Yes, it really DOES seem like that should work.
I just got my first Instant Pot, and pressure cooking food saves time and makes food taste great (at least so far. Try Butter Chickpeas, yum).
So pressure should work for improvisation, too? Nope.
Adding pressure doesn’t make humans better improvisers, musicians or people.
It just doesn’t.
In my experience, making the music fun in a loving environment is simply more productive and joyful.
In short, you’ll get more done, be more creative, improvise better when you are having FUN!
And two-for-one: Want to know what the alternative to pressure is??
FUN!
We’re supposed to be serious about stuff – music, improvising, and perhaps business and parenting and sports and work and money and whatever.
And yes, some of it requires serious attention.
But when you sit down at your harp to improvise, if you feel pressure building, what if you asked, ‘what if this was FUN?’
Then just sit for a moment, and feel what it’s like to be having FUN.
Would the pressure be gone?
Maybe, but more likely, not entirely… but at least it would be FUN too.
FIVE WAYS TO HAVE FUN AT THE HARP
If the pressure is building – you can feel it, I can feel it – and you can’t figure out how to break the cycle…
… the answer is FUN.
So for you? Today?
Please, please… pop the lid on the pressure cooker. You’re not a short rib.
Here are 5 Ways to Have Fun at the Harp
- Play glissandos. Long ones, short ones, one handed, two hands going in opposite directions. How many different kinds of glissandi can you play?
- Close your eyes and grab 4 random strings, one with each finger. Play as solid chords, arpeggiated chords and rolled chords.
- Play Blues in D with any backing track on YouTube. There are dozens and dozens.
- Play a White String Improv. Set your harp to Key of C, then play only the white strings. Set a timer for 5 mins.
- Find a backing track for a favorite song and start to learn it by ear.
Or something else?
And then DO THAT.
You’ll get a lot of playing (and I mean “playing” as in fun!) done, probably faster than you would have from inside of the cooker… just sayin’.
And if your pressure cooker is your harp playing and you’re tired of squished?
I got you. I know how to take off the lid AND still get you where you’re going – with a healthy dose of fun and a lot less misery.
Send a message, let’s talk coaching.