Visualization as a tool.

[David Hayes <stringfling@gmail.com>]

I guess this is technically off topic but all that talk about viral  
music in your head got me thinking about something that has really  
helped me in my looping... the technique of visualization.

When you hear music (in your head or out) you can practice visualizing  
the different parts. For me, this meant starting with one part and  
picturing colored lights for each of the following notes or chords--- 
each light is  above or below then the light which proceeded it, by  
however many "steps" I thing it sounds like, corresponding with the  
notes. The colors can change to represent things too, such as  
different instruments, specific intervals, velocity and expression.

After a while, I got good at actually SEEING the music played on a  
fret board, keyboard, or saxophone, with fingers and everything.

The key doesn't even have to be accurate, just the intervals, for it  
to be GREAT practice.

I can't keep more then 3 parts in my head, and I can't run with that  
very long without it getting more abstract then precise.

But the point I'm trying to share is that you can practice anywhere.  
Visualize everything.... your foot hitting record to start the loop,  
gaging the time while moving your fingers, all of it.

If you do this right, it's about as good as actual practice.... Turns  
out you can improve you game while your in an elevator, washing the  
dishes, and wherever else you can blank out for a moment.

And it's fun.

This type of thing is good for any musician (any artist), but it's  
especially good for loopers. Helps raise the intention-to- 
experimentation ratio when juggling layers of sounds.