What do you hear while playing?

[straycat82]

I was thinking about this the other day and it got me curious as to what the C&F community would have to say on the matter:
When you play a tune on your own (solo, no accompaniment) do you, in your mind, just hear yourself and concentrate solely what you're playing or do you play along through your favorite recording of that particular tune in your mind (I hope that made sense)?
Does anyone think that one or the other is good or bad for your playing? Obviously if you are copying another musician's version of the tune note for note then you won't break out and find your own style. On the other hand, could playing through someone else's take on the tune in your mind possibly help you to see where you are going with the tune and perhaps help with timing or produce a more confident sound from your instrument?

And now to answer my own question:
I noticed that, while playing a tune for the first fifty times or so when I'm just learning it and practicing it to get the muscle memory down and the melody ingrained into my mind, I do tend to hear whatever recording that I used most for learning it playing in the back of my mind (that is to say, when I'm not actually playing along with said recording). This doesn't mean that I'm not focusing also on what is coming out of my whistle but I tend to hear the other version (other instruments, specific ornamentation, etc.) playing along with me.
Once I feel that I have a pretty good handle on the tune I then start putting myself into it more. The recording in my mind fades away after a while and I just focus on what's coming out of my instrument. That's not to say that I don't still go back to that recording (and any others that I can find) and listen for other inspiration or small things that I hadn't previously heard but while I am playing I seem to have my own sense of the tunes going through my mind and they seem to always be evolving as time goes on.

Thoughts?

[Congratulations]

I hear my instrument (through my ears) and I hear what I intend my instrument to do (in my head).

[peeplj]

I hear my instrument (through my ears) and I hear what I intend my instrument to do (in my head).

Yeah, I think this describes what I do pretty well.

--James

[Innocent Bystander]

Sadly, I hear what I play (rather than what I wish to play). Mostly I am practicing outside in the open. Often I hear the wind whistling past my ears, and if the wind is blustery, it will mask a note or make it squeak. It's only a problem in stormy weather. Like now. But what I hear is not always what I intend to play. Fewer illusions perhaps. And sometimes my fingers play the wrong tune. (Sometimes the wrong notes, but more frighteningly, the wrong tune. The Plains of Boyle and the Kildare Hornpipe both have the same B part, according to my fingers. They'll learn, I hope.)

[BillChin]

Hopefully, I "hear" the ethereal silence of a dead quiet audience, grasping with their ears to hear every note, every nuance. It is an amazing high that comes from these moments.

I mostly play tunes that I write. When I am alone, I hear the tune. Often times I am led to new melodies, or new arrangements of tunes I know. They come to me like butterflies on the wind, a precious gift that I am able to share with others when I perform.

[anniemcu]

... could playing through someone else's take on the tune in your mind possibly help you to see where you are going with the tune and perhaps help with timing or produce a more confident sound from your instrument?...

Most assuredly it can help. Like an artist practicing by copying another artists work, you learn how things are put together, how the coloring changes, how to produce that particular look or feel...You will find things that you have another idea for doing, or note that this particular part works better a different way, or you just plain don't care for that wee aspect of it. It definitely feeds growth... it is excellent practice, and it helps shape what will become your own style, as long as you don't get caught up in 'you must do it that artist's way, or you're wrong', or the laziness of simply copying.

I 'hear what I want it to sound like... and Audacity helps keep me humble, because what I play rarely actually sounds like I hear it.

[A-Musing]

When deep into playing, and when the sounds are easily rolling by, I sometimes "see" places I've been in this life...in my inner eye. At first I thought this rather odd...but, over time, I've come to enjoy it. A kind of day-dreamy historical travelogue. A little gift from the Muse?

[HundredthSheep]

I'm quite new to playing, but I'm going to agree with Congrats and James!

[m31]

Sometimes I hear perfection, but boy is it ever brief. As others have said, mostly I hear my mistakes and insecurities.

[dfernandez77]

Sometimes I hear perfection, but boy is it ever brief.

I always play and hear perfectly:
Perfectly amusing
Perfectly embarrassing
Perfectly joyful
Perfectly horrible
Perfectly noodling around

I don't play along with recorded music as a rule - and haven't yet been to session. Usually I hear something pretty darn good inside my head - and my ears hear something different due to an evil conspiracy between my fingers, moisture, attitude, sobriety, and talent (or lack thereof).

I keep getting better little by little - but for me it's still mostly about having a little fun.

[cowtime]

Interesting question- I hear my instrument in my head, along with how I think the tune should go. Happily , once in a while the two are the same.

[crookedtune]

Interesting replies. I never really thought much about it, but it's fascinating to ponder.

Much like Cowtime said, I think my own imperfect playing usually drowns out the better sound in my head that I'm striving for. Sometimes I can keep them both going strong while I chase that sound. And when I'm "in the zone" they sort of meet up, if only briefly. That's the big payoff.

I'll definitely start thinking along these lines now as I practice!

[straycat82]

I too find it fascinating, I've been thinking on it for the last few days and trying to draw some conclusions as to whether one method or another (or both) would benefit your playing.

Seems to me that while you are still new to a tune, hearing a recording in the back of your mind while you play it might help to keep your concept of the timing, rhythm and pulse for that tune on the right track (assuming it was a good source recording). For example, if there is a pause or a note that you hold on your instrument for several counts but you can still hear the guitar or harp strumming in the background then maybe it will help keep you in time. Also, other instruments may allude to certain aspects of the rhythm and pulse that you can emphasize with ornamentation, etc. I think there are certain instruments that, perhaps because of the nature of the instrument and how it is played, tend to highlight different aspects of a tune structure. It also may help to keep a good lilt to the tune if you can hear it in your head. I doubt that anyone would disagree that it is a positive thing to have a good idea in your head of what a tune should sound like.

At the same time though, it is important that you listen to yourself well and I wonder if the above would be a distraction to that if you are hearing too much of what's in your head and end up tricking yourself into thinking you sound better than you actually do. I suppose, though, that it wouldn't be too much different than listening to yourself while listening to the person/group you are playing with in a session or on stage. You definitely need to be able to do both.

I suppose this is the type of thing that will be different for each player and I'm sure that there would be valid arguements for and against it.

[Chiffed]

All of the above? There are a lot of levels going on, and I'm convinced that most of it is subconcious.

It's simpler with the Dali method: hold the whistle in front of you, and meditate until the whistle drops from your hand (helps to have a steel whistle!). Only then should you pick up the whistle and play. When using this method for improv, I'm not sure I hear anything at all, conciously.

[cowtime]

Sometimes, recording yourself playing something gives a whole new slant on what you are doing. That playback may sound very different than what you are hearing while actually playing.