I have found this to be an intriguing conversation. It has really made me
think about why I do things the way I do.
I do not think (even metaphorically) that muscles think, but I have had the
experience where I go back to an "old" song with a "new" technique, and have
the same struggles I used to. I think there are reasons why that happens,
and I have been developing a theory. I know that the brain acts differently
in "practicing" and "performing". I remember reading about how athletes'
brain waves change right before they "perform." So do singers' brain waves.
It could be that when we have prepared a piece for a previous performance,
our(some of us, anyway) brain immediately wants to go to the "performing"
mode, and defaults to the "old" way, rather than the new technique you have
learned. If this is true (and if this even makes sense), then some of us
would have to re-learn some pieces, concentrating in a different way, just
like we would a new piece.
Well, I ain't no scientist, but there's my theory.
Thinking that I've been in Texas too long,
David Grogan
Longview, Texas
-----Original Message-----
From: John Link [mailto:johnlink@n...]
Sent: Monday, September 09, 2002 1:12 PM
To: vocalist-temporary@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [vocalist] Re: "Muscle Memory"
I'm curious about this notion of "muscle memory". Why not just call
it "habit", unless you believe (which I don't) that muscles, by
themselves, actually have memory. It seems to me that the term
"muscle memory" puts way to much emphasis on one part of the system
in which habits occur and ignores all the others (skeleton, nervous
system, brain).
John Link
http:/www.cdBaby.com/JohnLink
Check out my CDs:
http://www.cdBaby.com/JohnLink2 (John Link Sextet)
http://www.cdBaby.com/JohnLink (John Link Vocal Quintet)
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