Breathing with Sound

One of the modes of playing I developed, and that could be described as a technique or skill to open up to the moment, is something that can maybe best described

as a “letting go of the need to make sense”.

As an improvising (jazz) musician, one of

the most dominant modi of playing is a way of playing as constant affirmation, aiming

for clarity at all times. So the clearer your intentions, the better for the music.

I always questioned this ground rule.

I sometimes just want to disappear into the stream of sounds and consciousness, to

re-appear, re-emerge later on, in the music.

I call this a soft skill, as much as a technique.

It’s based on an attitude towards being, wherein the need to affirm oneself is balanced by the refreshing option of not needing to be anything, not needing to

do anything more than breathe.

I sometimes call this attitude and mode of playing “Breathing with Sound”.

So, more than a way to be silent, I use this as a way to actually play sounds, contribute to the overall sonic environment, yet stay within the range of the nearly audible or inaudible threshold.

It allows for the surroundings to answer back to me, without the “politeness” of giving space in the way of silence.

So it happens that the rain on the window starts dancing with the way my hand brushes the tapestry on which I am sitting.