We spend most of our lives doing instead of being, we are constantly striving for a goal and doing what we think we need to reach the target and in that process we forget the steps that we are taking, where we are and when we take those steps. What is under our feet? What landscape is there? It is the journey we need to savour.

In music it is the spaces between the notes that contain the music not the notes themselves and not the attainment of the last bar. I have realised this in the act of practising the guitar over the years, that if we spend all of our time practicing scales do we want our music to sound like a bunch of scales or do we want it to sound like we are saying something of ourselves through the notes? If we are more attentive on the process the journey of the learning we will be more aware of the ideas that we are programming into our fingers.

To have a successful journey we need a destination like doing an examination for the guitar we need the exam date, we need to turn up and participate but the true benefit is in the preparation for the examination not the exam itself.

For those of you who regularly read these ramblings you will know that I believe that music is a reflection of life and we can learn much about life through music and as with any truth it works the other way as well so we can learn much about music through the lessons of life. This is why musicians become better as they get older not because of technique but because of experience. Hence the reason that I write about these things under the heading of making money from music is because the deeper you are playing and teaching the more it resonates with the people who come in contact with you.

So feel the steps that you take and be aware of every note that you play through your body and remember to delay the ending of your journey. You have much to give and much to receive before you play your last note.

Vic