I definitely agree with MarioD. Learn the fundamentals until they are under your fingers. Scales, arpeggios, and as you progress, more complicated things (depends on your instrument).

But you need to get to the place where you can turn off the cognitive part of your brain.

I've been playing music on stage for a long time, and I don't know how it happens. But when I'm singing, playing, and improvising, I get into that place where there is no space, no time, and no me, just the music that feels like it's flowing through me instead of from me.

Now in the parts that are memorized, it's easy to analyze, but I leave room for an improvised solo in most of our songs. How does that happen? It's almost like I'm listening to someone else play the solo, and on rare occasions, I even surprise myself by playing something really superb and unusual.

I guess it's the zone, flow, or whatever else you want to call it. But being in that place is the best part about being a musician. And I'm lucky enough to be able to make my living that way.

Also, I've noticed that if I get distracted and then have to think about what I'm doing, the magic is broken, I have to think about what I'm doing, and it's still good, but not creative.


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