I spent many years burning loads of patterns into my muscle memory.
one day I noticed how bored I was with my playing...everything seemed predicatable...and, to me, it was ...as predictable to me as what foot goes next after my right foot when I walk.
...other folks didnt notice a thing...even found it highly original...but I was caught in predetermined patterns with variation as the the minor pressure valve.
I spent alot of time training myself out of it...and had a real explosion of creativity around it that sustained afterward as I no longer rely on muscle memory patterning.
To break out, i dedicated several months to constantly STOPPING right when i felt i was being pendantic...and restarting just before I started into that patterning...and going a direction I did not recognize and was not fully comfortable with...this could be complex or basic...overriding a different time feel on the way out of a song to playing straight money beat where I was heading a wordy way.
Played havock with my timing...but got me to a place where I can alter anything that feels stale as its being planned...on the fly....seems that I now seek that 'feeling of unfamiliarity' when I approach something instead of a 'feeling of comfort'...while trying to maximize comfort within the unfamiliar path.
...might not be that useful for folks unless they have reached a place, like i did, where their playing is starting to feel stale and your playing issues are not related to 'facility' on the set.
one day I noticed how bored I was with my playing...everything seemed predicatable...and, to me, it was ...as predictable to me as what foot goes next after my right foot when I walk.
...other folks didnt notice a thing...even found it highly original...but I was caught in predetermined patterns with variation as the the minor pressure valve.
I spent alot of time training myself out of it...and had a real explosion of creativity around it that sustained afterward as I no longer rely on muscle memory patterning.
To break out, i dedicated several months to constantly STOPPING right when i felt i was being pendantic...and restarting just before I started into that patterning...and going a direction I did not recognize and was not fully comfortable with...this could be complex or basic...overriding a different time feel on the way out of a song to playing straight money beat where I was heading a wordy way.
Played havock with my timing...but got me to a place where I can alter anything that feels stale as its being planned...on the fly....seems that I now seek that 'feeling of unfamiliarity' when I approach something instead of a 'feeling of comfort'...while trying to maximize comfort within the unfamiliar path.
...might not be that useful for folks unless they have reached a place, like i did, where their playing is starting to feel stale and your playing issues are not related to 'facility' on the set.