Zen Guitar - Will Mean Different Things to Different People by Clarelynn Rose / Heartwood Music One of the cornerstones

of Zen Guitar is that, as we are unique people, so will our experience with the guitar be unique. Each person discovers his or her own way. In my experience, the practice of Zen guitar means many things. Technique and Composition Learning new technique arises out of need and direct experience. When you have a musical idea that cannot be adequately expressed through techniques or tunings you already know, that is the time to experiment with new techniques or new tunings. These may be techniques or tunings you discover for yourself. Or perhaps you have heard someone else do something that deeply resonates with you musically. Often these ideas or tunings will come to mind when you are pushing your usual boundaries. Or they may resonate so strongly with you that they themselves inspire you. In my own experience, I learned simply by playing what sounded good to my ear, using technique that feels very natural and comfortable to my own fingers. As I have needed to express more complex musical ideas, the technique has come very organically through practicing licks or techniques that were slightly beyond my grasp. If something doesn't come naturally, I figure it will always sound a little stilted and so look for another way to play it. Of course, sometimes someone will demonstrate a cool technique or tuning that completely captures my imagination, so even if it doesn't feel completely natural, I'll work at it to see if after a lot of practice it starts to feel right. But if it still feels awkward, the decision is always to drop it. Zen guitar is about finding a true, very natural voice, not about making every voice sound natural and true to a single individual!

The Breath Before you start to play, take a breath. Just as in meditation, it helps you (and other listening to you) focus on the present moment and the music being played. Mindfulness Mindfulness has many aspects, extending to composing, practicing, and performing. In composing, it might mean being aware of the value of and using emptiness and space. It also means recognizing and valuing the peaceful, centered feeling that Zen guitar music can generate, whether the music is mellow or joyous. Another example is that mindfulness can foster a feeling of completeness with only one instrument. There is no need to fill up the spaces in the music and our minds with a lot of instruments or a driving drumbeat.In practicing guitar, another manifestation of mindfulness is to expect and even welcome mistakes. They contain wonderful ideas. And in performing, mindfulness can mean things like remembering to connect with the audience and to remain humble, recognizing ourselves simply as a conduit of music. Personally, I use space in several ways. Most obvious is the use long pauses and sustained notes in many of my pieces. A different kind of space is letting compositions "breathe", taking as much time as they need to develop. Nothing is rushed, because if a composition is forced, it will sound forced. When practicing, I listen to mistakes and then decide whether or not to discard them. And in performing, I constantly remind myself that the true purpose of performing is for the benefit of others, connecting with people through a shared musical experience.

Humility Playing Zen guitar is about exploring a way to communicate with others. Those of us exploring Zen guitar are blessed with an inclination towards music, a desire to play, and some level of natural talent. These are gifts to be shared with others. A second aspect of humility is to recognize that all things are our teacher, and that techings that will allow us to advance in our study of guitar are all around us all the time. An important lesson came from my Tai Chi teacher in China years ago. It is an old Chinese saying: "The ten thousand things (all things) become my teacher." That is, you have something to learn from every person and every thing. That includes beginning guitarists and even people who don't play guitar. One of my important lessons in playing guitar came from an autistic child who could hardly utter a word. The Zen guitarist tries to remain open to all teachers.

Guitar Zen - Rev. Heng Sure Ph.D.

Dedication of Merit May every living being, Our minds as one and radiant with light, Share the fruits of peace, With hearts of goodness, luminous and bright. If people hear and see, How hands and hearts can find in giving unity, May their minds awake, To Great Compassion, wisdom and to joy. May kindness find reward, May all who sorrow leave their grief and pain; May this boundless light, Break the darkness of their endless night. Because our hearts are one, This world of pain turns into Paradise, May all become compassionate and wise May all become compassionate and wise

Zen Drum Lessons -- by Kim Milai

Purpose: To key into our spiritual side while learning to play the song we were meant to play. Disclaimer: I try to blend my experience in teaching and performing with a personal interpretation of the Zen Guitar philosophy. They are only suggestions. You may find your own interpretation suits your playing better. Beginner Prerequisites: Have a snare drum in good repair or a rubber pad, a pair of drumsticks size 5B or 2B, and possibly a method book with photographs of posture and hand placement. You also might want a teacher or more experienced drummer ready to help you. Preparation Before Each Session: Adjusting Your Mindset Be aware of the instrument in front of you. Does this instrument draw you to make a sound? Whether you're a beginner or an advanced player, become open to a new way of making your sound. The drum is now new to you whether you've never played it or you've been playing it for many years. Be open during each session to know just one thing. Each lesson is constucted to be practiced for about a week before you go to the next lesson in the series. But never rush though a lesson, take the time. If it takes a week to do just part of a lesson, that's fine. Each session has the following components 1. Wear the white belt Pick up your sticks 2. Play

Note: Tuning for drums, as opposed to guitar, is a separate event. Lesson One: Make a Sound 1. Hold an empty cup (refer to Zen Guitar page 26). Place the drum or pad in front of you at waist level. Hold the drumstick with your left hand then place it into your right hand. Follow the photograph in your book. Wave the stick up and down with your wrist, the stick should feel like a lever with the hinge being between your second knuckle on your index finger and the pad of your thumb. The rest of the fingers should cradle the rest of the stick. Hold your hand so that the back of your hand is facing up. Make a sound. Strike the drum with a snapping motion; almost like cracking a whip. The tip of the stick should hit a third of the way from the top or from the bottom of the head; not in the center. The sound of the drum is its most characteristic away from the center. Try to play a steady rhythm. Make sure the stick snaps away from the drum, you don't want it to thud and remain on the head (at least not at this time). Sometimes a beginner's stick will bounce more than once when you strike. That's normal. Don't get tense when it happens, just keep listening, observe when that happens and when it doesn't. That bouncing will be an asset later when you start to play rolls. Repeat 4 and 5 with the left hand. You may notice one hand is stronger than the other. Listen, feel and observe. You strike by bending the wrist, your elbows should be relaxed and your upper arms stationary. 2. Pour your heart and soul into the sound. Don't worry about the next steps, just live in the moment.

Lesson Two: Sound and Silence 1. Hold an empty cup Review the previous lesson Play the right stick, play the left stick, now alternate LRLR, etc. Listen to the sound or listen to the no sound. Go to the first lesson page of your book. Each quarter note is one hit with a stick. Most method books start with 4 beats to each "measure". The "L"s and "R"s tell you which hand to use when striking. The symbol that looks like a fancy E is the quarter rest. When you start an exercise say out loud, "One, Two, Ready, Go." Or you can replace those words with your own words. Count out loud the numbers of each beat as you play each note. When you come to a rest, say the number but don't play. Eventually you won't be counting out loud during a rest but it's good to do it now. It helps you keep your place in the music. More advanced players can think the numbers if they choose. Know one thing: Play an exercise and focus on just that exercise. Don't worry about anything else or "Am I learning this fast enough?". Let each note sound, let it make its space in the air. 2. The placing of the silence is just as important as the sound. They are equal partners. Lesson Three: Rhythms 1. Hold an empty cup Review the previous lessons. It's always good to start with the previous lesson at this beginning stage, but eventually (especially with more advanced players) you may want to do your warmup studies instead. The next page should be introducing eighth notes. Count outloud and feel sound of your voice "One-and two-and three-and four-and." Start on the exercises, keep it slow and steady. Some tips for practicing: A. Say; Say the rhythm outloud, ex. 2 eighths, 1 quarter, 2 eighths, 1 quarter would be counted like: one-and twooo

three-and fouuur. Tap your foot to the steady beat if you can. B. Say and clap; Say and clap the rhythm simultaneously. C. Say and play; Say the rhythm while playing the rhythm with your sticks. Along with playing the rhythms accurately, pay attention to the sound your sticks make. You want them clear and crisp. Check your hand position and posture. 2. One thing at a time, if it sounds good it is good. Lesson Four: Pulse 1. Hold an empty cup Record your teacher playing the exercises. If a CD comes with your method book, listen to it. Close your eyes and feel the pulse. Move your body or pat your legs or play with your sticks on a pillow while listening. The more comfortable you feel with a variety of rhythms, the more of a "palette" you'll have to create your own grooves. 2. Know one thing: Your hands and mind are being trained though the exercises. This will set your spirit free to express itself through the music. But don't worry about what's happening to your "spirit". Focus on the playing and how the sticks are becoming more and more natural feeling. Just as the steering wheel and pedals in a car gradually become comfortable, so will the playing. Lesson Five: Songs 1. Hold an empty cup Continue with your lessons in the book if that's your direction. Pick a song or study on a page or create a song with the rhythms you know. If you find expression in a song or piece, your spirit will guide you to practice the technique you need to play the piece well. Each song has its right tempo and some even say its right key. Each moment of the song is its own moment. Listen to a piece of music you like on a CD. Put on a favorite song or musical selection. Play along with the groove (even if you're

just doing a steady beat). Doing a groove is playing the rhythms in a way that's right for the piece. For example a song may require the bass drum to be very slightly pushing the beat while the snare drags the backbeat. You have to be adept enough in your playing for this to feel natural. Trying to think while doing this makes it stiff and false. Just think of a school of fish in sync with their own personal body rhythm and in sync with the group rhythm. Every song is unique that way. The key is to be well versed enough in the mechanics of playing that it goes automatically while you search for the spark in the music. Tuning: As opposed to melodic instruments, tuning your drum is a separate event. You do a major tuning when you first get the drum or are replacing the head; then you tweak it periodically until it sounds so off balance, you need to totally retune or replace the head. Drumset: I rarely recommend a total beginner to start on drumset. There are too many limbs to worry about. Your teacher will know the right time for you. If you're doing this on your own, I advise starting on drumset when you can play about 30 pages into a beginner snare drum method book. You should be able to tap a steady beat while you play most of the exercises on those pages. Your playing should be strong, confident and accurate. 2. For advanced players who are already playing drumset, please take some of the suggestions I have on practicing snare drum with a Zen philosophy and apply them to your own practice. Final Tips: In these first lessons you are training (or retraining) your muscles to do the physical actions of playing music. Doing this with regularity will let your spirit naturally speak through your playing. Do not strive, just do in the moment. Listen to yourself. Observe what is good in your playing and also on how you want to improve. If you find yourself stuggling and are too self conscious, step back to what you were previously playing well and live in

that sound. Then experiment with the new thing you want to do. I use a lot of imagery in my teaching i.e.: "Hand the phrase over to someone on a silver platter," "Hit the back of the auditorium with your airstream," "Think of each phrase as a sentence in a story," "Strike the drum like your stick is your finger and the drum like a hot potato." Imagery can be a valuable tool in your practice. If you find yourself getting too self conscious while performing, think of a runner running through the finish line (Zen Guitar, page 64). If you concentrate too much on aiming towards the final moments of the piece, you may make mistakes along the way. Using follow through lets you finish the piece without putting too much undue importance and weight on its final moments. Thank you for your time in looking through these lessons. I welcome any thoughts you have about them and welcome your sharing of your teaching and playing experiences. Kim Milai

Zen Drum Anecdotes: Have Drum Will Travel Background: I use to play in an alternative rock trio with Phil and a bass player named Patrick. The group was called "Tokyo Mon Amour." This took place around 1992. While packing my drums into a taxi to go to a "Tokyo Mon Amour" show at a club in NYC, I mistakenly left my primary snare drum in its case on the curb. When I realized it was left behind, I frantically grabbed a taxi back but it was long gone. I regretted losing it, but chalked it up to fate. It was a Ludwig steel drum in a black case with my old address stenciled on it and a little sign taped on it that's been on it since high school that read "Have Drum Will Travel." Luckily I had an

extra snare so I could do the show without a hitch. A year or so later, "Tokyo Mon Amour" was no longer together but I was still friends with Phil and we kept each other informed of any projects we were doing and other goings on in our lives. At that time Phil had told me he was jamming with some different musicians in someone else's studio; I think it was for his solo project that would eventually evolve into the CD for "Zen Guitar." I think we had been hanging out one evening and in Phil's casual way he sort of looked at me quizzically and said, " Did you lose a snare drum a while back?". I said "Yes" and described to him the drum and case I had lost. He kind of paused a little and cautiously said something roughly like this, "I think I saw it in the studio where I've been rehearsing. I can't promise you I can get it, but I'll see what I can find out." I thanked him and told him if he couldn't get it, not to worry. Later on in the week Phil told me (sort of mysteriously) that whoever had the snare was willing to give it back but I had to go to this specific address and pick it up by a third party. It was sort of a "no questions asked" thing. I'm not sure if this was because the person with the drum was afraid of me being angry or what. I'm not sure if it was the person Phil was jamming with or if it belonged to another band using the same studio. For some reason I was so enthralled in the mystery of it all I didn't want to ask any questions. I went to the address at the arranged time and a girl opened the door. I wasn't allowed in but she gave me the snare in its case. I can't remember if it was she or Phil that told me the drum and case had been in Boston for a year before coming back to NYC. It was a little beat up but in great playing condition. I still have it although I no longer play drums live (at least right now). I now perform children's music using electronic mallet percussion. I was amazed to have the drum come back to me full circle. I was amazed that it was Phil that got it back to me when I had lost it at one of our past shows. In addition, I feel that Phil had a hand

in encouraging the person to give the drum back. He inspired them to do the right thing. The energy that flows around our spirits and around music is a small particle of the worlds beyond this world. Phil both consciously and unconsciously tapped into that energy. I am so honored and grateful to have had the opportunity to get to know Phil and to have played music with him.