Videos On Habitual Playing

Habitual Playing 1 - Recognizing Habits

This is part 1 of 4 videos that demonstrate how to recognize strong habits that limit your choices in playing. I demonstrate how we have performing habits by comparing breath attacks in jazz and classical style.

Habitual Playing 2 - Understanding Habits

This is part 2 of 4 videos that demonstrate how to understand strong habits that limit your choices in playing and why correcting them is difficult. Developing more choices in how to play reduces tension, making playing easier.

Habitual Playing 3 - Going Beyond Habits

Part 3 of 4 videos on Habitual Playing shows how to go beyond your habits. As a young teacher, I understood what to teach but not how students could learn unfamiliar ways of playing. Learning how to go beyond compulsive habits in playing led me to The Feldenkrais Method®, which influences my teaching.

Habitual Playing 4 - Why Change?

This video is the final part of a four-part series on habitual playing that asks the question - if we are habitual creatures, what motivates us to change? What we want is often vague and is affected by our habitual ways. Learning to go beyond what is familiar is part of how we mature as artists.