A few days ago, I finished writing my new free e-course for string players. I’d like to share the last page of the last worksheet for you here, about how to solve specific technical problems at the instrument. To me, trust in your Self is the essential key to solving ANY problem.

• Notice the fact that you are alive right now. How do you know it? Notice that you are breathing. Notice that your body is moving internally. Notice your heart pumping, blood rushing, eyes moving, nerves functioning, etc. Take time to really notice all of this. Who or what is coordinating your functioning?
• Can you marvel at your own life, and the fact that everything within you is so well coordinated?
• Now, walk around the room for a moment. Notice what is happening. Ask yourself: how am I walking? How much do you know about what you’re doing? Notice how very very little you know. Marvel at how walking is possible, even if you have NO IDEA how it’s happening. Walk, and watch your walking. Feel, and notice your feeling.
• When you were little, you learned to walk. Did you know exactly which muscles to move? Did you know exactly how to move your legs or how to balance your body? No, you didn’t. You were just a baby! Your mind did NOT analyze how to walk. You experimented, and something within you coordinated everything within you. Playing an instrument is no different.
• We analyze and pay attention to details. But who coordinates it all? How does that work? You have NO IDEA. Neither do I. But something within us DOES coordinate everything. We trust our inner Wisdom-Coordinator to organize our walking for us all the time, and we don’t give it any thought. We take it for granted. We take every moment of beating heart, breathing lungs for granted, too. We have TOTAL TRUST in our inner Coordinator.
• Play your instrument for a moment. How did you do that? How did you coordinate that? You have NO IDEA! So… why not TRUST your inner Wisdom to coordinate your instrument-playing just like you trust it to organize your walking – just as you trusted it while you were falling and learning how to walk? Let yourself make mistakes while you practice – this is how you learn! TRUST the process!
• Stop second-guessing and over-controlling! Trust your inner Controller. Stop trying to analyze and know everything. It’s impossible, and it gets in the way of your natural coordination.
• Your job is to know what you want. In the grand scheme of things, as in the smallest details of phrasing. Visualize. Rehearse mentally. But then be open to the possibility that everything could change in the moment, and be so open to that that you can just go with the flow when the unexpected happens, ready for anything.
• What if the conductor speeds up? Can you go with the flow of external events beyond your control? YES, your inner Coordinator can do that. TRUST IT while you’re practicing, and you’ll be able to trust it in performance. And who is “it”? Your inner wisdom is not other than You. Rejoice, with awe and gratitude. Life is wonderful.

Practice unconditional Love and Trust, with Patience and Sincerity, and everything will fall into place. Guaranteed. This is the easiest way, the most effective way, and also the most challenging. Being a real musician is not for the faint of heart!

You can sign up for the complete free e-course for string players here:

“Stress-Free Strings Techniques” ~ FREE E-Course

I would love to hear your comments! You can comment on this post by clicking on the comments bubble at the top right of this post, or in the comments box below (depending on the view in your browser).