| Author |
Topic: Anybody read "Effortless Mastery"? |
Gary Ulinskas
From:
San Diego, California, USA
|
Posted 5 Jan 2004 8:10 am |
|
My oldest son has been observing my trials and tribulations at learning to play a pedal steel and got me Kenny Werner's book EFFORTLESS MASTERY for Christmas. It blew my mind away. After reading posts like Bob Carlucci's "Why am I unhappy with my steel playing" I got pretty scared about all the effort I am putting into my steel playing, but Werner's book restored my optimism.
Although the author is a concert jazz pianist, the book is also written for people who have not studied music formally, which certainly includes me and probably a lot of folks who belong to this forum. What the book is about is best summed up in Werner's own words in the preface;
"There are certainly artists who can enjoy music in a positive way, artists who always know how to become inspired and how to execute effortlessly. But the percentage of people who do this is small. Much of this book is for those who are not succeeding in their efforts to fulfill their hopes and dreams musically, and for musicians who feel tense and constricted while playing. .....If you've constantly pointed to other players and thought that they possessed something you didn't, or if you've practiced for years and never really improved, read on."
One word of caution. The title is a bit deceiving. The book does not purport to show you how to master you instrument with little or no effort. It is about how to master yourself so that you play effortlessly, once you have done all the other preparation required for your instrument.
------------------
Gary Ulinskas
MSA S-12 + Walker mono
[This message was edited by Gary Ulinskas on 05 January 2004 at 08:15 AM.] [This message was edited by Gary Ulinskas on 05 January 2004 at 08:20 AM.] |
|
|
|
Ron Randall
From:
Dallas, Texas, USA
|
Posted 5 Jan 2004 3:01 pm
|
|
Gary,
Thanks for the post. I have not read this yet. I have read other books that talk about letting yourself perform, without all the negative "chatter", worry and anxiety that goes on in my brain. |
|
|
|
Mark van Allen
From:
Watkinsville, Ga. USA
|
Posted 7 Jan 2004 3:01 pm
|
|
Kenny's book is a great one, and one you get more out of with every re-read. Really worth finding. I've often seen it in Borders.
------------------
Stop by the Steel Store at: www.markvanallen.com
|
|
|
|
Jon Light (deceased)
From:
Saugerties, NY
|
Posted 7 Jan 2004 3:16 pm
|
|
Years ago I asked a teacher--"what do you do when on some given night you aren't feeling inspired and it just isn't flowing". He told me that if I couldn't sit down and play from my heart any and ever time then I shouldn't be a musician.
I hope he is dead now and not messing with some other young dude's mind. This book sounds good. |
|
|
|
Tom Olson
From:
Spokane, WA
|
Posted 7 Jan 2004 3:45 pm
|
|
 !!!! |
|
|
|
Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
|
Posted 7 Jan 2004 4:18 pm
|
|
| Quote: |
| EFFORTLESS MASTERY |
I don't believe there is such a thing. 
(Well, maybe in "sleeping", "being lazy", and possibly "falling down".) Other than those, though, nothing is mastered without effort.
Seemingly Effortless?
I might allow that one. |
|
|
|
