“I ignored all my body’s warning signals in the name of ‘dedication’ to what I was doing. I had absolutely no idea that this little problem would in fact threaten my career.” –Christine Harrison, violinist The Musician’s Way, p. 238 We may not like to admit it, but we...
“2-to-1 breathing helps reduce, coordinate, and stabilize the activity of the brain and the nervous system.” –John Clarke, M.D., former Chairman of the Himalayan Institute If we feel unsettled prior to playing or singing, 2-to-1 breathing is a powerful technique that...
“Like sensuous opening ceremonies, warm-ups prepare the body, mind, and spirit for making music.” – The Musician’s Way, p. 37 I always take pleasure in my daily warm-ups. As I open my guitar case, tune, and play my first notes, I feel inspired and...
“Performance anxiety is the kind of problem that rears its ugly head in both straightforward and subtle ways.” –Eric Maisel, author and psychologist If you’re an active performer, then I expect that you or a musician you know has taken a beta-blocker to alleviate...
“Music and rhythm find their way into the secret places of the soul.” –Plato All of us musicians know the restorative power of music. In this post, I briefly look at ways in which we can bring musical healing to those who need it most: patients in hospitals, nursing...
“The better you use yourself, the better you will play.” –Pedro de Alcantara The Musician’s Way, p. 257 Music making may be the most integrated of all human activities. It’s no exaggeration to say that either playing instruments or singing requires us to coordinate...