Bill,

In my experience, there will be “eureka” moments, but they may or may not be the final answer. Expecting to immediately repeat them can lead to disappointment and frustration. Staying emotionally detached from the highs and lows also helps, although I’m far from mastering this.

Interesting discussion about devices. I’ve collected more than a few over the years. I’ve found that some introduce tightness and other elements that I don’t want in my playing. At times, this would take several weeks to show up. I believe that “mmmm ahh oooh” is an effective way to get the feel for bringing the corners in. The key, for me, is not to force this into my regular playing. I’ve tried direct implementation and caused chop confusion at one point. I was downright obsessed with making this change. Now, it seems that focused practice without forced results is a better path. I am training body and mind, and this takes time…lots of it.