Re: Piano lessons advice (O.T.) - visualization in general as a tool

[Christopher Darrow <thedarrow@gmail.com>]

>  that sounds like a lot-o-thinkin'

Actually, it's a lot LESS thinkin'. 

Now, this may sound like it's REALLY off topic, but it kind of isn't 
because I broke loops down in my head this way as well when I was trying 
to figure out how I'd "build" a song quickly. 

Anyway, I first discovered this when trying to shave in the shower with no 
mirror. If I tried to picture my face as it is, I'd fuck it up. but if I 
instead pictured razor sized blocks of black where I shaved over a white 
likeness of my face shape, then I'd get it exactly right. Easier to keep 
in my head. 

It's EXACTLY like reducing bit depth. 

Picturing a vertical row of lights requires less processing power to 
analyze distance, and is more easily generalizable to picturing finger 
distances between different instruments then is visualizing playing one 
instrument and trying to generalize it to playing another. 

And you can do it with notes, instruments, or entire chunks of songs. 
(Enter the looping technique.... now you've left the elevator, with the 
one non-cheezy component stuck in your head and you figure out how you'd 
play it loop it and build on it.)

I realize that this is all separate from what the original poster was 
asking about, since I now see they are more accomplished, but as I say, 
these are good reminders of what we all know. 




On Jan 6, 2011, at 8:41 AM, Nemoguitt@aol.com wrote:

> <<I find it easier to start with vertical light balls, like an elongated 
>and expanded traffic light, then morph that visually in my mind to fit a 
>given instrument.>>
> sez chris
> 
> 
> well put sir!.....although that sounds like a lot-o-thinkin'
>