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Looper's Delight
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I teach & practice T'ai Chi, which uses breathing as one of the elements to bring about relaxation Since I have found so much benefit for myself, I am wanting to share this with others. I have played with the idea of doing local workshops. A workshop like that is most needed. If I were anywhere near, i would support. I primarily came to looping through an injury which prevented me fro pursuing drum-set practice and gigging. Focusing a lot more on what i can do with my fingers..small percussion and all this has lead to a discovery and investigation of the piano...a first for the drum enthusiast. Indeed...like rick says...eventually all drummers who start looping will branch out to be multiinstrumentalists. The main aspect of my drumming that really sped up the injury was my complete lack of awareness for my breath. Now that i have focused on my breathing patterns i notice how really hard it is to keep a steady pace while playing. My playing goes all wonky. Its like practicing new breed excercises. The breath becomes the fifth limb. lately i have begun starting my practice sessions by syncing my playing to my breathing and vice versa. now that i am in the process of resetting my spine, i find that failing to breath properly always ends up in some type of tension somewhere in the body. Once you become hyper aware, its kinda a curse tho...one ends up spending hours eliminating tension in the body in order to play a note that not many notes get played hehe...but for ultimate freedom of any injury its a nessesary process. musicians playing freely now, should incorporate this aspect to make sure your still doing so in 10 to 20 years. At age 26, I discovered very early the perrels of improper breathing. ....having subscribed to regular breathwork, I find looping music the best to listen to when one goes into it. Been having Great fun attempting to breath in long slow breaths to eterogeneos long pads. Thanx, Eterogeneo. great vibes Byron On Sat, Nov 8, 2008 at 12:37 AM, Eduardo Martinez - musician, composer, artist <subscriptions@eduardomartinez.com> wrote: > Hi Warren, > > I haven't heard the Preludios Americanos, but will look for them. I >agree, > breathing regularly & in a relaxed way is crucial to good playing >technique. > I teach & practice T'ai Chi, which uses breathing as one of the elements >to > bring about relaxation. I have been working on adapting the movements & > breathing techniques of T'ai Chi for musicians. Since I have found so >much > benefit for myself, I am wanting to share this with others. I have played > with the idea of doing local workshops. > > I also started with a pillow to replace the foot stool (a Dynarette >pillow), > but have more recently switched to a Murata guitar support. It is a >little > platform that attaches to the underside of the guitar, & rests on my left > thigh, raising the guitar & making it comfortable to play. Yes, I have >also > noticed famous players like Paul Galbraith > (http://www.paul-galbraith.com/engl/fotos.htm), who have adapted the >guitar > to be played in a cello-like position. Interesting adaptation. I think >the > Murata guitar support is sufficient for me at this time. > > Blessings, > > Eduardo Martinez > musician - composer - artist > www.EduardoMartinez.com > www.MySpace.com/EduardoMartinezMusic > Nashua, NH USA > > Begin forwarded message: >> >> From: "Warren Sirota" <wsirota@wsdesigns.com> >> Subject: Re: OT: Music books that transcend technique...(was Re: >semi-OT: >> i recommend Victor Wooten's book) >> >> Likewise, Eduardo. I will definitely check out the Carlevaro - I used to >> play a couple of the Preludios Americanos. Probably my favorite >classical >> guitar pieces ever. And, also, I have found breathing to be incredibly >> important in practice (once I discovered that I typically held my >breath for >> 20 seconds at a time while playing difficult passages, I found the >> discipline of sighing softly while playing these passages to be very >> effective in helping me relax into them instead of "stressing" into >them). I >> may look into that Vermont retreat for next year. >> >> I gave up on footstools many years ago - i have had back issues for a >long >> time, and the weird assymetry forced by footstools always seemed >somewhat >> punitive. Instead i got a funny-looking little pillow-type thing that >sits >> on my leg to lift the guitar into a better position (I got it from the >SF >> store Guitar Solo probably 25 years ago). But I've been very intrigued >by a >> couple of guitarist that i've seen who have modified their guitars to be >> almost upright, more like a cello. it seems that the left hand is less >> stressed that way. not so sure about the right. >> >> Warren