the Pandemic Slump I hear you ask? 

Well, it’s not a downturn in the economy.  It’s not the weird ennui we’ve been feeling and struggling to shake off, even as things begin to look up.

What is the Pandemic Slump? Check your zoom window, you might see it there.  Do you still have the lovely posture you worked so hard to develop while on the bench?

Pandemic_Slump

The Pandemic Slump is, in fact, actually likely the fault of (insert the name of your favorite online video interaction app here – zoom, skype, teams, facetime, messenger, or whatever app you’ve been using to soldier on with lessons and workshops).  As we try to make do with our phones or tablets or laptops with their fixed cameras and microphones, the slump has crept up on us.  After all, they said it would only be two weeks, and then only a few weeks more. And we’re not rich tech oligarchs, we’re musicians, so we can’t really be splashing dosh all over the place for a complete cinematographer’s set up.  We have been making do with what we have.  We’re staying connected and making progress.

And now we’re in a slump – literally.  That’s not good.  And I, as a teacher and as a CME (Certified Music Ergonomist), just cannot stand it anymore! 

Now, to be fair, the lockdowns have done more to impact our posture than just moving to online lessons.  We’re slugged out on the couch more, binging Downton’s Anatomy and Parks and Thrones.   And while it has been good fortune that so many have been able to work from home, very few had a well designed space.  It’s home after all – not focused on working for hours each day and so, many also have a poorly designed, badly set up space using laptops on beds, kitchen counters, floors, etc. because having an expensive (but supportive) ergonomic desk chair for home wasn’t really a priority. 

The slump is also bad because it changes your position at the harp. Your hands are at a different approach angle and your arms have to reach farther (because when you slump, your chest caves and your shoulders, going along for the ride and taking your arms with them.

In addition, to see the camera (which is in wide, landscape format), a lot of people have had to crouch down so that there was also enough harp in the picture to be helpful (and to move the lesson along).  And, a lesson or workshop is a social interaction, so we want to see each other which also requires getting your face in the frame, even if you have to contort your back to do so.  The lighting is bad and often becomes variable (due to digitization), so you may be squinting at the display. 

After two years of this, you might not even notice you’re doing it!  What can you do? Let’s work on fixing all that!

First, you can get out the same way you came in – use your computer camera!  You can do this in real time by starting a meeting in your app (just don’t invite anyone else) and watch yourself.  If you’re having trouble watching yourself and monitoring your posture while you play, then record and review later – use your app or the video on your computer.  I like doing this in real time because then I can fix it as soon as I see it and I can see when it starts (do you slouch when you’re working to learn or remember, or do you slouch all the time?).  But recording and reviewing later also frees you up to focus on playing and seeing more things while you’re focused on reviewing.

If you’re not a techie (or you just don’t want to do the above), use an egg timer and a mirror – diddle with the timer so it goes off randomly. When it dings, freeze, and look in the mirror – do you like what you see, or do you need to straighten up?

Second, when I start students, I often give them a “starting checklist” to run through before they start playing.  Playing the harp is challenging and remembering all that stuff (head up, back straight, “puppy paws”, “baby waves”, breathe, oh, and play) can be a lot to remember.  Hence the checklist – I suggest that you make the checklist you need and run through it before you start to play.  Just make sure that don’t slouch/back straight is prominently placed in the list!

Have you noticed that your posture has taken a hit lately – do you have the Pandemic Slump? Or have you had other problems crop up like overuse injuries developing, trouble with playing stamina, or reduced accuracy and speed?  Want to learn more?  I’ll be giving two workshops at the Somerset Folk Harp Festival – Ergonomics 101 (in person, Friday, 22 July 3 – 4:30pm) and Selecting the right harp for you (in person, Saturday, 23 July 10 – m 11:30am) – come learn with me!  And if I can help you, we can make that happen! **

Have you noticed the Pandemic Slump in your zoom window?  Let me know about it in the comments! 

 

* Why yes, I did just make up that name but it is also a real thing.

** Ok, this is a shameless commerce plug, but it is a real thing – don’t play in pain, work with me.

It’s Spring Cleaning time!

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Spring has sprung the grass is griz! Time to shake off the lingering winter blahs!  It’s Spring Cleaning Time. 

Ugh, it’s bad enough to pretend like you’re going to air the linens and beat the rugs and clean behind the washer, but it’s worse that we know we could also spring clean our music life. Just ugh.  Not my favorite time of year, but a necessary  evil   activity.

Because, just as our closets cause things to disappear (but also to multiply (and shrink!)), our harp lives can also generate detritus and, well, frankly, dust!

So, what would a Spring Cleaning of our Harp lives look like?  There are a lot of things we could do including:

It's Spring Cleaning TimeClear off your music stand(s)!  Is your music stand a nightmare like mine (again)?  It’s probably also a fire hazard!  So much paper.  So many projects.  So much potential to drop it all and get everything mixed up!  And this is only one of them (yes, there’s another one for teaching – same sorry state, just different music).  It really is an indication of the churn of my thoughts.  A music stand is meant to hold the music you are playing – not to be seconded as a desk.  When you let everything pile up and get jumbled, not only is it slightly hazardous (ref fire and spillage above), but it also actively interferes with your work.  What’s at the back will be hidden (and likely forgotten and later presumed lost).  What’s in front will distract you from the other things that are in front but just behind them. Take some time to sort through it and you’ll be amazed how much freer you will feel to play!

If everything is important, then nothing is important,

so prioritize the music (and notes).  I’m not averse to “horizontal filing” if that’s your thing (it is mine) but use a desk, table or the floor so you can keep straight what you’re working on with which layer (trying to learn, barely learned, ready to polish, etc.).  Don’t let your projects get swallowed up by the Music Stand of Doom (cue scary music!).  

Tidy your space – now that you’re on a roll, don’t stop!  Now you can move on to the rest of your space.  Dust your harp and the legs of your bench (and your bench if you’ve not been practicing so much).  It is Spring Cleaning, so move your harp and your bench and vacuum underneath.  Put away music you’re not using and dust the storage.  Throw away the pens that no longer write, sharpen the pencils.  Wash your coffee cup(s).  If you have a music desk, clear it off and wipe it down.  Yup, this is the romantic part of being a musician.  If you have windows, air out the room a bit too.

Sort your paraphernalia – we’re musicians, we collect a lot of useful stuff.  Sometimes we collect too much useful stuff.  Sort through it all.  Do you have a full set of replacement strings (and do you know where it is)?  If not, order the ones you need.  Toss the string leavings – or cut them in to string ends for later.  How many nail clippers do you need right by your harp?  Are all your tuners and tuning keys collected in a space where you can find them?  Are your index cards in a file box (and in order)?  Have you put your cases away or are you still tripping over them?  Dust all your harp tchotchkes (and fondly remember who gave you each one as an encouragement and in appreciation of your music-y-ness).

Sort your Music – Did you know that there’s no prize for the person who collects the most harp music? Or that you’re unlikely to surpass the Library of Congress with your giant collection?  One of the best things I have recently seen was from A Slob Comes Clean who says that if you can’t find (something), you don’t have it.  So, here’s a good time to sort, organize (and purge) all your music – so you can find it!  Be it sheet music, audio files (come on, I know some of you still have cassette tapes you made at some workshop you took in a year that started with a 1), videos, or velum handwritten by monks, you can’t learn, practice, and play music you don’t know you have.  Don’t let anyone tell you how to organize it – suit yourself and sort and organize your stuff in a way you can use.  I have sheet music sorted by title (the title it has in my mind – whether that’s in English, Gaelic, Irish, Welsh, or whatever (including tunes that I think of as “that tune I learned from….” and are filed by the person’s name).  I have my books sorted by place/style (Scottish, Irish, American, broken classy (baroque and classical), piano, bagpipe, fiddle, song, and borrowed). CDs (sadly) are sorted by last listened to (ok, they’re not really sorted).  Never lose sight of the reality that organization is defined by the user not some on-line guru!

Clear out the pockets of your cases – Did you know that a harp case pocket can hold all the contents of Fibber McGee’s closet?  I am certain that my 18-pound harp weighs about two megatons in its case.  I pulled out about six million old set lists, a fistful of programs, seventeen harp keys, twelve tuners, four thousand pencils, three hundred hair clips, a dozen cookies, three pairs of gloves, two chapsticks, and a partridge with its accompanying pear tree.  I found out my dog hadn’t run away*.  After removing all that, then it weighed about four ounces**.  The pockets are large.  And they are deep.  Horror movie plots have been written about the depths of the harp case pocket.  You might want to check yours and give it a clear out.  Your back and shoulder will thank you too.

Get your harp regulated – no, seriously.  And no, my beloved luthier didn’t pay for product placement.  But really – how long are you going to go on playing slightly out of tune because your levers aren’t spot on?  Take care of your harp.  If you have the patience, tools, and know-how do it yourself, otherwise, visit your luthiers – they miss you!

Instill some order so you have a space in which you can create!   Imagine how much more pleasant it will be to play in your newly spiffed space!  It will be so much better if you have spring cleaned for your harp.  Do it now while spring is young and we’re not entirely sure we’ve seen the last frost.  

Do it for your harp, but more importantly do it for you! What Harp Spring Cleaning tasks do you do?  Let me know in the comments!

 

* Joking.

**Still joking – it still weighs 18 pounds.

 

Play for peace

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It’s not a good time just now.  (Another) War has broken out.  (Un)Fortunately, we have 24/7 media coverage, so you can be forgiven for being unable to escape the reporting.  Its relentless drumbeat is likely to wear on you.  And while you might think it’s stupid/pointless/misguided – now is the time to play for peace.

For your own peace. 

play for peaceThere are plenty of stressors available in our worlds and if the lingering crisis of the last two years wasn’t wearing on us enough, this latest one is a doozy. 

Regardless of your politics, your “side”, or your more general thinking, these events aren’t usually good for most of the people involved.  But for those on the outside, looking in, incapable of drawing away from the window, it will also take a toll.

Because we are all “involved” – some just have the luxury of pretending that they’re not going to be touched.  At this point though, there is not much we can do about it.  It is far away.  The diplomats are doing whatever it is they do over coffee in fancy meeting rooms.  And it’s been a long time since a “mighty war harp” was needed on a battlefield.

But just like there’s a tiger inside your kitten and a wolf in your puppy, inside your harp might be your best defense while we wait and watch and wonder what will come next. 

You have music.  It can help shield you from the ugly.   You can play the music of sorrow and the music of respite and make ready to play the music of joy…eventually.  You can play for yourself – as a balm for your soul.  And you can play for others who find themselves also locked in the thrall of the media, needing the succor you can provide.

You might think that you aren’t doing anything – but you’d be wrong. 

Every act of beauty will counter an act of ugliness.  Each beautiful note you play near an ear will send out sound waves that will bang into and deform the shock waves of a bomb detonating too near the ear of another. 

You might consider playing those simple but beautiful tunes.  Let them act as a salve for your mind.  If you aren’t sure what tune that might be, I’m sending subscribers one of my favorites.  It is the simply beautiful Crodh-laoigh nam Bodach (The Old Man’s Young Cows).  Play it to pour out all your emotions and once they are in front of you, play to move around in your feelings.  No good, no bad, just you, your harp and the defense of the music. 

In the end, which tune is not important – play anything you like that allows you to expel your emotions.  And once again we have a lovely opportunity to share with others who might not have the facility to play the music but will be comforted if you decide to share.

Times are troubled – again, more. Play your harp to help you get through the time and possibly to help others as well.

What do you think of the tune?  What other tunes you would play to feel the same things?  Are you letting your harp get you through (another) trying time?  Let me know in the comments.

It’s the little things

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The year is still young so we’re probably still thinking we should be setting goals.  One thing about goal setting is that it is really focused on a later time and on achieving big things.  Now, don’t get me wrong, achieving big things is good and important and really nice to accomplish. 

But the challenge is that it’s easy to get caught up in the “big goals” and forget about the smaller goals.  You know the ones.  The goals that actually provide the foundation for those big goals.  They are usually small enough that they don’t make the cut for a goals list (or a visi-mood board).  Why?  Because they are small.  But they are also essential.  After all – it’s the little things.

These are the sort of thing that I tend to write on each day’s Things To Do list.  Not because I won’t remember to do them, but rather because they are that important. What am I talking about?  Where here’s one you might want to include on your list for 2022:

Tune your Harp(s) EVERY DAY!

I know, right?!  And yet, it’s easy to just let this one slip – “I don’t have enough time,” “It’s tuned enough,” “No one is listening” – the list of excuses goes on and on. 

We know that tuning your harp is important as part of harp maintenance.  As I have mentioned before, tuning is good for your harp.  And the more you tune, the better you’ll get at it, so it will become faster and easier. 

But tuning your harp is a daily activity that has absolutely nothing to do with keeping your instrument in tune!  The biggest benefit of tuning as an activity is that it can become a ritual.   

Rituals are important – they can help you settle and become attuned to the upcoming activity.  A ritual can act to help you enter into your practice and playing time in a useful frame of mind.  A ritual is a process, repeated daily, that can aid in transitioning from your everyday life to your harp life. 

And tuning is a good ritual to build into your day – it will help you focus and prepare to play.  Think of the ritual of tuning as a quiet, focused way to make the shift (and it will make you sound better!).

Adding a ritual like tuning – a small goal performed daily – might be that all you need to be comfortable that you can get moving on those big goals.  Every time you finish tuning you will have moved a little farther along on your (small) goals and set yourself up to feel good about tackling the next step of your larger goals. 

Do you really need to tune your harp every day?  Nope – just on the days that end in “y”!

Please tell me you tune your harp!  Do you have a ritual for your playing?  Did you define small goals?  Did you have small goals?  Let me know in the comments!

 

Have a bath

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Ok, let’s start by just taking a breath.  Because it’s been a breath-taking week.  No matter how you look at events and their attribution, it’s been quite a week.Sound Bath

So, we could sit around and kvetch about it.  Between the pandemic and the world and politics and social media and social distancing and east coast hurricanes and west coast fires, and everyone being sure that they know the answer, and everyone else is an idiot, there’s a lot to “unpack” as they say. 

One thing seems sure – many people are feeling many things, including anxiety and ennui. What if someone could give a gift to multiple people simultaneously, that would help ease that, if only for just a brief while? Wouldn’t that be a wonderful gift?

Of course it would be!  Well, guess what?! 

YOU can give that gift.  You can provide that brief respite.  It’s all there, right at your fingertips!

Consider going out and playing for the people near you (and for yourself).  You can create a version of a Sound Bath.

What is a Sound Bath?  It’s an experience that uses sound as an aid to relaxation and meditation.  The music is played to wash over the listener – hence the “bath”. 

While simpler sounds are often used, the harp is certainly a perfect instrument and this is a perfect situation.  All you need to do is play.

Play simple melodies.  Play those tunes you learned at the start.  Play what you’re learning now.  Play from your heart and with the intention of relieving any conflict in your own head as well as creating an environment in which your listeners can relax.

It won’t be a performance.  Perhaps it will feel slightly more embarrassing – after all, you will be inviting others to join you in a bath!  Ask them to join you, to relax, to close their eyes, to breathe, to listen, while you play your harp.  Then bathe them with sounds.

It doesn’t need to be fancy – just play from your doorstep, porch, driveway.  Or go to the park.  Or the Walmart parking lot.  No matter where you sit, be sure you play from your heart.  It will do you good.  It will do them good.  Use your harp and your music as a balm. 

It won’t matter what you play.  What will matter is that you play.  It’ll do you good. 

Will you go out there?  Will you draw a sound bath for yourself and others?  There’s no time limit and certainly no deadline, but there’s no time like the present.  Let me know if you decide to play, where you chose to play, who you played for – let me know in the comments!

Be Brave

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Being creative is a risky business. 

Every time you sit to your harp, you are taking a risk.

Why do you think there are so few musicians (relatively) in the world?  Or even more broadly, so few artists in the world?  Because being a creative requires a lot of bravery.  And we know that bravery is uncommon.

You probably never really think about being brave, but if you meet people as a musician and performer, it is something you hear from others –

“I don’t know how you can be so brave to get on stage – I could never do that!”

“Wow – how did you learn to play the harp?  I don’t think I could – I don’t have any talent.”

Sometimes you don’t know you’re being courageous, but every time you make music, you’re flexing your creativity and your bravery!  Maybe you don’t always feel brave.  That’s ok – as long as you keep on making.

Be Brave

How are we brave?

1. We show up! It seems like such a minor thing, but there’s no dragon to slay if you don’t go to the den.  When you sit at your harp (the den), you’re going to create (the dragon).

2. We keep going. One path of courage is to keep going, even when your heart is in your mouth and you can barely breathe from the anxiety of doing.  Especially if you’re worried that what you make may not be good enough or if what you’re making won’t even come to be (you, know – if you fail).

3. We put on a game face – like the commercial says, “never let ‘em see you sweat!”

4. We keep on going on. Even when nothing works, we try again and again and again and again and again and again…

Why are we brave?  Well, first off, being creative means you’re never really on solid ground and that’s kinda scary.  Nothing is set in stone.  There is no right.  But we creatives are often the kind of people who get off on that shifting foundation (maybe just a little).   A little uncertainty can be a wild ride!  One of my favorite t-shirts says,

“If you’re not living on the edge,                                             you’re taking up too much room!”

Ok, really, it is hard to be brave – especially day after day.  So, how do we do it?   

1. Fake it. Yup, pretend.  Put on your game face and do the thing.  Write a composition.  Develop that improv.  Interpret that piece like you feel it.

2. Name the monster – like anything that goes bump in the night, simply saying the names of your fears – out loud – diminishes their intimidation factor. The names are usually short – embarrassment, fear of failure, fear of success.  When you say it out loud, its ridiculousness becomes apparent as it shrinks back to its appropriate size and you can laugh.

3. Keep good company. I was fortunate to have a demonstration.  It was seeing my all-time harp hero have a really bad day on stage – mistakes all over the place…and a serene facial expression.  Lesson learned?  Fear faced down + audience ignorant and happy = successful brave performance.

4. Breathe.  Yup, breathing makes everything a little easier.  Especially anything that requires thinking.  Breathing also helps ameliorate anxiety.  Being clear headed can only help when you’re scared.  So, take a breath, feel your fear recede (if only just a little bit), and forge ahead.

5. Say yes.  Just do it.  Dragging your feet won’t make it any easier.

6. Don’t take yourself too seriously. We’re making nusic, it’s not Rocket Surgery.  No one’s going to die if you compose a poorly constructed phrase!  Cities don’t go dark because you’re improv isn’t ready for prime time yet.  Lighten up and enjoy making your music. 

7. Perspiration.  The Great One (Wayne Gretzky, not Salzedo) said it best –   

You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. 

And you’ll probably miss a high percentage of the shots you do take – do it anyway – take the shot.   Do the work, face the fear, enjoy the reward.

8. Be good to you – no matter how much you push yourself, be aware of when you’re about to go too far. My rule of thumb – if it’s too mean to say it to your best friend, then don’t say it to yourself.  And don’t be your own horrible stage mother.  Don’t expect from yourself something you know you’re not ready to do.  Be brave, not unkind or stupid.

9. Practice. Of course – my solution to everything!  You’ll find it’s easier to brave if you practice doing it.  And the more you practice, the easier it is.

10. Put on your cape. Even if just in your head – be your own harp hero.  Be proud of all the notes you have saved from a future of never having been heard and enjoyed!  You’re not just brave, you’re a superhero!

Did you know that you’re brave?  If not, do you know now?  Do you do any of these things?  How are you brave?  Do you have other ways of being brave (you know I’m always looking for more new ways to do things!)?  Let me know in the comments!