DRUMMER CAFE

Has anyone read The Inner Game of Music?

The original book was called The Inner Game of Tennis which is fine too .... all you have to do is replace the word "tennis" with the word "music" as you read. There are some other differences with the two books ... but the basics are the same.

I've read both and was curious if anyone else had.

If you've never read the book(s) ... either one would be fine actually, I would highly recommend it. It will really help you get a good perspective of the mind aspect of playing the drums. Basically, seeing yourself playing well and executing a flawless performance, which then translates into you actually doing it!

I've read The Inner Game Of Music, but to be honest, I've found some other books to be more helpful to me in this area.  These include:

Goodrick, Mick. The Advancing Guitarist: Applying Guitar Concepts and Techniques. Milwaukee: Hal Leonard Books, 1987. ISBN 0-88188-589-4 .  I mentioned this text elsewhere on drummercafe.com recently.  About 40-50% of it is "guitar-specific," but much of it is worthwhile reading (if not required reading, IMHO) for all musicians.

Moses, Bob. Drum Wisdom. Cedar Grove, NJ: Modern Drummer Publications, Inc., 1984. .  Like the Goodrick book, some of it is specific to one instrument (drums), but the concepts Bob discusses are valuable to any musician.

Tutko, Thomas, and Umberto Tosi. Sports Psyching: Playing Your Best Game All of the Time. New York: Perigree Books, 1976. LOC Catalog Card Number: 75-27975 .  I found this book to be MUCH more beneficial to me than "Inner Game" - it covers the same sorts of material, but in a much more objective manner.  "Inner Game" got to be a little too deep in the subjective "feel the instrument...sense what it feels like to hold the instrument..." sorts of materials.  Sports Psyching is, obviously, geared towards athletics, but their materials are applicable to performing musicians as well:  getting into "the zone," minimizing distractions and mental errors, maximizing focus, etc.

Werner, Kenny. Effortless Mastery: Liberating the Master Musician Within. New Albany, IN: Jamey Aebersold Jazz, Inc., 1996. 1-56224-003-X

I borrowed a copy from a friend before a plane trip a few years ago, with the idea of leaving through it during the course of the flight.  I finished it before I even got on the plane, and read it again en route.  Needless to say, I ran out and bought it when I got home.  I can't sing enough praises of this book - it's especially valuable, IMHO, for anyone who gained the bulk of their musical information and skills in the world of academia.

As always, YMMV...

I just checked out "The Inner Game of Music" from my library and started reading it. I think I'm probably going to like it, as it seems to take the perspective of how to maintain a sense of play (fun) while learning. I like that philosophy.  

The Sports Psyching book sounds good too... I'll have to check that one out next.