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Posts: 217
Location: Snåsa, Norway | ... are you playing better? I believe I focus more on the sound and the music if I close my eyes, (when I'm able to place the fingers right without looking). Think that it's good to focus on what I hear and feel through my fingers. Being able to play without watching the left hand seems to free the music, but then you don't really need to see to play music, it's basically a thing that's going on between the ears and the hands, no eyes involved. So, close your eyes or turn of the light and play! ;) |
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August 2007
Posts: 61
Location: Illinois, U.S.A. | That's how most folks drive around my location! |
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November 2005
Posts: 4832
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | I need to see the eyes of the audience...when I line up the bodies and put mirrors on their faces seems to work best. |
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December 2001
Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | you just can't see the horror in the listeners eyes if your eyes are closed |
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November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | I need to see the eyes of the audience...when I line up the bodies and put mirrors on their faces seems to work best. -fillhaxx |
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September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Knowing where you are on the fretboard without looking is a valuable talent to practice. However, at times I'll close my eyes to help me concentrate & focus on what I'm trying to learn. We men, if I may use the stereo-type, are very "visual", so they say. I can pick up an obscure visual cue in my peripheral vision, take it three steps ala the Kevin Bacon game, and find myself thinking of coconut bras and grass skirts. Meanwhile, I find myself one chord change behind Brian.
And sometimes this happens on the songs that we've play a hundred times before.
It's a fine line... to much concentration and the song has no soul.... to little concentration and it sounds sloppy.
I'm glad I don't have to make a living at it. |
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January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | I recently did a little recording on a rig a friend brought by the house. I found listening to what I was playing, as I was playing it, through headphones, mad me realize just how f@cking sloppy my right hand is and how uneven my tone is. It's enough to make you want to quit. I think I'll take up golf and buy that club on ebay.
Seriously, the head phones let you hear the music a little more like the audience would. It was good to hear that, sloppy as it was. Now I know my biggest problem is not remembering the tune but playing it! |
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September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Originally posted by Mauvais Beal:
I recently did a little recording on a rig a friend brought by the house. I found listening to what I was playing, as I was playing it, through headphones, mad me realize just how f@cking sloppy my right hand is and how uneven my tone is. It's enough to make you want to quit. I think I'll take up golf and buy that club on ebay.
Seriously, the head phones let you hear the music a little more like the audience would. It was good to hear that, sloppy as it was. Now I know my biggest problem is not remembering the tune but playing it! I concur!
Same thing with me. I put on headphones to spare the neighbors, and I can hear every mistake.
But the neighbors tell me I sound good :)
But none of them Play Guitar :rolleyes: |
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January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | Play with the headphones on, it makes you play cleaner. |
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January 2007
Posts: 672
Location: New South Wales, Australia | When I first started playing all those years ago I used to practise in my bedroom with the lights turned off....
Some people say I should have stayed there :D |
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September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Some DVD, YouTube, or Guitar Book told me that playing in the dark was a good way to practice.
I still can't do a Bm in the dark! :mad: |
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April 2006
Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | It can get bumpy in the dark...two spots aimed at the entertainer`s face..plus a projected swirling light..what, indeed, goes on, behind those lights..."go on guv, another one, you`re costin`us good money..." ..cost, indeed..stiffened jaw-muscles, due to the 45 min. smile,..starry eyes,...pickin`up a faint voice in the distance,.. " That bloke yesterday was allright "...a 4letter-word x-perience, and no Love lost,....from the handbook ; " Stage Hard " by v.i.c |
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July 2004
Posts: 812
Location: Hicksville, NY | I had done something like that when I was younger. At that time, I was fascinated at two of my classmates' awesome ability to play their stringed instruments -- considering that they were blind. So I tried to mimic what it felt like to play an instrument I could feel and hear, but not see. Unfortunately, I didn't have any success with it. :( |
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August 2007
Posts: 61
Location: Illinois, U.S.A. | There is a teen on YouTube that is really entertaining and is legally blind. Check out his videos next visit. He plays acoustic, resonator, and electric guitars. |
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February 2005
Posts: 253
Location: New Orleans | ^ Thanx for the upload. I think it's awesome. When I was growing up I had piano lessons and a completely deaf friend, a little older than me, was learning the organ in the next studio. He went on to become my high school band director. He played that organ better than anyone I've ever known Except for his teacher. He has been a great inspiration to me. :D |
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December 2004
Posts: 4394
Location: East Tennessee | On a recent appearance on the Today show Jose Feliciano was asked if being blind made him a better guitar player?
His answer, " Only when the power goes out."
Priceless. |
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May 2003
Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | In front of an audience, I'm usually looking at the bass player, trying to figure out what chord's he doing, or if by myself, off into to space, though facing the audience. I have to agree with Al on this one, the look of horror makes me stumble a bit. |
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March 2007
Posts: 665
Location: Tychy, Poland | i don't need to close my eyes.
it's enough that i'd take my glasses off :-)
but seriously speaking.
few days ago my friend, who was at the same age as me (23 y.o.) died in horrible accident at work (he worked in Polish Railways as a supervisor for repairs of tracks etc) and it was his last day on delegation, day before his proposal to his long-time girlfriend. accident happened on friday, next day he'd be back in his hometown, and he'd have 2 weeks of vacation and then he'd start working in office because he got promotion.
And he died at the end of the day, because of some women's error. And i still feel so sad and angry about his death... and i sometimes play in my room when no one is around, with my eyes closed, and those notes i play when i think about him, they always sound really good. they come from heart and i don't need to see fingerboard, i don't need to even think what chord or where i want to put my fingers. it's just natural.
and i think that maybe having your eyes closed does help to improve your playing a little, but playing from your heart, when guitar becomes only way to express yourself...it might take you to totally different level of playing. |
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October 2005
Posts: 4049
Location: Utah | I'll try anything that might improve my playing! So far, a couple of beers seems to work best. |
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January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | That always make you sound better to you. |
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March 2005
Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho | I close my eyes when I'm tired. It does help to focus on the playing. Of course, I usually have the TV on and get distracted if I have my eyese open. |
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With your eyes closed