This ebook, An Alexander Technique Approach to Performing Musicians and Exercise, is published on this website in a PDF format. It shows the performing musician how to exercise without causing wear and tear to the body or compromise the quality of their performing technique.
This ebook is also for sale on all AMAZON websites in a KINDLE format.
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IF YOU ALMOST PLAY THE RIGHT NOTE OR ALMOST GET THE GOLF BALL IN THE HOLE, THEN YOU MAY AS WELL MISS THE NOTE OR HOLE BY A MILE.
Musicians perform by this axiom but golfers don’t, because the best golfers play a game geared to the lowest standards. What do I mean? If you miss the hole in golf, but you hit the ball close to the hole, odds are you’ll get it in the next time. When most golfers miss a putt 15 or more feet away from the hole, but are playing for a total score of how many times you miss the hole the least, then a near miss is of course better than missing by a mile. If the ball lands very near the hole, they’ll probably knock it in the hole. Golfers are literally applauded for getting near the hole.
IN MUSIC, IF YOU PLAY OR SING THE WRONG NOTE, THERE ARE NO “DO OVERS”, ESPECIALLY IF YOU’RE PERFORMING WITH OTHERS. What do I mean?
The making of music is based on playing the notes of the composition at the right time, in time. This means that if you play the wrong note within the performance, then you cannot go back and make it right. A WRONG NOTE, NO MATTER HOW CLOSE IT IS TO THE RIGHT NOTE DOES NOT SOUND ALMOST RIGHT. IT SOUNDS WRONG.
So, making music is based on playing the right note the first time at the right time, and golf is based on whoever makes the least mistakes wins!
A near miss is as good as a mile is not unique to music making. IF A BASKETBALL PLAYER ALMOST GETS THE BALL IN THE HOOP, YOU DON’T HEAR THE COMMENTATORS SAY HE ALMOST GOT IT IN. It simply doesn’t matter if the ball ricochets off the hoop or misses the hoop completely.
WHAT HAS ALL OF THIS TO DO WITH THE ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE?
THE BASIS OF APPLYING ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE PRINCIPLES TO MAKING MUSIC OR PLAYING A SPORT IS, IF YOU ADOPT POSTURES AND TECHNIQUES THAT ALLOW YOU TO PERFORM OR PLAY IN THE ZONE, YOU WILL BE EXTRAORDINARILY ACCURATE. WHEN YOU TEACH YOUR BODY THE BEST POSTURES AND MOST EFFORTLESS TECHNIQUES THROUGH ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE PRINCIPLES, THEN YOU USUALLY DON’T MISS BECAUSE YOU’RE NOT INTERFERING WITH YOUR INTENTION TO BE ACCURATE.
IF YOU DON’T MAKE MUSIC OR PLAY A SPORT TO BE ACCURATE WITH EASE AND TRUST, THEN YOU ARE MAKING MUSIC WITH FEAR OR PLAYING GOLF WITH THE FEAR. Simply you are performing or playing expecting to miss the mark. What makes this way of performing or playing a sport “sort of work” is that with enough practice, you will generally hit the mark, sing enough right notes or get the ball in the hole with enough endless repetition and practice.
IF IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND YOU EXPECT, HAVE THE FAITH, YOU WILL HIT THE MARK, PLAY THE RIGHT RIGHT NOTE OR GET THE GOLF BALL IN THE HOLE, THEN THIS FAITH INTEGRATED WITH THE ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE OF STAYING WITH GREAT BODY USE PRINCIPLES, MEANS YOU WILL BECOME “NATURALLY ACCURATE”.
By practicing focusing on postures and techniques that work, that cause no wear and tear, that place you in the zone, you miss the mark less and less and less without stressing to be accurate.
