Do you ever practice/play with your eyes closed?

Gerald Menke · From: Stormville NY, USA

I have been obsessed with getting my act together intonation-wise, I've been playing on some demos and albums this summer, and the studio is truly where intonation problems are not welcome, to say the least.

To improve, I've been trying to play just simple harmonized scales and runs against loops or Bob Hoffnar's drone CD, with my eyes closed. Talk about humbling. Does anybody else do this? Above the twelfth fret its harder than trying to walk a straight line in snowstorm, I'll tell you that. After about 20 minutes, I can see the neck in my "mind's eye" and start sounding somewhat decent...I am embarking on this project because I've done some sessions lately where my reliance on the fret markers was actually hindering my performance rather than helping. My logic is that if I can play without looking, then capos, crappy 6-string guitar intonation, etc. won't be such an issue.

Thanks for reading my post.

Unrelated post scriptum not worthy of a separate post: was anybody able to download those Robert Randolph tracks mentioned in the Guitar Player magazine article? I couldn't find them anywhere on the broadjam site.

Jim Eaton · From: Santa Susana, Ca

I watched Joe Wright at the Sierra booth at one of the LA NAMM shows sit there with his eyes closed and just flying up and down the neck playing great stuff. So I know he does!
JE:-)>

Jeff Lampert · From: queens, new york city

Hey Gerald,

I would say that anything that works for you is worth doing, but I would also say that I doubt that the large majority of players, including the icons, actually devoted significant time to playing with their eyes closed. I would guess (and I certainly could be wrong) that players like Emmons and Joe Wright playing with their eyes closed is probably more an artifact of their mastery then an actual technical concept they spent years working on. I do agree that the drone CD is a good idea. I myself have on occasion used an isolated drone A note to practice playing high up the fretboard and I feel it was effective. In the end, the thing you want to do is be able to HEAR when you are not in tune. When you play in the high frets, that is the main way that you get in tune since at those high frets it takes very little movement to be way out of tune and the markers are way too thick to be accurate. If you want a real interesting exercise, play past the fret markers. Try playing a G chord harmony at the 27th fret or an A at the 29th fret. If you can get your ears around that, it'll make the high teens seem not so hard by comparison.

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[url=http://www.mightyfinemusic.com/jeff's_jazz.htm]Jeff's Jazz[/url]

Fred Justice · From: Mesa, Arizona

Jay Dee Maness does it all the time and is always right on the money.

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Fred Justice
Events Dir.
SWSGA www.swsteelguitar.com

Jim Smith · From: Midlothian, TX, USA

Buddy Emmons said he used to practice without a fretboard, which would be about the same thing as having your eyes closed.

Gerald Menke · From: Stormville NY, USA

Dear Jeff,

The 27th fret?!! That's a good idea, I'll have to give that a try. Thanks.

Gerald

Stephen LeBlanc · From: Los Angeles, CA

I think a lot of great players made it a point to get away from staring at the fretboard...practicing blindfolded or in the dark seems like a good idea to me...not that you should practice that way all the time but it seems worthwhile to do it.

My dad had terrible eyesight, he would look at the fretboard at times for a point of reference but most of the time he wasn't using his eyes much

I'm no Pedal Steel player but I do know playing in tune is more related to your ears than your eyes...no matter how right it looks, occasionally you'll have to correct by following what you hear

David Mason · From: Cambridge, MD, USA

Where's Bill Hankey when you need him? I did a quickie mockup of his vertical fretboard and covered over my flat fretboard with a piece of construction paper, which has much the same effect as flying blind. I still fool with it occasionally, but I like to keep my eyes open in case somebody's sneaking up on me (proud owner of the Amazing Analog Attack Kitten, aka AAAK!).

Steven Black · From: Gahanna, Ohio, USA

I have to see my fret board, don't want to get in a wreck with my other hand, no traffic
lights on my steel. steveb.

Smiley Roberts · From: Hendersonville,Tn. 37075

Gerald,
R U KIDDIN'?? I got enough problems,playin' w/ my eyes OPEN!! Naw,never tried dat, probably never will.

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  ~ ~


  ©¿©  It don't mean a thang,   


  mm   if it ain't got that twang.


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Roger Edgington · From: San Antonio, Texas USA

No, It just sounds like it.

Bill Bosler · From: Schwenksville, Pennsylvania, USA

I've never played with my eyes closed, but I've been playing in the dark for years!

Bill Moran · From: Virginia, USA

Me too,Bill

Chris Bauer · From: Nashville, TN USA

I've tried it. Unfortunately, I can still tell it's me making all those awful sounds.

Rick Schmidt · From: Prescott AZ, USA

How would I know when to DUCK?

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

Used to. Anymore, I have a hard enough time seein' with 'em open! (LOL!)

Jeff Lampert · From: queens, new york city

Apparently, based on both this thread and what I was told through e-mail correspondence, some of the great players actually have practiced in the dark or with their eyes closed. I would be very interested in knowing to what degree they did this. Was it on occasion, or was it a disciplined regimen where, for example, they would devote, say, at least several hours a week for an extended period of time doing this. Very curious about this.

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[url=http://www.mightyfinemusic.com/jeff's_jazz.htm]Jeff's Jazz[/url]

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

I sound so bad, I usually play with my EARS closed.
Uff-Da!

Gary Dunn · From: near Camel City, NC

When I try to play with my eyes closed, I get a nasal sound, sometimes with a flutter, from the guitar. My, how time passes when I practice like that.

[This message was edited by Gary Dunn on 13 August 2004 at 08:13 AM.]

Terry Sneed · From: Arkansas,

ERV! LOL

I tried that a couple of times thought it would be good practice, but I can't do it.

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84 SKH Emmons Legrand D10
session 400'rd Steelin for my Lord.

Ray Minich · From: Bradford, Pa. Frozen Tundra

A while back I found myself occasionally hittin' the right spot on the neck without having to looking at the bar or fretboard. I don't know what it means other than some muscle memory is taking place, perhaps in that muscle behind my eyes

Roger Edgington · From: San Antonio, Texas USA

Sometimes I will practice with my eyes closed for a while. I like to play a song,then open my eyes and check if I've drifted out of position. I think I pay more attention to what I am hearing.

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