, THE GUITARIST'S GUIDE TO COMPOSING AND IMPROVISING you hear. Move your hands near your guitar, matching (miming) the recording’ rhythms and direction motion. Focus on “becoming” the recording. Continue this for several minutes. Aiter a while, ESP or “extrasensory” perception develops. Eventually, begin to introduce actual sounds until you are playing constantly. ‘When you do mime study with another musician, have them play a solo improvisation of their choice. Anything goes. This person should be the only person actually playing, while you mime their rhythms and direction motion. After your partner is finished, switch roles; you take a solo improvi- sation of your choice. Anything goes. Your partner now plays silently, following your rhythmic and direction ideas as closely as possible Continue in this cycle for several rounds. Eventually, the “silent partner” should gradually begin to introduce actual sounds until both you and your partner are playing constantly By this point, your “ESP” should be warmed up. Mime Study is a powerful concert piece, since it is visually quite captivating for an audience. Try it with a larger ensemble as well. I use it regularly with the Creative Workshop to tune up the communication levels. tis a great way to kick off a rehearsal. As you did with just one partner, pass the solo around, with the rest of the band miming whoever is soloing. After each player has soloed, begin with solos again, but this round, gradually introduce actual sounds until the entire ensemble is playing constantly. -ourse, this requires players who are willing to take a chance and truly improvise in the moment, | hope these ideas help you utilize the power of the direction dimension. We will continue to explore direction throughout the book, especially in the Counterpoint, Single Note, and Palette Chart chapters. Now, let us move onto the final section of chapter 1, which is another fascinating sound dimension: articulation, the manner of musical speaking.