RANT - quit thinking... just play!

[Tony]

Anyone else get stuck in "overthinking mode" during gigs? I can't shake it this weekend. Thinking about every stinkin' note and missing stuff left and right. Ugh.

[rob2001]

Lol!! I posted this in the big scales thread this morning but it would seem appropriate to post it here too!

http://www.c2cinternet.org/images/left-brain-right-brain.jpg

[madaxeman]

If you think, you stink! :aok

[Brain2Me2]

Agreed...

[mcdonaldkd]

Wish I could. Wish I could.

[ABKB]

Best advice I ever heard was from Steve Howe, and if I remember correctly he got it from somebody else. But anyway, it was "Learn everything, then forget it all". The point being, once you learn it, get it in to muscle memory, and out of brain memory.

[MedicineMan]

Best advice I ever heard was from Steve Howe, and if I remember correctly he got it from somebody else. But anyway, it was "Learn everything, then forget it all". The point being, once you learn it, get it in to muscle memory, and out of brain memory.

I always took that quote in a different way. I took it as meaning: When it comes to learning things likes scales, chord theory and all that, learn as much as you can. But when you sit down to write, play, jam, whatever, forget all of it. Just play. Write what feels and sounds good to you.

What the OP is talking about is different I think. When you find yourself thinking about which note comes next, you ARE overthinking and the only way to get around that is to learn the piece until you know it in your sleep.

[fusion58]

Best advice I ever heard was from Steve Howe, and if I remember correctly he got it from somebody else. But anyway, it was "Learn everything, then forget it all". The point being, once you learn it, get it in to muscle memory, and out of brain memory.

This.

Do all your thinking during woodshedding and practicing so that, hopefully, by the time you get to the gig, the things you've thought about and practiced have been stored in your subconscious and have become reflexive, second nature, etc.

[DICKIE C]

If you think, you stink! :aok
So true... unfortunately I tend to overthink things, it's one of my biggest hurdles. When I'm in one of those moods I can't play for s--t! :mad:

[bjjp2]

I don't think ENOUGH actually. When I don't think I just launch into my usual licks. I need to think "OK, let's try ____ here" more often.

[madaxeman]

Anyone else get stuck in "overthinking mode" during gigs? I can't shake it this weekend. Thinking about every stinkin' note and missing stuff left and right. Ugh.

So true... unfortunately I tend to overthink things, it's one of my biggest hurdles. When I'm in one of those moods I can't play for s--t! :mad:

A scenario I know all to well, I've lost count of how many times my mind has talked my fingers out of doing what they're perfectly capable of doing.:messedup

[GarMan]

If you think, you stink! :aok

It is like thinking when you are making love to your woman. Don't do it! :D

[Tony]

If you think, you stink! :aok

Absolutely! It's like riding a bike - if you think, you're on the pavement.

I started this thread from the green room yesterday between sets. Usually I don't have much trouble with overthinking, but I couldn't get out of my own way this weekend. Too many stupid mistakes.

I finally relaxed and just played for the third set... during which, of course, I broke a string. :jo

Win some, lose some. On to the next one.

[Tony]

A scenario I know all to well, I've lost count of how many times my mind has talked my fingers out of doing what they're perfectly capable of doing.:messedup

Bingo!

I had this one fingerpicked passage to play for an intro on a tune this weekend. Since the dawn of time, when I fingerpick, I've always held the pick with my index and middle fingers (right at the second knuckle). This is a bad habit since it limits my fingerpicking abilities by essentially tying my index and middle fingers together, but it is what it is.

So I look down for some reason, see the pick there, and start thinking "Hey, I probably shouldn't do that," etc... as I'm playing the intro... and completely massacre the thing in the process. Good times. :facepalm

[Droptop]

Don't just play...think

[kludge]

I have a scary one tonight... I'm gigging with a band after we've had ONE rehearsal, yesterday. And it's all original material, and fairly intricate songs with non-standard structures and changes. If I think while I'm playing this stuff, I'm dead meat. OTOH, if I can pull it off, I'm going to sound and feel like such a badass!

[dsj]

False dichotomy if you ask me. And FWIW I've heard a thousand players I wish would think more and play less.

[Tony]

False dichotomy if you ask me. And FWIW I've heard a thousand players I wish would think more and play less.

I'm certainly not advocating "playing more"... rather, that I seem to do a better job when I trust my instincts and the muscle memory I've gained from practice than I do when I am stopping to think thru every note before playing.

[blhm84]

Best advice I ever heard was from Steve Howe, and if I remember correctly he got it from somebody else. But anyway, it was "Learn everything, then forget it all". The point being, once you learn it, get it in to muscle memory, and out of brain memory.

Second this.

[buddaman71]

I never think when I play....

I just always try to listen for what the song wants to say through me at that particular moment or that particular day.

Some days, I probably should think a little.....

:)

[madaxeman]

It is like thinking when you are making love to your woman. Don't do it! :D

Yeah something like that...think about baseball and stuff instead ;)

[Spudman]

"Train your weakness - race your strength."
In music practice, practice, practice and then at the gig do what comes naturally and be in the moment.

[StompBoxBlues]

It's always amazed me that when the conscious mind wants to (or gets to) control everything it, even if I don't miss notes it is never a great performance, but when I let go and let "it happen" I always play my best.

Every now and then, I have played along with something and just hit "random" notes...guess what, they end up working, sometimes VERY well.
It's like the body knows...the best playing is when the conscious mind gets to say only adjective things instead of technical...what I mean, instead of "that note, then that, then that, that phrase" it is saying "dig in here...now ease up, hit this light, now rake!".

I love the old Laurel and Hardy films, and the relationship reminds me of Hardy saying, in that pompous way "let ME do it STANLEY..." (only to screw it up 10 times worse). To me the conscious mind is Oliver Hardy in spades. Can't "do it" but demands to....

I believe totally this is one of the reasons that when I think I am "doing great" I'd find out it was more "eh...", when I thought I was missing and messing up everything, I'd get feedback that I was "on fire" and playing great. Hearing recordings confirm this for me. I'd take chances, let go...let it happen but I would concentrate on things that didn't go as planned as a player. As a listener later, I'd hear I was doing something really cool! When I thought I was nailing it, often the playback I'd hear that I was playing it safe, cliche, no surprises...

[guitfiddle]

I'm a believer that you can think whie playing, but only in blocks, or mental pictures.

NO words allowed in the brain while playing, or the flow muddies up and you start to goof up.

[StompBoxBlues]

I'm a believer that you can think whie playing, but only in blocks, or mental pictures.

NO words allowed in the brain while playing, or the flow muddies up and you start to goof up.

That's well put! Totally agree.

One thing I have noticed lately, in bands where I am the bandleader (or musical leader) my solos tend to not be as good as in bands where I just am there to play. Either way I listen to and react with the rest of the band, but something happens in my tiny little brain where when I am the leader I'm listening "critically", seeing if things need changing, etc. and it takes me out of the solo modus.

Since you put it so well, and succinctly, I am going to try to think of that next time (I'm the leader in the current band...).

[Tony]

I'm a believer that you can think whie playing, but only in blocks, or mental pictures.

NO words allowed in the brain while playing, or the flow muddies up and you start to goof up.

Agreed. When I'm in the right "zone", then my mind starts jumping 3 or 4 bars ahead of my hands, and starts making suggestions about what to play next - no words, just notes. It's fleeting, but that's a great place to be.