So I am 6 weeks into my retraining. My last post has been a keystone post – Golden Rule #12
Learn the physical feeling of every note. I have slowly, fastidiously, painstakingly, paid attention to the physical feeling of every note. There IS One! For EVERY Note! Mind Blown!
Am keeping all things in the front – forward – Oooo – Ah – Aye – Eee – IH – air to the palette – Focus. Body low, calm. And slow – no sense to try to play something fast if the feeling is not locked in yet. Speed follows – does not precede.
A few hiccups in my musculature since my chemo treatments gave me neuropathy in the hands and face giving me the tendency to warble or have the yips on occasion. Also I have a tendency to Not Relax for lower notes after I play a higher note. My new coping strategy is to personify or personalize each note – as follows.
Second line G is GRASS. I make my G sound and look like the best grass lawn I know – and attach that physical feeling to that wonderful picture of grass in my mind. It relaxes me and allows the yips to relax away.
Second space A is the Artichoke I plant in my garden and let go to flower – big round purple flowers. I attach the physical feeling of A to my mental image of my Artichoke flower. I relax and make it the easiest and most beautiful flower I can.
B is Bumble Bee
C is a Cupcake with a candle
D is a Donkey
E is an Earring on the donkey’s ear
F is a French Fry
G is a Goose
A is the St Louis Arch
B is a Baseball
C is a Cork
This is standard mnemonics techniques. Cartoonify them. Make them actionable and memorable and funny and fun. My Artichoke A is the best A I have ever played and as I progress to higher notes I am certain it will help me negate the yips and relax into higher range. Exciting. Gratifying.