How to Stop Thinking So Much While Soloing

I'm on a mission to get totally jacked this summer, and I've added swimming to the exercise routine.

But let's be clear – I am not a great swimmer.

I get tired quickly. My form is sloppy. And I'm sure I look a lot like a pug dog trying desperately to stay afloat.

That said, I'm determined to get better, so I'm perusing articles on the interwebs about common swimming mistakes and watching videos on YouTube on how to breathe without swallowing enough chlorine to turn into a Ninja Turtle (though I don't think my son would mind).

So, with all this new information sloshing around between my ears, swimming has become a much more cerebral experience. And that's not a good thing...

Instead of being centered in my body, swimming now feels like spinning a dozen plates above my head. There's so much "proper technique" to remember – inhaling, exhaling, kicking, pulling, streamlining, etc.

Does this remind you of what it feels like while you're improvising?

I know I've been there...trying to keep track of the form, playing in time, developing my ideas, remembering the chord changes, phrasing musically…the list goes on and on.

Again, way too cerebral!

Instead of being centered in your ear, the thinking brain takes over and most often fails miserably.

Why? Because music is an aural experience, so our ears need to be in the driver seat and our thinking brain can ride shotgun (but please, resist the urge to let it grab the wheel).

Ultimately, all that heady processing needs to happen subconsciously such that your ears are free to listen and create in the moment.

And that's what practicing is all about: to make subconscious that which is conscious.

One more time – the point of practicing is to make subconscious that which is conscious.

Charlie Parker knew what was up when he said, "You've got to learn your instrument. Then, you practice, practice, practice. And then, when you finally get up there on the bandstand, forget all that and just wail."

This approach works best when you know how to practice smart. When you know how to shed something such that it flows from the conscious mind to the subconscious mind as efficiently and effectively as possible.

The problem is, a lot of musicians end up spinning their wheels in the practice room. Many of them don't even know they're wasting their hard-earned practice time.

Not to worry – I’ve got a resource for you that can help with all that and more. It's called Perfect Practice, and it’s the online course in which I share my top tips, tools, and techniques for optimizing your practice time to achieve the results you want as quickly as possible.

These tested and proven strategies are appropriate for any instrument and can be applied instantly, no matter what your skill level and experience.

I'm not gonna pitch it any more than that. If you're interested in maximizing your time in the practice room, click here to learn more.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Happy shedding!

Jeff