Comments on: Your Effortless Mastery Reminders #012 = “Miles Who?”

By: Tim

Tim — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 13:59:45 +0000

My dad played Eddie Duchin arrangements of “The Shiek of Araby”, “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love”, “If I Had You”, “You Turned the Tables on Me”, etc. In fact, at 92, he still plays every day. He played quite well, but loathed playing in a public setting, because he got too nervous.

By: Dorrie

Dorrie — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:55:10 +0000

…good morning effortless masters…when i was little and growing up we didnt have TV, i listened to Luigi Boccerini (78 recordings), Humperdinck (Handsel and Gretel), Gilbert and Sullivan (Mikado), Lerner and Loewe (Brigadoon), Chopin. In 1953 when i was six, i was introduced to Elvis Presley and other rockers via radio (actually i rather liked Gene Vincent more than Elvis however i didn’t dare reveal that to my “hit parade conscious” older sister…she would have been scandalized)…we walked a lot then, and a great way to make the walk go better is to sing “Heartbreak Hotel” and imagine the scenes as they go by. Early teens my parents bought some pop records one was Doris Day “Bewitched Bothered and Bewildered” and also at that time Bobby Darin arrived in our home. On the radio I also was introduced to Paul Anka who I still admire all the more now it is 2009. Catholic school imbued me with the learning of the singing of the Mass in various forms…good for the sense of pitch and harmony…and longing, too?…but on a trip to visit my aunt in Los Angeles, California, in 1954, i was, for a week, exposed indelibly to television and the incessant and riveting jingles/animation of commercials (eg “Pampers, pampers new shampoo, gentle as a lamb, yes mam, pampers pampers new shampoo!) with which my sister and I drove my parents nuts by singing it over and over and over and over in the back seat of our 1948 ford mercury all the way up the west coast highway back to Canada…

By: Jason Haberl

Jason Haberl — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 03:38:15 +0000

I’ve read your amazing book several times over the past 4-5 years. I really identified with the concept of trying to play what I wish I could play, instead of what I already know how to play, or what naturally wants to come out. Also the bit about performing when I should be practicing and vice versa. The first thing your book did for me was drastically improve my approach to teaching. I realize that through obsessing about my playing I’ve learned a lot of things THE HARD WAY! Now I realize that at least my students don’t have to. I’ve been putting a lot of time into applying the concepts put forth in your book (patience, focus, the quiet mind…) and after 17 years of playing music and many times wanting to throw the damn thing out the window, once again my favorite thing to do is pick up my instrument, close my eyes, and just have fun. I don’t know if I would’ve come back this refreshed without your book. Thank you!! Jason H. P.S.when I care this much about a book (David Ray Griffin’s “New Pearl Harbor” comes to mind) I usually end up just giving away my copy to people who seem likely to be moved by it. Needless to say, I’ve bought several copies. I hope they’re out there doing good work.