We Are Here To Make A Sound

It occurred to me today that I owe a debt of gratitude for this blog and the Guitar In 5 Minutes concept to the writer of the book "Zen Guitar" - Phil Toshio Sudo.   So officially I want to recognize this right now and say a warm mahalo/thanks to the late, great Phil for his wonderful book.  Definitely the best book I have ever read about guitar playing, being a musician, and approaching music from a spiritual perspective.

Phil talks about beginner's mind in great depth at the beginning of the book.  He distills our purpose in studying guitar down to one key drive which links us all:

We are here to make a sound. 


Whatever that sound may be - something we hear in our head, something we heard on the radio or on TV - ultimately we are here to discover that sound, make it, and celebrate it (his words).

And behind that sound, says Phil, like behind all sounds, is the source of all sound.  Zen masters call it the sound of "one hand clapping".   It may be the sound of the Big Bang.   Or whatever you call God.

"If you get to that source, you will know the answer to every question because you have heard it all." - Phil Toshio Sudo


While I love this book, and I love what he says - that's a TON of pressure on a beginning guitarist!   Find God!   Ready.....GO.   


So let yourself off the hook from that part (though it can be nice to meditate on such things), and focus on this:  


What sound would you like to make?   What's "your" sound?   


Don't overthink.  Just answer with the first thing that comes to mind and move on.   Your sound will change over time no matter what the answer is today.  This should be a fun exercise and not torture ("OMG I don't have a sound?  What's wrong with me?  I can't pick one?  Aaaaah?")  Let that part of your mind go out for a session at the therapist, and summon your beginner's mind who thinks "Hm....The Beatles had a nice sound...."

Above all, stay open, eager, and enthusiastic!   Get psyched.  Practice beginner's mind.

Firsts

A helpful exercise for rekindling musical (or indeed any creative) enthusiasm is to go back to what first grabbed you to pick up a guitar/keyboard/flugelhorn and make music.

For me, I grew up in the golden age of 80s pop music in a brief moment when quirky and creative was actually mainstream;  being "interesting and weird" were looked on as positive, "hit" qualities!  It helped if you were British or acted British too.   Songs like Thomas Dolby's "She Blinded Me With Science" and Wall of Voodoo's "Mexican Radio" were huge hits, artists like The Police, The Cars, Talking Heads, U2, and David Bowie were dominating the radio airwaves and charts.  I'd listen to Casey Kasem's American Top 40 and every song would be interesting.

Whenever I get frustrated, I can go back to this music.  Whenever I need to rekindle my beginner's mind, I can listen to "Roxanne" or "New Year's Day" and it takes me back to my "tennis racket" guitar that I'd mime with in the mirror which eventually became a real guitar.   There is spark, energy, creativity, and power in that music for me.   Thankfully, I have a lot of different kinds of music that does this for me.

What about you?  What did you imitate as a kid that you do now as an adult, or want to do now but won't let yourself?   Did you go around singing with a wooden spoon?   Maybe you had a tennis racket guitar.   Whatever it is, let yourself go there today.  Find that original spark music and cue it up.  See where it takes you.

Above all, stay open, eager, and enthusiastic!   Practice beginner's mind.

And a-one and a-two and a-

Hello there!  This blog is meant as an inspirational companion to the Guitar In 5 Minutes website, but can be applied as support in undertaking any new activity.  I hope it inspires you to start new things, try new things, and keep broadening your horizons!   And above all, keep a childlike sense of wonder.   It's a beautiful world, despite what the news might tell us! 

Beginner's Mind or Shoshin is a Zen Buddhist concept.  It refers to having no preconceptions and a spirit of openness and eagerness when undertaking any activity, just like a beginner would.   This is advisable for  to anyone even if they are very advanced in their activity.  

So today's message is:  practice a beginner's mind.  Remember how exciting it was when you got something new as a child?   Did you care whether or not you were "an expert"?   When you got a ball to play with, did you care if you could throw it farther than anyone else?   

One of my favorite books, The Artist's Way, talks about how, in the long run, enthusiasm is more important than discipline in any creative activity.  Discipline can be great in short bursts, but to sustain a creative life, you will need to be enthusiastic about what you are doing.  

So get psyched!  I know it's hard if you are working a crappy job that you hate to make ends meet and life seems like an endless stream of frustrations, disappointments, and hurts.   Find one thing to be excited about today.  Find one thing that you can apply your "beginner's mind" to.   Leave your jaded, cynical, sarcastic self in the coffeehouse with Ginsberg.   Today we are excited, and we are on our way!