Recently I've been pondering exactly what it means to put my heart into my playing. I often talk to people who express the importance of playing with feeling, but if you ask them to put it into words you're not likely to get a satisfactory answer. It's easy to say "do this and your music will be filled with emotion", but usually it's far more complicated than that.

Some say "lose yourself in the moment", and still others say "get in the spirit of the piece". This is about as useful as taking vocal lessons and your teacher repeating over and over, "use your diaphragm". Even though it's the foundation of proper vocal technique, it's not very useful until you actually understand the mechanics of breathing properly and singing from your diaphragm instead of forcing notes through your throat.

Articles like Put Soul Into Your Music suggest that there is something beyond the sheer mechanics of playing your instrument and I'm inclined to agree. There are plenty of musicians who could really care less about the music they're playing. Some may even say that you can't equate these soulless drones with musicians. I think that's a little extreme, but the message is clear.

However, the question still remains: how can you really connect with a piece of music? How can you make it "come alive" for your audience and for yourself? Is it merely a matter of choosing the right pieces, or is it possible to evoke emotion from a piece that you feel no connection to?

One of the things that helped me, at least when playing instrumental pieces, is to ponder what the melody is trying to communicate. When I really narrow in on the melody I am often surprised by the contrast between where I thought the piece was going and where it's already pointing. I used to think that things like the tempo and key signature and the way in which I articulated the melody were things to consciously decide upon. Now I know that the piece usually has a mind of its own and I just have to tap into that. Once I feel like I know where the melody is going, I try to visualize specific instances in my life. When the song isn't pointing to anything in my life, I visualize relevant scenes from a movie or make something up in my head. When I'm done playing the piece I'm often overwhelmed by a certain "warmth" in my head and it takes a moment before I come out of it. I enjoy this immersive approach because the song tells me how to play, not the other way around.

If that's too theoretical or celestial for you then here are some other ideas to consider:

• What's the intended purpose of the song? What is it saying?
• How does the song make you feel? How do you relate to it?
• Where is the song taking you? Are you insisting upon playing it in a particular way, or are you listening for where it wants to go? Are you letting the piece take you there?

In the end it doesn't matter if you think your experience is relatable or not, because there will always be someone who can connect with your music if your heart is into it. To quote Charlie Hunter, "there's an audience out there, you just have to find them." This article was written by David Andrew Wiebe, web designer, graphic designer, guitarist, bassist, keyboardist, songwriter, guitar instructor, and music expert. Interested in winning a free CD? Click here for more info! Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Recommendations? Email me.

Published on January 25, 2008