What happens when Yoda quotes are applied to music?
I love Star Wars. I always have. One day when I was a kid I watched the entire original trilogy on VHS TWICE in one day! I decided to have some fun.
I have taken down a handful of Yoda quotes from www.Yodquotes.net. I have replaced the words "the Force" with the word "music." I have replaced the word "Jedi" with the word "musician."
Enjoy!
“Train yourself to let go of everything you fear to lose.”
Letting go of fear is important not just for Jedi, but for musicians as well. If we are in constant fear of whether or not we sound good, we will fail. When we let go, and allow the music to flow through us, we succeed.
“Always pass on what you have learned.”
Most musicians teach because we want to fill the world with music. There is nothing more satisfying than seeing a music student overcome the struggles that you yourself have dealt with.
“[Luke:] I can’t believe it. [Yoda:] That is why you fail.”
This is right after Luke fails to lift his X-wing out of the swamp. If we think we cannot, we do not. Believing and trusting in your own abilities is required to have a career in music. And yes, you will fail. Determination and support can get you through any hardship!
“Feel the Music!”
This originally said "Feel the Force!" How many times have you heard someone say feel the music? How many times have you thought about those words the way you think about the force?
“Ready are you? What know you of ready? For eight hundred years have I trained Musicians. My own counsel will I keep on who is to be trained. A Musician must have the deepest commitment, the most serious mind. This one a long time have I watched. All his life has he looked away… to the future, to the horizon. Never his mind on where he was. Hmm? What he was doing. Hmph. Adventure. Heh. Excitement. Heh. A Musician craves not these things. You are reckless.”
The deepest commitment. Powerful words. So many times, we are focused on the horizon--the end result of our practicing--that we forget to stay present. Taking care of the hard business NOW, instead of taking the quick fix approach yields better results in the end.
“In a dark place we find ourselves, and a little more knowledge lights our way.”
I'm not sure when this was said. It may be from the extended universe books. It rings true, nevertheless.
“Through Music, things you will see. Other places. The future…the past. Old friends long gone.”
When "the Force" is replaced with "Music" in this quote it becomes one of the most beautiful lines I have read. Music takes us away, brings memories back. Amazing.
“Do or do not. There is no try.”
The famous quote! So true for any practicing musician. There is only doing it or not doing it--no in between.
“May the Music be with you.”
May the Force be with you! If only we could say a prayer and magically give a great performance! Still, I might start using this in real life.