Can you teach inspiration?

[comsmcsc]

I am not sure it is only passion about a particular composition.  It could be a composer's style, a particular genre or category, or simply a passion for music, defining and performing your personal interpretation and sharing your interpretation with others.  I guess I am saying there are many reasons why we may reveal passion when we play the piano.  In that way we are all distinctly individual, unless of course we merely play notes and concern ourselves with accuracy only.

[db05]

I am not sure it is only passion about a particular composition.  It could be a composer's style, a particular genre or category, or simply a passion for music, defining and performing your personal interpretation and sharing your interpretation with others.  I guess I am saying there are many reasons why we may reveal passion when we play the piano.  In that way we are all distinctly individual, unless of course we merely play notes and concern ourselves with accuracy only.

Who cares about personal interpretation? 
See my reply above.

[comsmcsc]

At your son's age, he wants to enjoy what he does.  Apparently playing the way he wants is what he enjoys. That's the icing on the cake so to speak. Teaching discipline is not easy, but then neither is learning it.  At 10 years of age he is still very young and immature. Do you think it is possible the teaching approach to his studies is not suited to his style of learning?     

[lostinidlewonder]

Inspiration is short lived. You can only psyche yourself up for so long until its effects wear off. If we only ever did good work when we where inspired I think we would do very little in this world. The reality is that learning music is a hard slog, and tough work, blood and sweat. When you are frustrated, these emotions will overtake the butterfly feelings of being inspired.

However I think that everyone should take pride in their work and be confident with the content they are learning. Confidence that it is good music, that it is right for you, that it is what you should be learning. Getting to the stage of mastering your work should of course interest you and inspire you, however this should not be the driving force behind what makes you want to learn the music.


A teacher of mine said "Learn to sacrifice your babies." That shocked me because it sounded so violent! But what she meant was, in music do not treat how you play a piece as a precious baby, it will change, you will have to let it go as it evolves. We can get depressed if we find the "new way" is much more superior to what we where doing before but to do it we are faced with another hill to climb.

Don't feel too bad about people pointing out what they think is not completely correct in your playing. They are relating you to a perfect model and no one can play at that level. I can even critique the best pianists in the world but it doesn't really matter because what they play is very entertaining and enjoyable to listen to!

I find that there are many types of students. In particular are those who have a dream for how good they want to become but know their skills do not currently match their desire. These students are already in a better situation if they know they cannot match what they desire. It is much better than those who do not know that they do not know! So there is no need to get demotivated if you find what you do has so many "holes" in it, now that the task has been identified, you can constructively work out a solution.

To improve however is a tough road, and people get depressed, demotivated. This is what separates the mediocre from the outstanding. The outstanding practices even though they are beaten down, the mediocre give up and throw it away when things get heated. Sometimes a teacher is nice not so much for direction and guidance, but to have a buddy to share music with and bounce ideas with. Someone who is interested in your personal journey through music. Sometimes when you are by yourself, you can feel so alone and flounder.

[keypeg]

Wise words as always, Lostinwonder, but not-so-lost.

I see that inspiration is being seen as a romantic emotional adrenaline-surge thingy like in the movies and books.  I would rather see it as an internal understanding and vision focussed on a specific thing, which then develops over time.  It is a creative process.  The actual process is quite a slog and consists of mundane and humdrum things.

I am by nature a creative person full of ideas, and so "inspiration-prone".  What I need from a teacher are the tools, the paint kit so that I can paint. I need skills and knowledge.  The idea of somebody "inspiring" me by playing wonderfully sounds more like getting "psyched up" than getting inspired.  It can even be frustrating, because I don't have the skills to play as wonderfully.  Give me the skills, please!

Trying to "be" a good musician, or emulating one, doesn't sound right either.  What sounds right is to work on a particular thing, make it better and better, be immersed in it and all of its components as they come up.  That's the learning process and the development process.  If you can get into that, then the disappointments and doubts wondering if you can ever make it, or illusion that it is wonderful, go away.  You're too busy creating and working from moment to moment and day to day.

The question is how we get to that understanding so that we can work that way.

[m19834]

hmmmm ... just pondering these comments.  In my first post, I said that inspiration can be learned, and I still think that, but I thought perhaps I would add a bit to that.

Firstly, I think that inspiration can take many forms; it's not just butterflies, it's not just quiet focus, it's not just one thing, exactly.  I think it is just as creative and soulful as we are, and can depend very much on the situation at hand. 

Sometimes hearing somebody play (especially right before your ears and eyes ) a piece in a way that you had never imagined it could be played before is yes, perhaps inspiring, but also just plain broadening in terms of musical perspective.  An introduction to new ideas.  It can provide a springboard of sorts for the listener to take home and "work with" and develop on their own and the process can be very creative.  Sometimes having somebody play right before you is not inspiring but demotivating and depressing ... it can depend very much on the circumstances in the moment and the movites/intent of the performer and listener.  I have experienced both, as I am sure many people have.

At different times throughout our lives, we may need space to be just alone and that will be most inspiring, and then sometimes it will be a scary rut.  Sometimes studying with a particular teacher or doing particular gigs will be a scary rut, sometimes it will be heaven.

At different points in our lives we may need more creative ideas and less development of skill, then again sometimes it's the other way around or a good amount of both.  That need can be inspiring and motivating or uninspiring and demotivating.  It depends on the individual and the circumstances. 

Also, there are actually people in the world who would like nothing more or less than to derail you and your efforts and that may be incredibly destructive for one individual, but then for another perhaps if fuels something within them.  Then, there are others who will be entirely interested and supportive of your endeavors, and for some that will be limiting while for others it is encouraging.

I think the "job" of an "artist" is to continue developing their voice despite whatever the circumstances seem to be and, learn how to gather the precious nutrients wherever they may be found.  I think it's good to strive to learn how one functions best, what makes one thrive, and that will change over time.  That is what I think can be learned. 

[db05]

See my reply on whether musicality is lost, as it also relates to inspiration:
https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php/topic,31806.msg370002.html#msg370002

What Sir lostinidlewonder calls inspiration is what I call motivation, which comes from you yourself. What I call inspiration is similar to Sir keypeg's view. I can't call myself inspiration-prone, but I also get those ideas that seem to come from nowhere. Just a sort of intuition. After that, things just make more sense and fall into place.

A teacher of mine said "Learn to sacrifice your babies." That shocked me because it sounded so violent! But what she meant was, in music do not treat how you play a piece as a precious baby, it will change, you will have to let it go as it evolves. We can get depressed if we find the "new way" is much more superior to what we where doing before but to do it we are faced with another hill to climb.

I've learned a painful lesson recently. Things learned through self-motivation, though it hurts since it is hard-earned, must be let go for new ways eventually and you have to remotivate yourself for the new path. But I find it hard to say the same for inspiration. I feel that inspiration is higher than self-motivation, therefore I can't replace inspired learning with self-motivation, even if, say, teacher tells me everything I do is wrong and shows me the correct way. Sure, sheer obedience can make me do things correctly, but what I do will never make sense to me.

Don't feel too bad about people pointing out what they think is not completely correct in your playing. They are relating you to a perfect model and no one can play at that level. I can even critique the best pianists in the world but it doesn't really matter because what they play is very entertaining and enjoyable to listen to!

Well everyone's "perfect model" is different. In that case, I'd take it as an insult. In means my model isn't as "perfect" as that person's, when they're just different. They are both impossible ideals. I want to know what IS possible, and how.

To improve however is a tough road, and people get depressed, demotivated. This is what separates the mediocre from the outstanding. The outstanding practices even though they are beaten down, the mediocre give up and throw it away when things get heated. Sometimes a teacher is nice not so much for direction and guidance, but to have a buddy to share music with and bounce ideas with. Someone who is interested in your personal journey through music. Sometimes when you are by yourself, you can feel so alone and flounder.

The key to self-motivation is knowing exactly what you want and why. You don't just practice for the sake of practicing. There is a prize you keep your eyes on. The worst beating one can get is the idea that the prize does not exist.

My (guitar) teacher told me that one has to sacrifice for the mere act of living. What's the point of living if you have to deny yourself anyway? Take away these plans, goals, ambitions and beliefs and what would be left to live for? Being musicians, giving our time and effort, what/who do we play for? If this ideal cannot be reached/ this person cannot be pleased, I'm better off dead!

[loonbohol]

Inspiration is the hardest thing to learn but it is the most easy when you are unaware.

Look at me,  I am down   There are no composers here in the Philippines to teach me the value of music.

maybe you may listen for Japanese miusic for inspiration.

[javacisnotrecognized]

You may find this an interesting read (Then again you may find it a complete waste of time): https://fundamentalpiano3.blogspot.com/2006/03/using-subconscious-brain.html

[a-sharp]

re-wording...

Inspiration is something you provide ... and people may or may not become *inspired* ... it's not a "skill" that is taught - like you teach how to read notes.... you could "teach" or show someone ways in which they might inspire others ... but true inspiration, is something that comes from within - it's like a revelation - you can lead them to it, but you can't make it happen. Or, it's like - motivation... you can provide things that might motivate, or you can provide encouragement - but you can't control whether or not the motivation or encouragement is going to occur.

There ARE things you can do - to increase your chances of this stuff - but you have to accept the fact that in the end, there is just some stuff you just can't control.

no idea if I'm making sense or not.

It sorta like - do all you can, but don't get too attached to the outcome.

?

[gyzzzmo]

I dont think you can teach inspiration itself, but you can definitely help building 'love' for music by teaching them well. Inspiration is a consequence of that love, maybe......