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This is probably nothing new to many of you but I've found practicing guitar without looking at the fretboard is really helping me. I either close my eyes or just look somewhere else. It forces me to concentrate more on the sound and get better at finding the right frets and strings. I'd imagine keyboard would be the same way.

FWIW

You are imagining correctly.

Keyboard or guitar (I play both) and even other instruments, such as my Trumpet, I find that closing the eyes and removing the interference from the eye gate an essential part of the process. Even when soloing live onstage, btw.

Am thinking about an incident years back now, we were a bebop band and we were cookin' hard, straightahead, and this young lady sauntered into the club, dressed to the nines and hittin' a ten on a scale of one to five. The band turned into a trainwreck midsong...

--Mac

LOL! Women can do that!

At first I didn't think I could play "blind" but remembered Jose Felciano and all the blind Bluesmen like Lemon Jefferson, Willie McTell and others.

Also I've been using BB, drum machine or at least a metronome even when just doing scales. Makes it more interesting.

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Also I've been using BB, drum machine or at least a metronome even when just doing scales. Makes it more interesting.

Makes it more RIGHT as well.

Keep it up.

--Mac

Fingerstyle guitarist extraordinaire John Standefer says that practicing songs while watching TV is one of the best ways to develop muscle memory type skills; which includes 'feeling' where one is on the fretboard both laterally and axially.

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Fingerstyle guitarist extraordinaire John Standefer says that practicing songs while watching TV is one of the best ways to develop muscle memory type skills; which includes 'feeling' where one is on the fretboard both laterally and axially.

I've heard that too.

It also helps you play even with distractions, like there'd be when you're out in front of an audience.

Oh yeah - forgot. Seems Mozart used to cover his hands with a cloth as a party trick, to show he could play without looking.

I use BIAB to rehearse the songs that our P&W band is playing that week as well as practicing scales and licks with the backing tracks I have set up. Great product!

I use a blindfold..... When practicing "touch" playing I put a piece of tape on all the A keys. Once I slide my thumb to the A I know where everything else will be.

And WHAT you practice matters. I still do Hanon method scales every day, always with a metronome. Start with C, add 1 sharp to G, add another sharp to D, add another sharp to A..... Left hand, then right hand, then both hands. Helps a lot in trying to overcome the issues from the arthritis in my hands too.

I practice my saxophone without looking at the keys

I practice on stage, because after all, if you can't practice on stage, where CAN you practice? -- and it doesn't disturb the neighbors that way

To get s bit serious, practicing the guitar without looking at it is a good thing.

And I find when I'm really getting into improvised sax solos, I often close my eyes.

Notes ♫

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And I find when I'm really getting into improvised sax solos, I often close my eyes.

Notes ♫

Yeah but with that reed in your chops you can't make those weird faces guitar players make when we close our eyes.

Later,

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And I find when I'm really getting into improvised sax solos, I often close my eyes.

That made me smile because when I do that (close my eyes) I see sheet music in front of me with notation popping up on it as I play...

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Yeah but with that reed in your chops you can't make those weird faces guitar players make when we close our eyes.

Guitar players don't even have to close their eyes to have weird faces!! LOL!

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Yeah but with that reed in your chops you can't make those weird faces guitar players make when we close our eyes.

Guitar players don't even have to close their eyes to have weird faces!! LOL!

I will remember that one Mick

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I will remember that one Mick

No you won't! You & are I close to the same age! ROTFLMAO!!!

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I will remember that one Mick

No you won't! You & are I close to the same age! ROTFLMAO!!!

Dam, the truth hurts sometimes doesn't it

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Yeah but with that reed in your chops you can't make those weird faces guitar players make when we close our eyes.

Guitar players don't even have to close their eyes to have weird faces!! LOL!

Hey I rresemble that remark!

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I will remember that one Mick

No you won't! You & are I close to the same age! ROTFLMAO!!!

Dam, the truth hurts sometimes doesn't it

Oh crap! I resemble those remarks too!

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I will remember that one Mick

No you won't! You & are I close to the same age! ROTFLMAO!!!

Dam, the truth hurts sometimes doesn't it

Oh crap! I resemble those remarks too!

Life can be cruel can't it Danny

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Yeah but with that reed in your chops you can't make those weird faces guitar players make when we close our eyes.

Guitar players don't even have to close their eyes to have weird faces!! LOL!

I resemble that remark!