do you open or close your eyes when playing ?

[pepper]

simple question really.

[Dr G]

Do you read with your eyes open or closed? :lol:

[DD]

Yes.

[Dr G]

'xactly! :shock: 8)

[Vortex]

The question needs rephrased:
How do you play? - eyes open, or eyes closed? (pick one) "Yes" or "No" are not viable answers to a question starting with "how" :D

As for me, usually open unless I'm really sleepy.

[xuanvu]

Most of the time open (to check out the girls :) ), sometimes closed when it come to improv., somehow i have more feeling....

[mark_m]

Never closed, often open but seeing nothing...

[BlueNote]

I sometimes close my eyes when soloing, especially on ballads.

[Mike W]

Dark glasses can solve this enigma.

[ramZsax]

Most of the time when soloing i feel i play a better solo when my eyes are closed...but oddly enough i dont close them to often, when you eyes are open your brain is always analizing what it sees, even if you arn't thinking about it...jazz and teacher told me that

about the reading with your eyes closed my teacher also says to have a chart well enough to preform you should have at least the rhythm down to almost memorization, because he believes and as of right now i do to, that when your not reading the rhythms at leats you will be able to "grove" more and swing better, therefore you could close your eyes then too...but then your still reading the notes, unless u memorize that too

[DD]

A FG AF GAG EGE C# F C#D

(close your eyes 'n C) Bb edition 8)

[Perfect Pitch]

Much as some responses appear to trivialise the question, I do feel that it makes a big difference in improvisation. With eyes closed my mind is wholly focussed on the music, whereas with them open the girls, lights and movement tend to distract my thought.
I do however feel somewhat self conscious with my eyes closed, so shall take the time honoured dark glasses with me next time (and they look cool). 8)

[Seraphina]

:( erm open....obviously....erm how else can I see my music?or what my fingers are doing...???you people scare me sometimes.... :(

[girl]

"erm open....obviously....erm how else can I see my music?or what my fingers are doing...???you people scare me sometimes...."

You need to look at your fingers???

Personally, I always play better when I have memorised the music too, but guess this will depend on what type of music you play - it's not always practical.

[gary]

I think always open. I never looked :shock:

But now that I think about it, when I'm soloing I hardly see anything even though they're open.

Kind'a like I go through life, LOL!!

[Seraphina]

helloooooo girl...... I was joking :shock:



I usually keep my eyes open to look at some cute guy in the crowd for inspiration...

[DD]

Looks like this topic might become the subject of someone's graduate thesis. (i.e. If a player closes only one eye while playing, will the result be an enhancement or reduction of the player's baseline ability to concentrate on the intellectual processes necessary to the art of solo improvisation - and would the enhancement or reduction be disturbed if the player blinks the other eye?) :wink:

Did Big Jay improvise better on his back on the stage or standing on the bar with his eyes open or closed -

Seems about as pertinent to meaningful and artistic expression as does
"If you arrange the seating of a sax section by aligning the chairs with a transit line, will the tonal center the section is able to produce be more or less consistent than if the chairs are arranged in a circle?"

I'm going to ask my bro-in-law (RRK's road mgr for years) if R played any less intensely when he opened his lids.

Whatever gets you and the listener(s) where you want to go.
If nothin comes out your horn, dont matter whether you be seein or not.

[larry]

I usually close my eyes for solos to block out the visual distractions - I have a pretty vision-based learning system, so when soloing, I visualize the changes (both visual memories of the sheet music as well as "fingerings", note clusters, etc.) espesically on songs with complicated changes. I'll flick 'em open now and then to check out where the mic is or if I'm getting ready to fall off the stage...

There's an anecdote told about when Lester Young first saw Stan Getz play - Getz always kept his bright blue eyes open but unfocused while soloing, which some musicians found a bit freaky to watch. After the concert, Young was reported has having come up to Getz and said "Nice eyes, Pres'" which Getz took to be an enormous compliment.

[Dr G]

I realize that I am among the "open but unfocused eyes" group of which we seem to have several members.

Maybe the question could evolve to "What do you see while you are improvising?"

[barisaxplayer]

just got back from jazz fest in sitka, I was without my music a a rehearsal for about an hour. We were playing a song where only the bass bone(sitting behind me) was playing the same music as me. amazingly I could play it better with my eyes closed and without music in front of me rather than reading the music. only missed a couple notes 8)

soloing I close my eyes, hands down. Without light blaring in your face and without seeing people looking at you makes you feel .. calmer. better for soloing. also makes me feel, at least, like I can feel the music better.

[Subtone Sam]

Usually only during the last set when I'm really tired...zzz...

[Minatar12]

I saw a video of Ben Webster playing once. His eyes were closed when he soloed, except every so often, they'd open at random, look around for a bit and then close. Occording to people I've played with, I'm exactly the same way. Now if I could play like Webster.

[sopsax]

Minatar12: Me too, exactly. Same when I kiss.

[TenorReinier]

Funny, some of you close your eyes to be more focused, or open them to view the audience or whatever. I open them to be more focused to the music. Somehow, when I close them I get "lost in my own world", and don't play at my best anymore. I usually look at the ceiling at the back or so, or maybe at an empty table. That way, I'm more focuesed on the music.

[bassclarinet]

Back to practicing. When I open them I see people holding their noses :evil:

[Razzy]

Open for classical usually, whether it be reading the music or looking at the conductor... open in big band setting or chamber ensemble so that I can give visual cues to the other players, and, once again, read my music... basically open unless I'm really into a jazz solo. It's still good to be able to see the other players in a combo, even if you have the tunes and changes memorized (which I do)... eyes open doesn't equate to having to look at your music. It's good to be able to see your bandmates and to react to what they are doing. Also an asset if somebody in the combo is designated as the leader and determines who solos where, who trades fours, or choruses, or whatever, when the tune ends, how it ends, and all those other things that require EYES to see!

[wsgreen5]

I find myself closing my eyes during solos where I know the changes pretty well or if the changes are pretty simple and i can follow them with my ear. I don't know if it makes me actually play better, but I do feel like I'm playing better with them closed.

-Brent

[sessionsax]

Yep

[Bootman]

Often closed or staring into the distance when on Jazz small group gigs. Open when they're reading gigs.