March 2014

Oops, thanks and… self meeting self: a different way of viewing criticism

First off, oops! – I accidentally erased my recent top page post with the videos while trying to correct a mistake in the post by pressing the wrong button.

Second, thanks! – to all those who took time to read and especially to listen/watch the videos. Very appreciated.

Laurie very graciously offered the opportunity to redo the post, and instead of posting the same thing again, I thought I would tackle what was probably the idea behind the first post, which is the concept of self meeting self.

It is always interesting to see yourself play. And, as with many things, it always brings up the idea of trying to live up to the advice that one gives in terms of applying it in one’s own playing. But, it also brought up the idea of criticism in general, both towards one’s own playing, and what we see outside of ourselves.

I think that true constructive criticism lies in the idea of self meeting self. I recently read something very wisely said: “what you see in others and you like or dislike, you like or dislike in yourself. If it was not a part of you, you could not see it.” I think that this is a good way of looking at things, using the desire to criticize as a tool for self-improvement and self-awareness rather than something we give out to someone else. It is becomes much more constructive, while making us more tolerant as well. Also, conversely, by praising what other musicians are doing well, we tend to orient our minds on the things that we wish to do well ourselves, and therefore progress and find the answers to our own problems and difficulties. Being aware of this also helps us in having respect for other people and musicians around us, as it tends to create a more constructive atmosphere and loving frame of mind in general.

Using this is one of the hardest things to do, but a great idea for self-improvement!

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