The Good Musician

Learning to Listen to Oneself

by Arjun Muralidharan on August 7th, 2007

It’s concert time. Your playing the piece, it’s kind of going well, and you’re so focused and concentrating, that you’re too busy to actually hear yourself playing.

Been there, done that.

Playing freely is a major skill that stage artists will need to acquire. You have to learn to listen to yourself, as if you are part of the audience. This is a very abstract concept, and not all musicians will agree, but there are a few techniques you should experiment with.

• Concentrate on your breathing: Coordinate your breathing with the piece. I believe that respiration is strongly linked with our connection to music. Music is about building up tension and releasing it. Breathing in and out. Plan where you breathe during the piece, and you will breathe and live the music.
• Look at your audience: This is a tough one. It was for me. Looking at your audience is like looking the devil in the eye, and being able to connect with the audience and perceive their presence is integral to your performance. It might seem frightening, but in the long run (of the piece :-) ) it will give you extreme satisfaction and relaxation. Being comfortable on the stage will let you take a step back easily and listen.
• Treat the piece like it’s the first time you’re hearing it: Listen to the piece as if you’re listening it for the first time. In your few practice sessions before a concert, take out the sheet music again and read it accurately. Make sure you know the piece, not just have a motoric memory of it. Everyone can just by-heart the piece into their finger muscles, but being aware of every movement is a totally new level.

Being in the moment is a wonderful experience. Concerts won’t just fly by, and if you’re totally aware of your playing, you can let a lot of ad hoc interpretation flow in. Your music becomes organic and live, not just the over-practiced reproduction of a piece.

POSTED IN: Listening Lessons, Your Instrument & You