Comments on: The Perils Of Perfectionism http://darinwilson.info/2008/09/01/the-perils-of-perfectionism/ music, art, creativity, and a smattering of geekery Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:35:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Song-A-Day 2010: Game On « Darin Wilson – Pianist/Composer http://darinwilson.info/2008/09/01/the-perils-of-perfectionism/#comment-217 Thu, 04 Feb 2010 18:39:54 +0000 http://darinwilson.info/2007/04/15/the-lure-of-perfectionism/#comment-217 [...] perfectionism at bay for awhile. As I wrote in a previous post, there’s a time and place for perfectionism. The Song-A-Day project definitely ain’t [...]

]]> By: David Thomas http://darinwilson.info/2008/09/01/the-perils-of-perfectionism/#comment-176 Tue, 08 Dec 2009 17:55:13 +0000 http://darinwilson.info/2007/04/15/the-lure-of-perfectionism/#comment-176 Darin- Karl found you through a post on my blog where I linked to yours. I plan to continue to explore this subject myself. I have a friend who personally, in her house, was the sloppiest of anyone, and in her playing, a perfectionist, obsessive. Now she is finding she wants to be perfectly clean in her house as well, and it’s helping her become a happier person. I think I may also be a closet perfectionist. Facing up to that helps to find balance, and respond to the wonderful urge to play something really perfectly.

]]> By: darin http://darinwilson.info/2008/09/01/the-perils-of-perfectionism/#comment-175 Tue, 08 Dec 2009 06:28:04 +0000 http://darinwilson.info/2007/04/15/the-lure-of-perfectionism/#comment-175 Karl, you make a great point about not letting yourself get completely blocked when you hit a trouble spot. And I agree that it’s often best to leave it and come back with a fresh approach.

I think my larger question is what happens when you’ve gone back to measure 53 on several occasions and it still doesn’t feel quite right? When do you allow yourself to move on not just to another spot in the piece, but to something new altogether?

David touched on this in his most recent comment: he’s working on a book of etudes and has no deadline. How will he determine that the work he’s done is “good enough”, make the recording, then move on to something new?

I have no real answers, but the questions fascinate me.

]]> By: dtclarinet http://darinwilson.info/2008/09/01/the-perils-of-perfectionism/#comment-174 Mon, 07 Dec 2009 17:48:03 +0000 http://darinwilson.info/2007/04/15/the-lure-of-perfectionism/#comment-174 Karl, what a marvelous and subtle solution. It is apparent that perfectionism is a complicated little knot which must not be ignored.

I am beginning to realize I am a “closet” perfectionist. And that I should be more honest about the details which bother me, but which I gloss over in the name of efficiency.

I usually have a deadline, being and orchestral musician with weekly concerts. But now that I am attempting to “perfect” a book of etudes to a recording level for my own satisfaction, I am having to face the issues discussed here.

]]> By: Karl Henning http://darinwilson.info/2008/09/01/the-perils-of-perfectionism/#comment-173 Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:53:33 +0000 http://darinwilson.info/2007/04/15/the-lure-of-perfectionism/#comment-173 “. . . and opinions varied widely. Some argued that when you’re stuck, it’s best to let go and move on; others said that details were the most important part so they must be obsessed over.”

But these two points can be harmonized (to some degree). Even if you feel strongly that measure 53 needs *something*, NOW may not be the time that you discover that something. Make note that you want to go back to that spot, AND go on. You can still make your way to the final double-bar. The thing is, not to get in to the habit of feeling that the inscription of that double-bar “means” that you’re done. (I.e., it *can* mean that, OR it may be that you need to go back and “fix” measure 53 . . . and because your musical attention has been fixed on other matters, you may be fresher for the task of “repairing” measure 53. The other music which you have composed for the rest of the piece, may “unlock” for you, th epuzzle of what you need to do with measure 53.

Cheers,
~Karl

]]> By: darin http://darinwilson.info/2008/09/01/the-perils-of-perfectionism/#comment-172 Mon, 07 Dec 2009 05:23:14 +0000 http://darinwilson.info/2007/04/15/the-lure-of-perfectionism/#comment-172 Thanks for the feedback, David – it’s much appreciated. And I quite agree that perfection is just something we strive for, knowing full well that we’ll never attain it. It sounds odd, but I believe it’s true.

]]> By: David Thomas http://darinwilson.info/2008/09/01/the-perils-of-perfectionism/#comment-171 Mon, 07 Dec 2009 04:45:15 +0000 http://darinwilson.info/2007/04/15/the-lure-of-perfectionism/#comment-171 Good post Darin. Thoughtful and insightful. Cute comment at the end about it not being “quite right”. Is it ever perfect? Perfection is an ideal, not attainable. We can only get close. But that’s the journey, and the reward.

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