Suddenly it all fell together

[Filton]

Have just come back from a 3 hour session with a Bassist, a Guitarist and a Drummer. We meet about every three weeks in a rehearsal studio and basically just throw around ideas and Jam.

After a couple of hours this morning something happened. I don't know what it was it is so hard to put a finger on but suddenly whilst we were jamming around a sort of funky blues, me and the Horn just 'clicked'. Suddenly my embouchure relaxed and I just felt 'comfortable with the horn and I could hear my tone through the monitor suddenly sound smooth and even. I was able to just play what I could hear in my head as easy as I could if I had been holding a guitar.

What an awesome feeling! I am currently on a Sax induced High

 

[Mike]

Yeah, it's great when that happens. Did you happen to record the session? I've found that when those aspects of
our playing do come out it's always beneficial to see what it is we did. I've actually transcribed my own playing because what I had played I never worked on before.
When we practice, the things we recently practice usually do not come out. They do come later on without us trying to
'force them in'. I've learned to just play and not worry about trying to impress anyone with our latest lick, or licks because we think this is going to blow people away and they're going to think we're really great sax players because of that one or two licks. The end result, if it's premature, is that we'll only embarrass ourselves with a badly timed lick that was horribly misplaced.
Those are for the practicing we do so they will come out later on when we least expect it and they'll surprise us if the practicing has been consistent with intent.

Any pro will tell you exactly the same thing. You had a session where the subconscious became the conscious and that was a result of practice. You didn't have to worry if the lick would work, as in it's appropriation/rhythm, which is usual when we learn licks. It's always best to leave the newly learned techniques/licks at home and play what you know. Keep the practicing up and those new licks will come out on their own and when they do, as I assume they just have for you, then that creates a high! You were relaxed which is so vital when soloing.

And that is how we become inspired to practice, practice, practice...

Good for you!

 

[Filton]

Hopefully it is recorded. We always leave a video camera running at the back of the room when we jam because some good ideas can easily be lost if you don't record these sessions and we have found a simple video camera to be an effective way of doing so. Just hoping it has all come out okay

 

[Saxlicker]

Really pleased for you Filton,

That feeling makes all the so-so and worse still frustrating times, drift into the shade doesn't it.
As long as you always know the reward is out there, there is no reason to doubt the hard times either....

Personally I just wish I had a regime that makes me focus on expanding what I can do. If I broke a couple of barriers in that area that made me more adaptable I'd be ecstatic!

 

[trimmy]

Happy days Filton

Yet to happen to me, i wait in anticipation

 

[Jules]

Nice one Centurion!

 

[aldevis]

Well done.
It is like when you learn biking. At some point you just do it and can concentrate an the landscape.

It is time to enjoy the musical landscapes you will create...

 

[TomMapfumo]

Brings tears to my eyes.......................................... :crying:

It's very special when something like that happens and you find that everything is just in place with little conscious effort and no need to adopt "Plan B" type playing just in case all goes pear-shaped.

I can remember the ABRSM Jazz Grade guidance about improvisation - this encouraged you to have several ways in which you could play through the improvised section (24 bars or so at Grade 5) and then just to get on with it in the exam, rather than prepare one improvisation (possibly written, or at the very least memorised).

 

[old git]

Is that what they mean by "In the zone"?

Good cheese, Filton.

Damn! That's Stilton, isn't it?

 

[Taz]

Nice one Filton, I hope the feeling lasts a lifetime!

 

[Steve Stockham]

"You see, you can do it!" -(Obi-Wan Kenobi) Seriously, it is a great feeling isn't it? Now, you work the percentages. Each time you rehearse, you work to get more and more of those "magical moments!"