I've always contended that there is a "perfect" level of
intelligence, where one is smart enough to overcome most challenges in
life but dumb enough not to see too many of the flaws in the system.
Think of it as neutral buoyancy in terms of intelligence.
I wasn't quite correct, not precisely. I'm extending it to knowledge as well as intelligence.
I've started learning the violin recently and one of the challenges for a beginner would be developing good intonation,
a pretty big problem with a violin as it doesn't have frets (guide
lines on the fingerboard). I'm fortunate enough to have a good sense of
relative pitch, so I can tell when I've made a mistake. What I wasn't
prepared for was listening to other people's music and noticing the
flaws in the performance.
Playing the violin gives me
great joy and reduces my stress levels remarkably fast. Unfortunately,
as I'm advancing in theory and practice, I'm also noticing the flaws in
the performances that I've listened to in my music library. It doesn't
mean I can play anywhere near as well as these violinists; chances are
very good I'll never play as well as they can. However, you don't
need to be skilled to spot a mistake, just skilled enough to know what
one looks like.
I understand I'm advancing at an
unusually accelerated rate in my violin lessons. That's because I've
cranked my perfectionist side up to 11 when it comes to my practice.
This is the side effect of making me ultra-critical not just with my
practice but with everyone else's music as well.
*sigh*
Someday, I'll find that perfect balance. Maybe.
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3 comments:
Good luck! Give me a call when you get there; I'll be way behind you.
I'll never reach it but I'll never stop trying either. As frustrating as it may be, that may just be the point the whole thing. :)
Perhaps it is less a matter of being "dumb enough" to be unaware of the flaws, and more a matter of being able to accept that the flaws are part of the whole. If we can learn from these flaws and still enjoy the rest of the composition then perhaps there is some value to it. We are still human, and while we strive for perfection it is always just out of our reach. :)
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