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I am so glad that this discussion is taking place. I struggle with my own
inner conflict between "spiritually" playing and "musically" playing each
time I practice. My inner dialogue may go something like this, for example
I may be practicing Yuki . . . .
"'Man . . .this HA-kan sounds harsh....and the fact that I'm repeating it
right now must be irritating to others in my home as it is to me right now
as I'm playing the repeats. . . BUT, right now I could refine my embouchure
a little bit and produce a more "centered" tone, I could also sweeten it up
with a little vibrato and I can make some of the harshness go away . . .
BUT, if I start doing that am I not becoming the victim of my judging mind?
. . . I should just let that thought pass, continue playing the harsh
sound, "let go", and experience "big mind" - "beginner's mind". . . .BUT,
wait ---- now I feel like I'm intentionally playing a harsh sound in order
to attain "beginner's mind" . . .am I not "judging" that playing "sweetly"
is a symbol of "grasping"? . . . Why should I substitute one form of
grasping for another? . . .
I usually end up realizing that this mental tug of war IS "The Struggle" I
want to avoid - so I end up oscillating back and forth in my flute practice
between playing approaches that are harsh sometimes and sweet other
times. I tend to go with my own subjective mood as it changes throughout
the act of playing. A new struggle enters the scent - - - trying to play
something like my teacher plays it also leads to inner struggles. Why
study with my teacher if I'm intent on avoiding the struggle between my way
and his? Now there is a 3-way debate in my mind (my teacher's playing, my
own subjective less educated ideas, and my ideas of what may me more
spiritual) -- in a 3-way inner battle for a seat center-stage in my mind. .
. so it goes!
Dan Gutwein, Associate Professor
Department of Music
College of William and Mary
Williamsburg, VA 23185-8795
office: (757) 221-1077, cell: (240) 481-2787
fax. (757) 221-3171, email: dfgutw@wm.edu or dfgutw@prodigy.net
homepage - http://www.wm.edu/CAS/music/gutwein
Common Practice Tonal Theory (MUS 201) -
http:///www.wm.edu/CAS/music/gutwein/mus201.htm
Music and Mind (MUS 365) - http://www.wm.edu/CAS/music/gutwein/mus_mind.htm
Introduction to Electro-acoustic Music (MUS181) -
http://www.wm.edu/CAS/music/gutwein/mus181.htm
Zen Flute for Beginners -
http://www.wm.edu/CAS/music/gutwein/Shakuhachi/WMshakuhachi.htm
Shakuhachi Links by Category -
http://www.wm.edu/CAS/music/gutwein/Shakuhachi/links.htm
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This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29
: Tue Jan 06 2004 - 14:09:32 PST
I am so glad that this discussion is taking place. I struggle with
my own inner conflict between "spiritually" playing and
"musically" playing each time I practice. My inner
dialogue may go something like this, for example I may be practicing Yuki
. . . . <br><br>
"'Man . . .this HA-kan sounds harsh....and the fact that I'm
repeating it right now must be irritating to others in my home as it is
to me right now as I'm playing the repeats. . . BUT, right now I could
refine my embouchure a little bit and produce a more "centered"
tone, I could also sweeten it up with a little vibrato and I can make
some of the harshness go away . . . BUT, if I start doing that am I not
becoming the victim of my judging mind? . . . I should just let that
thought pass, continue playing the harsh sound, "let go",
and experience "big mind" - "beginner's mind". . .
.BUT, wait ---- now I feel like I'm intentionally playing a harsh sound
in order to attain "beginner's mind" . . .am I not
"judging" that playing "sweetly" is a symbol of
"grasping"? . . . Why should I substitute one form of
grasping for another? . . .<br><br>
I usually end up realizing that this mental tug of war IS "The
Struggle" I want to avoid - so I end up oscillating back and forth
in my flute practice between playing approaches that are harsh sometimes
and sweet other times. I tend to go with my own subjective mood as
it changes throughout the act of playing. A new struggle enters the
scent - - - trying to play something like my teacher plays it also leads
to inner struggles. Why study with my teacher if I'm intent on
avoiding the struggle between my way and his? Now there is a 3-way
debate in my mind (my teacher's playing, my own subjective less educated
ideas, and my ideas of what may me more spiritual) -- in a 3-way inner
battle for a seat center-stage in my mind. . . so it goes!<br><br>
<x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep>
Dan Gutwein,<b> </b><font size=2>Associate Professor<br>
</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times" color="#000084">Department of
Music <br>
College of William and Mary <br>
Williamsburg, VA 23185-8795 <br>
</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times">office:</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times" color="#000084">
(757) 221-1077, cell: (240) 481-2787<br>
</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times">fax.</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times" color="#000084">
(757) 221-3171,
</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times">email:</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times" color="#000084">
dfgutw@wm.edu or dfgutw@prodigy.net<br>
</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=2><i>homepage -
</i><a href="http://www.wm.edu/CAS/music/gutwein" eudora="autourl">http://www.wm.edu/CAS/music/gutwein></font>
<br>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=2><i>Common Practice Tonal
Theory (MUS 201)</i></font> -
<a href="http:///www.wm.edu/CAS/music/gutwein/mus201.htm" eudora="autourl"><font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=2>http:///www.wm.edu/CAS/music/gutwein/mus201.htm><br>
<b><i>Music and Mind (MUS 365) -
</i></b><a href="http://www.wm.edu/CAS/music/gutwein/mus_mind.htm" eudora="autourl">http://www.wm.edu/CAS/music/gutwein/mus_mind.htm><br>
<i>Introduction to Electro-acoustic Music (MUS181) -
</i><a href="http://www.wm.edu/CAS/music/gutwein/mus181.htm" eudora="autourl">http://www.wm.edu/CAS/music/gutwein/mus181.htm><br>
<b><i>Zen Flute for Beginners</b> -
</i></font><a href="http://www.wm.edu/CAS/music/gutwein/Shakuhachi/WMshakuhachi.htm" eudora="autourl"><font face="Times New Roman, Times">http://www.wm.edu/CAS/music/gutwein/Shakuhachi/WMshakuhachi.htm><br>
<i>Shakuhachi Links by Category</i> -
<a href="http://www.wm.edu/CAS/music/gutwein/Shakuhachi/links.htm" eudora="autourl">http://www.wm.edu/CAS/music/gutwein/Shakuhachi/links.htm></font><font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=2><b><i>
</font></b></i></html>