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Thread: What on earth are you doing?

  1. #26
    Registered User Tavy's Avatar
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    Default Re: What on earth are you doing?

    Love this thread

    I just look sort of gormless, I have to remember to try and smile once in a while!

  2. #27
    Registered User Frankdolin's Avatar
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    Default Re: What on earth are you doing?

    I believe that any mannerisms exhibited that seem weird or uncontrolled means that you are in "the" or "a" zone and should be embraced. Never change to suit others.

  3. #28
    Registered User Eric Platt's Avatar
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    Default Re: What on earth are you doing?

    Sometimes I'll screw up my face like I'm a 5 year old faced with a big problem. Try not to do that during performances, but it'll just come out sometimes. Will also occasionally purse my lips. Started doing it after seeing a friend do it while playing some guitar solos. Another habit to break. Then again, have spent the last 30+ years trying to break free from my classical music history where there was no smiling or other enjoyment of the music allowed.
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  4. #29
    Scroll Lock Austin Bob's Avatar
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    Default Re: What on earth are you doing?

    I used to have a bad habit of playing with my mouth wide open. I wasn't aware of it until people started teasing me and I saw some videos. I don't know why I did that, perhaps it's because we hear a bit better with our mouth open?

    So now I'm acutely aware of that habit, but tend to keep my lips tightly together while moving my bottom jay in weird motions. On video, it almost looks like a have a strange neurological condition. It's worse when I'm improvising, and I can control it if I know the song.
    A quarter tone flat and a half a beat behind.

  5. #30
    Registered User Randi Gormley's Avatar
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    Default Re: What on earth are you doing?

    There's one specific tune that goes up to either a B or C that I feel my eyebrows raise as I hit it... The interesting thing about ITM sessions is, when you get familiar enough with the tunes that you can just play them, it gives you a chance to look around at everybody else. I have a photo somewhere of a gig we did where there are, dunno, six of us stretched along a wall and not a single one of us is looking in the same direction (including the camera) or looks like a normal, relaxed person. Eyes on the ceiling. eyes on the floor, mouths open, frowns, tilted heads, legs stretched out, legs tucked under ... you name it, we did it. If I can find the photo, I'll post it. From the photos I've seen of myself, I mostly look down at some vague place just off my mandolin but before my feet. If I'm looking around, I'll remember to smile, though, at everybody else looking down!
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  6. #31
    I really look like that soliver's Avatar
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    Default Re: What on earth are you doing?

    I’m really getting a kick out of this gang... glad I could impose some self reflection on you all

    Thanks everyone for sharing!!!

    This is the face I make when I’m playing the iPhone
    Click image for larger version. 

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    aka: Spencer
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  7. #32
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    Default Re: What on earth are you doing?

    Yeah, but no one makes noises when they play like Steve Wariner does.
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  8. #33
    Mandolin user MontanaMatt's Avatar
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    Default Re: What on earth are you doing?

    Quote Originally Posted by soliver View Post
    I’m really getting a kick out of this gang... glad I could impose some self reflection on you all

    Thanks everyone for sharing!!!

    This is the face I make when I’m playing the iPhone
    Click image for larger version. 

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    Someone stole your mustache!
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  9. #34

    Default Re: What on earth are you doing?

    I like to wear clogs whether I'm playing at home or out in public - I'm not a clog dancer, but I notice particularly when I'm on a wood floor or other hard surface I often immediately tap loudly with my foot - guess i play a lot of dance tunes. I Iike the way it sounds. Often I just move my body in some counterpoint fashion. When others are dancing I tend to move around more probably. In fact, that's something I really like about playing music - the body dancing.

  10. #35
    Registered User Bren's Avatar
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    Default Re: What on earth are you doing?

    Moving mouth (more like clenching teeth and grinding ) is usually a symptom of body tensing up with me, so I try to breathe naturally and not clench my teeth, relax the muscles and hopefully play a bit more naturally.

    Back in the early 80s, pianist and guitarist in a band I was in used to stand behind me and mimic my mouth movements when I took a solo.

    I only found out much later. I thought the audience were grinning with delight at my wonderful playing!
    Bren

  11. #36
    Mandol'Aisne Daniel Nestlerode's Avatar
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    Default Re: What on earth are you doing?

    The section of the brain that handles fine motor control is adjacent to the section of the brain that handles facial control. SO when you're doing something with your hands that requires a lot of concentration, the face gets pulled in as it were. At least this is the explanation given to me by my psychologist ex-wife.

    I suppose the only way to avoid making faces is to practice enough to reduce the concentration required.

    :-)
    Daniel

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  13. #37
    I really look like that soliver's Avatar
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    Default Re: What on earth are you doing?

    Quote Originally Posted by MontanaMatt View Post
    Someone stole your mustache!
    Must be the same culprit that started steeling the hair of the top of my head in my early 20's

    I've actually been asked before (seriously) if I was Amish
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  15. #38

    Default Re: What on earth are you doing?

    Quote Originally Posted by Daniel Nestlerode View Post
    The section of the brain that handles fine motor control is adjacent to the section of the brain that handles facial control. SO when you're doing something with your hands that requires a lot of concentration, the face gets pulled in as it were. At least this is the explanation given to me by my psychologist ex-wife.

    I suppose the only way to avoid making faces is to practice enough to reduce the concentration required.

    :-)
    Daniel
    This makes a lot of sense, because facial contortions aren't limited to just musicians. I've seen children learning to write/draw stick their tongues out, mechanics working on cars scrunch their faces, and best of all, Michael Jordon getting ready for a dunk:

    Click image for larger version. 

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  16. #39

    Default Re: What on earth are you doing?

    For some reason I am unable to sing into a microphone with out standing on tip-toes, Lowering the mic stand doesn't help, I still find myself on tip toes, but then have to lower my head to get close to the mic!

    I know, it even annoys me!
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  17. #40
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    Default Re: What on earth are you doing?

    Quote Originally Posted by JerseyPicker View Post
    This makes a lot of sense, because facial contortions aren't limited to just musicians. I've seen children learning to write/draw stick their tongues out
    Even at the age 56 I still have a tendency to stick my tongue out when doing something the requires fine motor skills - luckily I have not seen any photos or video of me doing it while playing. Potentially worse is the fact that I was doing some recording last night and had to scratch the mandolin track because I could hear myself grunt a couple of times - THAT is something new for me.

    Wonderful . . . .

  18. #41
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    Default Re: What on earth are you doing?

    If you get successful enough, your ticks when playing may become the stuff of memes https://www.facebook.com/pg/jeffaust...=page_internal (memes are more than a picture with text).

    Almost all musicians do it. Someone pointed out to me back in the high school orchestra that I make weird expressions with my mouth throughout every piece of music. I still do it 10+ years later. Just be able to laugh at yourself and don't take life too seriously.

  19. #42
    Registered User Randi Gormley's Avatar
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    Default Re: What on earth are you doing?

    i found one photo of us, not the one i was thinking of -- this was taken in march.Click image for larger version. 

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  20. #43
    Registered User Steve Lavelle's Avatar
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    Default Re: What on earth are you doing?

    I used to drool when I was concentrating on playing. Actually it started with just a slack jaw, but if a solo went on long enough the spit would eventually over flow. Eventually I gained enough confidence keep the instruments and myself dry.
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  21. #44
    Innocent Bystander JeffD's Avatar
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    Default Re: What on earth are you doing?

    I read somewhere that facial ticks and the like while playing a musical instrument are due to the facial muscle controlling circuits are right next to the finger controlling circuits and to one extent or another in some folks there is a bleeding over or induced pickup from one circuit to the other. Something like that. It is involuntary.

    I know a guitar player who fights this by smoking a pipe while playing.
    A talent for trivializin' the momentous and complicatin' the obvious.

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  22. #45
    Registered User KGreene's Avatar
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    Default Re: What on earth are you doing?

    Quote Originally Posted by Daniel Nestlerode View Post
    The section of the brain that handles fine motor control is adjacent to the section of the brain that handles facial control. SO when you're doing something with your hands that requires a lot of concentration, the face gets pulled in as it were. At least this is the explanation given to me by my psychologist ex-wife.

    I suppose the only way to avoid making faces is to practice enough to reduce the concentration required.

    :-)
    Daniel
    That would negate the fact that Thile is proficient enough in his playing not to require a lot of concentration...?? Unless of course it actually helps him ?? (I tried it, didn't work..!??!), on the other hand, maybe he just enjoys practicing facial contortion...??
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  23. #46
    Innocent Bystander JeffD's Avatar
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    Default Re: What on earth are you doing?

    I see Daniel beat me in describing the involuntary part of this.

    There is another part though, which is the conscious expression of emotions appropriate to the tune being played. In the past i never paid much attention to this, but my violin teacher really emphasized it. Her point was two fold, one that the deliberate expression we make will influence how we play. The two are connected. And second, that every performance is a performance, meaning that the expression on your face and how you behave on stage is part of the deliberate manipulation of the audience's emotions which is a performance.

    So we all know that in many cases high notes signal intensity, (like in trumpet and cornet), in guitars and mandolins playing up high does not require or necessarily correspond to actual intensity, but if we put on our intensity faces, the audience gets it.

    I first figured this out years ago when i watched a training video for electric guitar. It was an advanced lesson, and the player was all over that thing, spending a lot of time way way up the neck. But his face was relaxed with a easy smile. In the case of the video he was trying to communicate "easy peasy" "no big deal". The independence of the deliberate face from the playing was a revelation.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQua5ZNd9PQ
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bp7evCQWBgU
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLc8_AKG0KA
    A talent for trivializin' the momentous and complicatin' the obvious.

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  24. #47
    Registered User Andrew Faltesek's Avatar
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    Default Re: What on earth are you doing?

    So funny! I've two faces mostly; the stern concentrated one when I'm struggling to find fills/embellishments or solo's in songs I've no experience with or cannot hear myself in the din; and the sublime smile when all is flowing with no worries over technicalities just in the moment. If I start to look like Joe Cocker in his prime hopefully someone might mention that to me...but what could I do to change that anyway?! It's all good, be who you are!

  25. #48
    I really look like that soliver's Avatar
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    Default Re: What on earth are you doing?

    So I was scrolling through the past "Mandolin Mondays" recently and LOVED this guy,... both for his playing and for his JAM FACE... couldn't hep but think of this thread!



    Right around 2:35 are some good faces!

    This guy is incredible!... really good stuff all around
    aka: Spencer
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  26. #49
    Peace. Love. Mandolin. Gelsenbury's Avatar
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    Default Re: What on earth are you doing?

    Quote Originally Posted by Bertram Henze View Post
    I tend to gaze with a stern and determined expression at my fretboard, lips withdrawn between my teeth.
    You do look much happier in person.

    Is there anyone who doesn't have a music face?

  27. #50

    Default Re: What on earth are you doing?

    Quote Originally Posted by Gelsenbury View Post
    Is there anyone who doesn't have a music face?
    Well there is a thing called "melodeon face" - which essentially is a blank, melancholy stare into space: since we don't look at the instrument, we have to do something with our gaze...the challenge is to make oneself not appear bored.

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