Effortless Mastery

[Fun Bun]

Has anyone read this? Is it worth the money?

[Reedit!]

I bought it about 5yrs ago. I consider it to be one of the best books out there on the pyschology (sp?) aspect of playing.

He's an interesting guy is Mr werner. I dont think you'll be dissapointed, i know i wasn't. I'd seen a german music show where he explained his principal to studying. So then i had to wait 3yrs before i saw the book in print. :(

I think his website is: www.kennywerner.com

[Frank D]

Well, I've got the opposite opinion. I read it, and the basic principle seems to be "practice so much that everything's second nature, then you'll have achieved effortless mastery". I wasn't looking for some magic formula for greatness or anything, but I really had hoped for something more applicable to musical development.

[Merlin]

I love the book. The key thing for me was to learn to detach myself from the need to be "perfect" while performing.

This book has helped my onstage presentation immensely.

[Reedit!]

Well, I've got the opposite opinion. I read it, and the basic principle seems to be "practice so much that everything's second nature, then you'll have achieved effortless mastery". I wasn't looking for some magic formula for greatness or anything, but I really had hoped for something more applicable to musical development.

I think the books a bit DEEPER than what you've perceived it as frank but, as the saying goes...."you cant please all of the people all of the time".

[Frank D]

Could be. Maybe I just wasn't in a receptive state of mind when I read it. I'll have to come back to it at some point and give it another try.

[saxophone_volume1]

I AM GREAT!!
I AM A MASTER!!

I particularly liked it when Kenny described some of the philosophies or what you want to call them of the players.

"play any note and think to yourself, That was the most beautiful sound i'v ever heard"

kapoosta valyoota :lol:

[colibri]

and the basic principle seems to be "practice so much that everything's second nature, then you'll have achieved effortless mastery".

Practice the first thing so much that it becomes second nature, then work on the second thing. It would be so much easier mastering the second thing than the first thing because you've thoroughly absorbed the first thing and gained a little more technique for learning the second thing. That's what he meant and trust me, it works.

[Tim Price]

Has anyone read this? Is it worth the money?

YES!! Get it.Read it a few times.It goes past music into life.
Kenny is very aware.One of my favs.
He was like that tho in 1970 in Boston at Berklee.An amazing person.

[Jedi2427]

I took up the sax and tennis at the same time almost 30 years ago. I focused more on tennis early on and eventually toured and became tennis director at various clubs around the country. I consider myself a serious tennis teacher and student of the game as well as a working blues tenorman by night. I teach tennis from Kenny's Book. It transposes beautifully, no matter what the vehicle for self expression. My brother has a popular acting studio in LA, and he is teaching from some of the book. Get the book... it has many secrets.