My theory of " How It Is Possible"!

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

I want to thank each of you for your comments concerning my recent thread called “How Is It Possible”. This is my theory of “How IT IS Possible.

MIND….EYES….HANDS….EARS

The preceding is the four step process which provides a complete playing management procedure. The following is the perception of each.

MIND

First of all, the mind must be uplifted with enthusiasm, motivation, desire, passion and love for the instrument. If it has those attributes it must then be introduced to an organizational plan. Without such a plan the only option the mind has is that of vast and complex memorization which is asking the mind to exceed its capability.

As an example, one does not attempt to memorize a book, yet because of the organization of the words, a perception is provided which is the essence of the story.

There are organizational plans available today which will display the information required to play steel guitar, and there is a way to organize those plans so as to provide instant recall and subsequent execution similar to the way a story is remembered in a book, though not memorized.

EYES

After the mind has the organizational plan, it projects the proposed plan on the fretboard which then manifests itself visually.

Once the organized plan is projected on the fretboard by the eyes, the mind MUST preplan that which it is INTENDING to do, this includes bar placement, strings to be played and the pedal and knee lever involvement. All this must take place BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO PLAY.

This is a critical point in the entire playing process because if one is not pre-planning and visualizing the plan on the fretboard at least three seconds before attempting to play, the mind is operating in a deficit BEFORE even the first note is played.

HANDS

The body is a servant of the mind therefore the hands do what they are told to do. Those who do not fully engage the mind simply listen to their hands play and essentially just “chase sounds” without organization. Doing this can become a lesson in futility and subsequently many will not continue to play.
EARS

While playing, the ears continuously and simultaneously validate the intent relative to the organizational plan AND the physical execution of the pre-planned process.

The end result of all things is the sound coming from the amplifier. It is critical that the sound must NOT interfere with the preplanning process, which again, is a minimum of three seconds ahead of what the ear is hearing.

FOUR STEP THEORY SUMMATION

The mind preplans, the eyes visualize, the hands execute, and the ears continually monitor, validate and correct “on the fly” by means of the subconscious while the conscious mind is observing the minimum three second rule and continuously planning ahead until the song is completed.

An example is that of a baseball outfielder who, when the ball is hit in the air just runs to the ball, and the ball falls precisely in his glove. When he does this seemingly effortless task, that which he has just completed is actually a very complex calculation process of distance, wind, speed, trajectory, body control and etc., and in addition to all those complex calculations, they must also keep their head in the game itself so they know what to do with the ball once it is caught. They can easily accomplish this by simply watching the ball and preplanning the response.

Playing steel guitar can be likewise related. Our “ball” is the fretboard”! Once the bar fret relationship is established the eyes must move to the next preplanned position while the ear monitors and corrects everything relative to the sound coming from the amplifier.

Each step of my theory contains many elements which has proven over the years that when followed, the complexity of playing steel guitar can be compared to something as innately simple as “catching a fly ball”. Adhering to the four step sequence provides the perception of “keeping it simple”, and allows the mind to perceive the entire playing process as being only ONE THING…………. which is exactly that which the mind began searching for the very first time we sat down to a steel guitar.

I respectfully submit my theory in a positive spirit and trust it is accepted as such.

Jody Sanders · From: Magnolia,Texas, R.I.P.

Hi Maurice, Thanks for posting this great article. As my Grand Paw used to say,"It hits the nail right on the head". Thanks again. Jody.

Charlie McDonald · From: out of the blue

Hi Maurice.
I think you are describing 'transcendance.'
Easy to describe in one word, but sailing over years of practice, insight, dedication, enlightenment, and accident.
A life long journey.
To me, it's a way, not a life or a living.

Bob Hickish · From: Port Ludlow, Washington, USA, R.I.P.

Reece
One very curious piece of this puzzle or theory is ! the
imagination !
you give an example of how one grasps a concept of the
material .

Quote

"As an example, one does not attempt to memorize a
book, yet because of the organization of the words, a
perception is provided which is the essence of the story."

This is a question that has accured to me more than once ,
and that is !
How are all the grate players able to come up with the
little extra ideas in the story ? / Music / that set it apart .
I guess my point is ! players like -Buddy E. - Loyd Green -
Tommy White - and so many of the folks here on the forum
have somthing that a lot of us don't have , and the only
word I can put to it is !
imagination .
I think your theory is right on , and what I said above
might be an area above the concept of how we do it ! But
! where the the heard is cut ! Steel players here !- Supper
Steel players over there !

Thanks for the thought provoking topic Reece

Bob

Randy Beavers · From: Lebanon,TN 37090

I believe it was Mark Twain that said:

" Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment."

Such is the basic learning process.

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

To be great you have to make all your mistakes early in life.

I'm 52 and making mistakes as fast as I can. I should be great when I'm about 92.

Terry

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