Playing guitar in your sleep

[mrcee]

Has anyone ever had this experience? I was practicing last night, improvising single note lines, and dozed off while playing. When I woke up I was still playing. It happened a few times. Muscle memory autopilot I suppose.

[ragman1]

Sure. Just proves how DEDICATED you are :-)

[mrcee]

I suppose so. I guess you could call it free jazz.

[goldenwave77]

I try to visualize fretboard locations for triads, etc. night to help me sleep.

When one of my daughters was growing up, she would sometimes have trouble falling asleep. I told her that she should try "counting sheep". The next morning she stumbled down to the breakfast table, and I asked her the sheep-counting went. She replied, in an indignant tone, "That Doesn't work !". She was about 9 at the time.

I could barely keep myself from spitting out a half-cup of coffee.

[ragman1]

More seriously, the brain will repeat unresolved issues. With any art process one's never quite happy because there's always a better version and another way of doing it. Until it reaches saturation point then we promptly forget it and move on to the next thing... if you're any good, that is.

That's why we're all obsessed addicts here :-)

[ragman1]

What amuses me is that he said he fell asleep whilst playing, then just woke up and carried on. Yes!

[Doctor Jeff]

I think of playing guitar 90% of the time I'm doing something else. Well, 50% of the time. Including falling asleep.

The other 50% of the time I think about sex... ;-)

I work out fingerings when I'm lying in bed. I don't actually dream about playing guitar though interestingly.

Since I have started playing more classical repertoire on the nylon string I think of the fingerings a bit different than before--visualize the fingerboard from a horizontal point of view, not vertical. Interesting change of perspective.

BTW, when I am doing a lot of woodworking (my other big hobby) I will work out design and technique problems before bed or when I'm "daydreaming". Sometimes I make my biggest breakthroughs at night when I'm horizontal.

[blille]

More seriously, the brain will repeat unresolved issues.

Like dominant chords?

[Thumpalumpacus]

I sometimes play inside a dream, and have had several songs (or major portions thereof, more accurately) come to me that way -- most recently this last February.

[mrcee]

What amuses me is that he said he fell asleep whilst playing, then just woke up and carried on. Yes!

Yeah, I fell asleep in the middle of playing a line and apparently continued while briefly asleep and was still playing when I woke up. It continued to happen until I figured that it was time for bed. It's the first time that's ever happened. Similar to sleep walking I guess.

[mrcee]

I sometimes play inside a dream, and have had several songs (or major portions thereof, more accurately) come to me that way -- most recently this last February.

I've had that happen a couple of times. Very memorable. Although nothing that I could remember to use in a song.

[henryrobinett]

I play all the time in my sleep without a guitar in my hand. I'm hearing the lines go by and seeing the fretboard mentally.

[ragman1]

So really we're all asleep then... thought so :-)

[ragman1]

Like dominant chords?

Did you know Mozart's wife used to play some horrible sounding chord to get her husband out of bed. She knew he couldn't stand hearing an unresolved, dissonant chord. Even though he had been partying the night before, he would get up and play the chord that would relieve the tension from her chord... :-)

[citizenk74]

There are a couple of Howard Roberts anecdotes on this subject out there. Perhaps someone with a better memory than mine could relate them. Something about dreaming about watching Barney Kessel in a recording studio and not being able to hear the music, but from watching BKs fingers, knew what the notes were, or something like that. I believe it was from an interview in an old Guitar Player​ magazine.

[matt.guitarteacher]

I've done this a good bit, playing in front of the t.v. Beyond anything else, I'm always fascinated by the way you "think"about such activities while not "thinking". I find myself wondering "How does that work?". The mind doesn't seem to be particularly bothered, even if it's less familiar material, but it is a very different "space".

Always find myself curious to get back there....

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk

[blille]

Did you know Mozart's wife used to play some horrible sounding chord to get her husband out of bed. She knew he couldn't stand hearing an unresolved, dissonant chord. Even though he had been partying the night before, he would get up and play the chord that would relieve the tension from her chord... :-)

That's so awesome. Hadn't heard that

[christianm77]

'I go to sleep and my dreams come out of my saxophone'

[christianm77]

Also have done some gigs where I may as well be doing that ;-)

[Lionelsax]

I play when I'm sleeping, I play every time and believe me it's better than real !
When I was 13, I dreamt I was playing the bass on stage on a song called "Reggatta De Blanc", when I woke up, I was still pretending playing.
Then at 28 years old, I bought a bass.

[Lionelsax]

'I go to sleep and my dreams come out of my saxophone'

Do you play the saxophone ?

[christianm77]

Do you play the saxophone ?

It's a quote from John Harle

[Lionelsax]

Also have done some gigs where I may as well be doing that ;-)

That means you feel good, I love playing with my eyes closed, it's a big trip.

[christianm77]

That means you feel good, I love playing with my eyes closed, it's a big trip.

Doesn't work so well when the band leader is trying to give you cues mind... ;-)

[Thumpalumpacus]

I've had that happen a couple of times. Very memorable. Although nothing that I could remember to use in a song.

When the music is memorable enough to stick in my head upon rising, I grab a guitar and a pad of paper and sketch it out quickly. That helps cement it in the ole noggin, for me.