In my previous article, I've written about the trend of technically focused music. (If you haven't read that, do give it a read here). This trend is usually seen in 'hard' genres, like rock and metal. It can also be seen in softer ones like Blues and Jazz, but it isn't very common as the former. Like I said there, the feel is disrupted when too much emphasis is placed on technique.
However, not to know a technique at all would be thinking on the other side of the extreme. I am reading a book 'Discover Your Destiny' by Robin Sharma, where I got a pretty good insight on the balance that we need to create in life, between the head and the heart, with the heart guiding your way. Just apply it in music as well, where the technique and skills become the 'head' part, and the feel and the emotion arising becomes the 'heart' part. Both must be in balance.
The book had one very powerful insight that I found useful if applied in music. Of course, it can be applied on anything (especially your life), but I am focusing on music here. It is about the four stages of mastery. Here, it will be about mastery of a technique.
We will take 'tapping' as our base technique, and go on with the show.
1. Unconscious Incompetence: At this stage, you do not know how to tap, and you do not know that you don't know how to tap. In other words, you are unconscious as well as incompetent when it comes to tapping. If you hear a tap, you'll simply ignore it, or will marvel at its sound, but won't know what's going on.
2. Conscious Incompetence: At this stage, you still don't know how to tap, but you're now aware that the thing you heard is a 'tap', and is done in a certain way. To quote the main character Julian Mantle in that book, "Awareness precedes choice and choice precedes change". You can now make new choices relating to this technique, and this will lead you to become a better player.
3. Conscious Competence: At this stage, you have learnt tapping, but you have to be very conscious while you're doing it. You cannot really enjoy it, because your focus lies on getting the notes, and the piece, right. You keep on practicing, but still it gets difficult. This stage takes a lot of time.
4. Unconscious Competence: This is the stage where you've mastered the technique, and you don't even have to think about it while you're doing it. You can now totally engross yourself inside the music, while your hands are moving to play that wonderful piece which involves tapping. Tapping becomes second nature to you.
I personally believe that a technique should be added in your composition only after you've reached the fourth stage. It is because, at this stage you'll know exactly where the song needs the technique, and won't have as much desire to show off your technique, as you would if you were in the third stage. As my brother says, "Music should be expressive, not impressive." You will know when the song requires an expression to be done through tapping, rather than to impress someone even when it sounds filthy (with the song).
Since the major idea of this article is taken from the book, I'd suggest you read that book too, if you want to learn about life. You can find it here.
However, not to know a technique at all would be thinking on the other side of the extreme. I am reading a book 'Discover Your Destiny' by Robin Sharma, where I got a pretty good insight on the balance that we need to create in life, between the head and the heart, with the heart guiding your way. Just apply it in music as well, where the technique and skills become the 'head' part, and the feel and the emotion arising becomes the 'heart' part. Both must be in balance.
The book had one very powerful insight that I found useful if applied in music. Of course, it can be applied on anything (especially your life), but I am focusing on music here. It is about the four stages of mastery. Here, it will be about mastery of a technique.
We will take 'tapping' as our base technique, and go on with the show.
1. Unconscious Incompetence: At this stage, you do not know how to tap, and you do not know that you don't know how to tap. In other words, you are unconscious as well as incompetent when it comes to tapping. If you hear a tap, you'll simply ignore it, or will marvel at its sound, but won't know what's going on.
2. Conscious Incompetence: At this stage, you still don't know how to tap, but you're now aware that the thing you heard is a 'tap', and is done in a certain way. To quote the main character Julian Mantle in that book, "Awareness precedes choice and choice precedes change". You can now make new choices relating to this technique, and this will lead you to become a better player.
3. Conscious Competence: At this stage, you have learnt tapping, but you have to be very conscious while you're doing it. You cannot really enjoy it, because your focus lies on getting the notes, and the piece, right. You keep on practicing, but still it gets difficult. This stage takes a lot of time.
4. Unconscious Competence: This is the stage where you've mastered the technique, and you don't even have to think about it while you're doing it. You can now totally engross yourself inside the music, while your hands are moving to play that wonderful piece which involves tapping. Tapping becomes second nature to you.
I personally believe that a technique should be added in your composition only after you've reached the fourth stage. It is because, at this stage you'll know exactly where the song needs the technique, and won't have as much desire to show off your technique, as you would if you were in the third stage. As my brother says, "Music should be expressive, not impressive." You will know when the song requires an expression to be done through tapping, rather than to impress someone even when it sounds filthy (with the song).
Since the major idea of this article is taken from the book, I'd suggest you read that book too, if you want to learn about life. You can find it here.
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