Are you subconsciously

[cheezewiz]

If I'm playing in a bar, and have played the song a bunch of times before, I'll occasionally watch the sporting event on TV over my shoulder. Does that count?

 

[Phalex]

If I'm playing in a bar, and have played the song a bunch of times before, I'll occasionally watch the sporting event on TV over my shoulder. Does that count?

I had a hard time with that one last weekend! Mule deer hunting someplace out west. I had to concentrate on not watching it!

 

[worxforme]

I played a gig in NYC this winter with a 103 degree fever. I can't remember the setlist but everyone told me I was pale, looked like I was gonna hit the floor anytime, and on point the whole time. Chyeah!

+1 I had this same experience and when I listed to the recording I was killing that night.

Sometimes I'm over thinking or I can't overlook my out-of-tune guitarist and focus on just playing and then the tape reveals more flaws than I'd like.

 

[cnltb]

When you are in the exact moment of playing, are you subconsciously aware of every thing you're playing before and during your playing?

That depends entirely on the context I am working in and on how alert I am at any particular moment whilst playing.

 

[somegeezer]

I play consciously. I like to actually listen to what is happening, rather than just letting my mind wander and trust it to play the song correctly.

 

[bucephylus]

Jaco's famous quote, of course, was "stop thinking and concentrate."

I believe his point was that the creation occurs in some space that is probably conscious, but not in the visual area in your brain - different process. I think of sub-conscious as something that is happening in the background underneath everything. I don't think the playing happens there, although at some level a lot of the fundamentals may be ingrained there. The creative processes and choices, however, are going on in the conscious, but in a different part of our brains than we use for our visually oriented processes. My 2c.

 

[cheezewiz]

I had a hard time with that one last weekend! Mule deer hunting someplace out west. I had to concentrate on not watching it!

Saturday nights during the NFL playoffs are almost unbearable.

 

[JAUQO III-X]

Hey now... there will be NO book learnin talk mixed into the bassin round here

Anyway, nothing but love for JAUQO III-X...

Thanks J. And same here.

I was just trying to get my head around the question and answered what I assumed it to be in my first post (#10 in the thread).

I fully understand.

If I'm playing in a bar, and have played the song a bunch of times before, I'll occasionally watch the sporting event on TV over my shoulder. Does that count?

If you're looking bored while doing it, it doesn't count

 

[John Wentzien]

"A consistent thinker is a thoughtless person, because he conforms to a pattern; he repeats phrases and thinks in a groove."
-Jiddu Krishnamurti-

 

[zaubertuba]

I think it reads better this way.

...And I would submit that both are artists, IMHO.

When I'm playing the muscle memory is already there thanks to a zillion hours of practice and random noodling, so my fingers know where they're supposed to go. I'm not thinking about theory at all. I'm not thinking about "Ok since they're playing a B#m7b5add17 in 19/16 time, mathematically I need to play this!" I don't care at that point. Can I predict and plan each individual note, think of a melody in my head then play it? About the half the time. I'm good but not good enough to always nail the right note or the one I'm looking for. Will it be in key? Yes, thanks to far too many years spent running through my scales. You never know what will come out while you're playing and adlibbing your parts. That's part of the fun really....

This...is sooooo me....

...Well, at least the part about not nailing the note I'm looking for.

Seriously, though, I work out the " B#m7b5add17 in 19/16 time" theory stuff when I'm woodshedding--and do even more of that now that I'm playing around with tapping more chordal stuff up top. But I find in a performance situation, whatever I've worked up decently happens very organically, and some things not so much. More traditional styles and parts I move more towards the "3-4" part of the spectrum, being able to have more awareness of my bandmates and even the audience (never used to think much of the latter for jazz gigs, but this forum has changed that). I've found I actually move my body a bit more than I used to--almost dancing around a bit, when we're really in the groove.

When I'm soloing/trying things more on the edge of my technical capabilities, I slide rapidly back to the "1-2" side of the spectrum. Had some great "4" tunes at a gig last weekend (just the 3rd gig for our trio, but also had some scary "1" moments as well. Obviously I need to (keep) working on my solo/right hand comping chops more.

 

[funkytoe]

At this point for me, any live performance is all about being musical. I am not making conscious choices about what note comes next, what key, what inversion, etc. For covers and standards, I can rely on muscle memory. But, whether its a cover, standard, original composition or spontaneous jam, I am really just LISTENING to the performance as a whole -- as if I were in the audience. Is the groove happening? Are we (the musicians) picking up each others' cues? I will sometimes give myself the luxury of just taking a moment to focus on my bass tone -- where I am sitting in the mix. But then its right back to the composition as a whole. I am just as interested in what notes the guitarist, keys, etc. are going to play next as what notes I will. Its like a dance. You don't think about where you put your feet, they just move.

So, although I am not making conscious decisions about what note to play next, I am making conscious judgments about the performance of the band as a whole and where I can take that. The choice of notes is really my hand's automatic reaction to my own thoughts about the composition as a whole.

 

[chicago_mike]

I might think about a "lick" or placement of some idea. Thats about it though. Ill remember the chords line, etc before we play it, and ill run thr lyrics thru my head super fast.

But If I constantly think of the song I am playing..Ill mess up.

 

[puddin tame]

I'm not the best with my scales. I've got sort of a functional grasp of them, but I find as the ear gets better it's easier to hit the good notes regardless

 

[Aussie Mark]

If I'm playing in a bar, and have played the song a bunch of times before, I'll occasionally watch the sporting event on TV over my shoulder. Does that count?

We were playing a 3 set gig one night in a bar and I was able to watch a rerun of The Unforgiven while playing classic rock covers. Doesn't get any better than that.

 

[John Wentzien]

We were playing a 3 set gig one night in a bar and I was able to watch a rerun of The Unforgiven while playing classic rock covers. Doesn't get any better than that.

That is definately sub!

 

[Matt R.]

When you are in the exact moment of playing, are you subconsciously aware of every thing you're playing before and during your playing?

Consciously aware within the moment. To me that's what feeling is.

 

[Jon Moody]

I try to be more aware of where everyone else is and what they're doing. I pay a modicum of attention to what I'm doing (making sure that I'm not doing anything horribly wrong or out), but the other musicians come first.

 

[Alex Xander]

How so? I asked a question. I didn't tell any one how their mind may be working or what process it may be going through while being musical.

And it's III-X. I don't know if that was your attempt to be funny but I didn't dis your name.

Firstly you asked a question rife with ambiguity, or even with a "syntax error" as earlier pointed out.
Read any psych text. "Subconsciously aware" is a paradox.

Then when James pulled you up you stated

"No I'm not.

"Before something is conscious it's subconscious. And sometimes they actually exist side by side.
I know exactly what subconscious means."

Clearly you don't. The subconcious and conscious mind ALWAYS exist side by side.

Then you follow with

You are closer than you give yourself credit for.

Which seems to me that you are asserting that you have the intellectual high ground.

If I'm wrong I'm sorry. And yes. I know it's III-X

 

[JAUQO III-X]

Firstly you asked a question rife with ambiguity, or even with a "syntax error" as earlier pointed out.
Read any psych text. "Subconsciously aware" is a paradox.

Then when James pulled you up you stated



Clearly you don't. The subconcious and conscious mind ALWAYS exist side by side.

Then you follow with



Which seems to me that you are asserting that you have the intellectual high ground.

If I'm wrong I'm sorry. And yes. I know it's III-X

Ok so you know how the mind of every musician works.


Maybe the question just wasen't for you. Ever thought about that?

 

[Alex Xander]

Ok so you know how the mind of every musician works.


Maybe the question just wasen't for you. Ever thought about that?

No, I don't know how the mind of every musician works. I do know some fundamentals of psychology however

If I misinterpreted your question, then indeed it was not meant for me.