Your Eyes Can Deceive You

Chatterton · Post by **Chatterton** » Sat Aug 18, 2007 10:32 am

As a new day dawned today, I entered my second week as a whistler with new resolve to get a more natural flow happening. So far my playing has been slow & laboured, so when I sat down this morning to work on "The Frost is All Over" I found myself ridiculously nervous, almost how it used to feel before going on stage with a high energy rock band. I thought this was silly to be this anxious to practice, so, desperate to calm myself, I decided to try playing with my eyes closed for a change, something I've never tried before with any instrument.

Playing with my eyes closed was real eye opener. I can't believe how good it felt. I'm not sure I know how to explain it. The whistle was more like a part of me and not just something I held on to, and instead of looking for where my fingers were and what they were doing, I started feeling where they should go and what they should be doing. And, somehow, my tone improved greatly (much less squeaking going on) and my tempo went up significantly.

So, I'm curious if any of you guys play with your eyes closed. It felt damn good, and I may never open them again (which will make sight-reading difficult, but I'll figure something out).

WyoBadger · Post by **WyoBadger** » Sat Aug 18, 2007 10:53 am

Depends on the mood, on the situation, on the tune. I probably play with the eyes closed usually.

You're right about playing by feel rather than by sight. You should never look at your fingers--that's concentrating on the wrong thing. As for sightreading, if you learn by ear instead of from sheet music, no problem!

Tom

arnie · Post by **arnie** » Sat Aug 18, 2007 10:55 am

You get more focused on the music and on playing the music without being disturbed by alle things around you, including your fingers and whistle. It's like listening to music; it gets more intense with your eyes closed. I play with my eyes closed regularly.

anniemcu · Post by **anniemcu** » Sat Aug 18, 2007 11:03 am

Sometimes open, sometimes closed... I enjoy playing off of other folks, and especially when it's a rollicking tune that we are all having a good time with, it's just exhilarating to see the joy and exhuberance in everyone's faces... that requires knowing the tune well, in most cases.

Other times, if I'm not all together comfortable with the tune yet, I close my eyes so that I can concentrate on the sound and the playing rather than be distracted by the visuals, and it's easier to keep track of the tune, even if I know it.

I often close them for an especially slow or sad one, because I can avoid the distraction of the differing rythm of what's going on around us, customers, workers, folks paying attention to something other than the tune... and to avoid tears.

Cass · Post by **Cass** » Sat Aug 18, 2007 11:23 am

(Flute):Open at home when I'm practising...closed when I'm on my own in front of an audience...I can concentrate better. Open when I'm playing in a session with others, coz I need to see what they are doing.
(Guitar and singing):Open, when I'm playing on my own or to an audience.
Cass.

peeplj · Post by **peeplj** » Sat Aug 18, 2007 11:46 am

I play with my eyes open.

The few times I've tried it with my eyes closed, I've found I tend to focus too much on the sounds around me and it distracts me from the music I'm supposed to be making.

Just my $.02.

--James

anniemcu · Post by **anniemcu** » Sat Aug 18, 2007 12:08 pm

peeplj wrote:I play with my eyes open.

The few times I've tried it with my eyes closed, I've found I tend to focus too much on the sounds around me and it distracts me from the music I'm supposed to be making.

Just my $.02.

--James

I do have to watch that.

straycat82 · Post by **straycat82** » Sat Aug 18, 2007 12:15 pm

I don't typically think about it but my eyes are usually open. Sometimes the music takes me and I'll realize all of the sudden that my eyes are closed. Anytime I'm playing with other players they're usually open and watching.

I find that when playing in front of an audience (I have pretty bad stage fright but I've come a long way in recent years) it intensifies the nervousness if I close my eyes. I get dizzy if I close my eyes during an adrenaline rush. I typically stare into space, past the audience without fixing my eyes on anything... it's almost like playing with my eyes closed but it allows me to keep my equilibrium.

azw · Post by **azw** » Sat Aug 18, 2007 2:45 pm

If I'm trying to hear what I'm playing in a session I'll sometimes close my eyes, but usually I try to get near a wall (which must bounce the sound I'm making back to me).

I don't want to sound like I'm super accomplished because I'm not, but in general I wouldn't want to play in a group with my eyes closed because I'd miss the physical cues about changes, endings, etc.

And besides, someone might sprinkle salt and pepper in my drink while I'm not looking! Yep, here's an incident just like that reported by Nano:
http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=52666

TheSpoonMan · Post by **TheSpoonMan** » Sat Aug 18, 2007 3:05 pm

Usually open, sometimes closed. I put open. If I'm performing rather than just playing socially (hahaha as if that happens much), I'll often close my eyes to start, just because I have major stagefright; but after a few bars I'm calmed down and can open them again.

sbhikes · Post by **sbhikes** » Sat Aug 18, 2007 4:06 pm

I mostly play with my eyes open but my eyes turned off.

pipersgrip · Post by **pipersgrip** » Sat Aug 18, 2007 5:58 pm

Steamwalker · Post by **Steamwalker** » Sat Aug 18, 2007 6:01 pm

Typically with the eyes open, eyes closed only occasionally depending upon the song.

bdh · Post by **bdh** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 12:04 am

At the session in New Zealand, the piper would always play with his eyes closed on both pipes and whistles. I'd never noticed the whole shut/open thing before then

bdh · Post by **bdh** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 12:07 am

Ugh. Silly duplicate posts...

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Your Eyes Can Deceive You

Do you play with your eyes open or closed?

Your Eyes Can Deceive You