How is it Possible?

David Mason · From: Cambridge, MD, USA

"Repetition with conscious intent of a goal in mind?" Kind of a big question, here... as long as other people already brought up the god thing, there's a fascinating field called evolutionary psychology that has to do with the specific brain structures and patterns that control specific behaviors - these are the people who will hook you up to MRI machines and feed you Pepsi (vs. Coke) and ask you about sex, and aardvarks, all while peering at their monitors.

One point they (love to) make is that 99% of human evolution has occurred while we were boogying around the plains of Africa - agriculture, cities, hula hoops, "Red River Valley" etc. are all relatively very recent developments. Therefore, a huge proportion of the skills you use to fly space shuttles, program computers, win Wimbledon and yes, play steel guitar, are in some way adaptations and/or perversions of brain mechanisms developed while chasing around after wildebeests and running away from lions and tigers.

(The following will answer all the rest of your questions): http://www.psych.ucsb.edu/research/cep/primer.html

Richard Gonzales · From: Davidson, NC USA

That question is easy to answer! It is explained very well in your lessons "Secrets & Shortcuts" to learning pedal steel guitar.
For starters how about PERCEPTION and ORGANIZATION ? I read the book now and then which keeps me on the straight path of learning. Thanks Reece!

Ray Minich · From: Bradford, Pa. Frozen Tundra

Don't think too hard about tying your shoelaces or you'll get all confused. The same goes for the necktie. Much is done from "muscle memory".

Actually, some of the stuff we do comes not from the higher levels of conciousness, but from the lower levels, and even from the spinal cord only. Like jerking your hand away from a hot surface. You don't think about that for very long. It's a continuum of stimulus-response.

[This message was edited by Ray Minich on 09 November 2005 at 04:46 AM.]

Randy Beavers · From: Lebanon,TN 37090

Maurice,
I believe in keeping everything as simple as possible. I think it was Robert Schuller that used to say, "Inch by inch, anythings a cinch."

Even the simple task of opening our eyes in the morning, getting out of bed and standing up requires an amazing amount of coordination between every muscle in our body. However, we do it without ever having to think about it because it is programed into our subconscious mind.

I believe people get overwhelmed when they look at the big picture and consider all they have to do to get to that level. When really it's just a bunch of small steps that got them there.

Sonny Jenkins · From: Texas Masonic Retirement Center,,,Arlington Tx

,,,,still say,,"the zone",,,a state of mind that's present in all we do,,,to one extent or another,,,,,,in varying degrees

Tom Campbell · From: Houston, Texas, USA

OD......Organized Development!

Pete Grant · From: Auburn, CA, USA

I'm convinced that talent, while some folks seem to innately have more, is something that everyone can develop--even to a high degree. With some of us, it takes a little more dogged determination than others. A lot of people have accused me of being talented. Well, I certainly didn't start out that way, but I did have a real drive to learn and I knew other humans could do it, and I have all my fingers and toes. So I went for it. I'd play 6 nites a week for 5 hours a nite and come home and practice for 3 more. After a few years of that, I was "talented." But ask some of my bandmates how I sounded at first and they'll grimace just to be reminded of the gawdawful howls and wails that I was pulling out of that poor unsuspecting steel guitar.

Check out Jamie Faunt's article on talent.

http://musicalskills.com/talent.html

Terry Wood · From: Lebanon, MO

My opinion is that music is a spiritual thing! So in a sense, I am in agreement with Eric West, especially when we are listening to the Steel Greats!

Beyond that, I am a stickler for perseverence, hardwork, dedication, not giving up!

The Little Engine that could, he said,

" I think I can! I think I can! I think I can!"

GOD bless!

Woody

Scott Henderson · From: Camdenton, Missouri, USA

Maurice I agree with Randy B. I think the biggest thing that "overwhelms" players is desire or need to over complicate the process.(not the music, THE PROCESS!) I learned a long time ago to find the most simple process for me to approach the instrument and I use that process everytime I play. Knowledge of music and knowledge of my tools (instruments) is where growth comes.I could go in greater detail but a complicated answer would dispell my theory. hehehe
Remember our first lesson in music,or at least mine.
K I S S
e t i t
e m e
p p l
l m
e a
n

------------------
Steelin' away in the ozarks and life,
Scott
www.scottyhenderson.com

Scott Henderson · From: Camdenton, Missouri, USA

guess I didnt actually answer the question.
my process...
thumb out
elbows in
check my feet placement
analyze the neck for the pockets I will use for that specific song
breath/clear my mind
play
The whole process takes about 15 to 30 seconds. Works for me!

------------------
Steelin' away in the ozarks and life,
Scott
www.scottyhenderson.com

Mike Perlowin · From: Los Angeles CA

There have been a lot of good responses to this thread, but There is one element everybody seems to have overlooked.

Love.

Jim Cohen said it best:

Pete Blakeslee · From: Lincoln, NE

Reece's original post assumes that there is a "specific process" which, if used, essentially allows the player to maximize his or her playing ability. I am not sure that I agree with that assumption. Couldn't different players use different processes and still achieve a desirable level of ability?

Mike Winter · From: Portland, OR

I'm a newbie, but I think it's similar to driving. After driving almost every day for over 30 years, you just kind of "do it." It doesn't really take any thought. You don't consciously think, "Open door, sit, turn key, look, shift, gas, brake, turn, etc." you just do it, to the point of where you start daydreaming, then realize you are way on down the road, and almost wonder how you got there. When you're learning, it's another story. I think it's the same thing with an instrument. The comment above about playing through the song while holding a conversation, is just like that. So, the lesson to me is that to get proficient in anything, it usually takes a lot of time and practice, and when you can make it look easy to someone else...you're getting there. A wise man once said, "Anything is easy if you know how to do it."

Charlie McDonald · From: out of the blue

Out of the mouths of babes.

Wayne Cox · From: Chatham, Louisiana, USA * R.I.P.

I feel that it is our duty(if we want to play an instrument) to do all we can to train our body,mind,& reflexes,to respond to a higher level of instantaneous thought and inspiration. Then just do it and enjoy the results!
~~W.c.~~

Bruno Rasmussen · From: Svendborg, Denmark

Reflexes. Intellectually and emotionally controlled series of trained motorial reflexes.

Edited for spelling

[This message was edited by Bruno Rasmussen on 11 November 2005 at 01:55 AM.]

[This message was edited by Bruno Rasmussen on 11 November 2005 at 02:22 AM.]

Delbert Aldredge · From: Willis, Texas, USA

Very excellent riddle!... the answer is "PERSEVERANCE"... sorta reminds me of the building of the tower of Babel... behold, all thoughts have become as one... now nothing will be with held from them, let us go down and confuse their language!... Confusion has stoped many from succeeding...

[This message was edited by Delbert Aldredge on 11 November 2005 at 09:15 AM.]

Kay Das · From: Los Angeles CA

Repetition, coupled with muscle memory.

Then this is coupled to musical logic (theory),
and the audatory repetition log in memory,

giving a reference point for NEW incoming signals,
as a starting point for future actions within logical theory.

It is when these logics are NOT what we expect,
that we then go off the rails musically.

Or when muscle memory and repetition was not in grained enough to allow on the fly coreleation
between memories and new incoming reference data.

Examples ;
a song with theory we have never tried or worse yet never even listened too.

Switching from E9 to C6 and just starting to play without working on C6 before.

Or a D-10 to Uni ,or Emmons to Day.

The ingrained muscle memory is not there,
so even things we normally do, we can't,
even though we KNOW what we want to do
in slower framework.

oops... This is David DONALD, on Kay's computer, I forgot to log on as myself.

[This message was edited by Kay Das on 11 November 2005 at 09:57 AM.]

Dale Bessant · From: Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada

I agree with Nic...Passion and Gods gifts.

[This message was edited by Dale Bessant on 12 November 2005 at 04:51 AM.]

[This message was edited by Dale Bessant on 12 November 2005 at 04:52 AM.]

Henry Matthews · From: Texarkana, Ark USA

Reece, I think that musical talent, motor skills or dexterity and the passion for wanting to bad enough are the biggest part of learning any instrument. Also, you have to have the ablilty for total concentration. If all those are present, then chances are you will become and accomplished muscian.
I know steel players that have be playing 50 years and sound today just like they did 45 years ago. That means that one of those attributes are missing. I never even touched a steel guitar until I was 40 years old and I had a rough time learning and devoted many hours to practice. I know that I'll never be a super picker but I do think that I still progress everyday and can hold my own on any stage and I'm 61 now. My problem is that I have the talent, the dexterity and the passion to play but am missing one vital part. I don't have total concentration. I've always had the concentration problem in practicing. It doesn't bother me on stage, but to have the concentration to sit down and practice and devote my total thoughts to it are impossible for me. Maybe another term for it would be disipline. Any, just my thoughts on a great topic, How is it possible.

Terry Edwards · From: Florida... livin' on spongecake...

EVOLUTION, plain and simple. When the first amphibians decided to SLIDE out of the oceans....

...OK, seriously it's real simple.

Learn to play with analytical left brain (thinking)

then perform with intuitive right brain (soul).

Then if you also have good physical dexterity (athletic skills) you will develop "chops" and your audience will be well intertained.

I thought everybody knew this!

...or just say God gave it to you (the simple explanation).

Terry

Eric West · From: Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.

That's the way I look at it....

Off to the gig..

EJL

Reece Anderson · From: Keller Texas USA, R.I.P.

I have to believe most of you are as impressed as I concerning the insight and intellectual comments made on this subject within this thread.

J Hill · From: Colorado, USA

I need more experience on the Steel Guitar to answer this, but if I think about what I'm doing on the piano, it totally messes me up. The first time it happened it was baffling. Now I know better than to think when I'm playing the piano.

Jim Meiring · From: Highlands, North Carolina, USA

In my opinion the Pedal Steel Guitar offers any player a chance to shape sound like no other instrument. Once you hear sometihing you like, you think is interesting you just gotta put you foot on the pedal, a knee to a lever and play.

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