11/09/2023
HOW TO ADD EMOTIONS TO YOUR PLAYING AND SINGINGš¶
Very key insights to musicians and singers!!!
So before I talk about how one can play or sing with emotions, I would like you to think for a moment about how a person expresses themselves when they talk. When one is angry, they usually talk louder, or when one feels excited, they may talk faster than normal. This same principle can be applied to music when one is playing or singing.
Many times I tell my students to play with emotions if they want to sound good. You maybe out there wondering how you can go to that special place in your performance. Well, my answer to you is that, just be able to ālet goā when you play. Iām sure there some people who are still not getting it, anyway here are some of the things that will help you perform with emotions.
The first thing you need to know is that, you need to allow the music to play through you. In order to touch peopleās feelings, you should be able to let go in your playing. If you try to play good, most of the time you will find yourself not playing so good. So itās better to let go off the need to sound good. A good analogy to use is to think of music not as something that you play, but something that plays through you. Music starts playing itself through you instead of you trying to make it happen.
Secondly, let go of the need to sound good, you need a quiet mind for this, a still mind. If you are thinking to yourself āgosh, I hope I sound great up thereā, it means your mind is not still and you are worrying. People donāt go to see music being played or to hear a worried musician wrestling with the thoughts in his or her head. People go to see musicians play because they hope that the musicians will be performing from a silent place within their souls that on itās turn touches the listeners own need for liberated self-expression.
Thirdly, playing or singing with emotions is when you give people the gift of your music, your music is a gift. Approach your music as a gift for humanity, play for anyone who wants to listen. If they donāt want to listen thatās alright too. Some people are not ready for your music, some may have self-doubts or are jealous of you. Whatever it is, play music for the people who want to listen and forget about all the rest.
Lastly, play or sing wholeheartedly. For example, when you want to play great emotional blues or jazz solos that touch peopleās feelings, be sincere in your playing about the emotions that you feel. If you play sincere, thereās nothing to hide. Playing sincere not only helps you with performing, but it also helps you to get rid of any shyness that you may feel towards playing for other people. So start playing and singing with emotions, see you at the top!