Can you feel your feet on the ground right now? Are your feet even on the ground? Is it cold, temperate, or warm in the room or space you’re in right now? Are you including your peripheral vision or over focusing on your device...right...now? The people who are the best at what they do, athletes, doctors, musicians, chefs, dancers, skateboarders, gamers, truck drivers... are extremely self-aware and aware of their surroundings.
Each time we crack a note, over or undershoot a note, play with slide noise (trombonists) there was a moment before the mistake happened that you went unconscious to yourself. There was a moment you thought about WHAT you were trying to perform more than the HOW of performing.
I’ve personally struggled with high notes my whole musical life. My personal awareness has increased exponentially in regards to knowing how calm does my body feel right now? How calm are my thoughts? Are they kind thoughts? Am I tightening my throat or using my lower abdominals/pelvic floor to get up to a higher note?
What’s the thing(s) that you struggle with the most? You can start today asking yourself some questions that will increase your self-awareness. The answers will lead you to WHAT is happening. The WHAT can then lead to HOW to fix those things. And don’t be scared of not knowing what’s going on or why. Step one in the process is to remain aware and curious about what you’re hearing or seeing, and not labeling what’s happening as anything negative about yourself. Start with questions and see where the answers lead you.
Stay curious friends!
