How To Let Go with Peaceful Pianist Michael Martinez

The Songwriter's Podcast with Anne Sibley

Meet my friend, the peaceful pianist Michael Martinez. He is a composer who channels music from deep within the heart. He performs the title track from one of his new albums called “The Stillness Within” as well as a misplaced and forgotten song he revived called “Goodbye“.\

This podcast is special because he joins my songwriting membership group via Zoom as our guest songwriter so you will hear their questions and comments in the end, as well!

Michael has been on a deep spiritual journey that I believe you will not only hear but feel through his music. He is a natural teacher that will no doubt bring you a bit deeper into your own music just from listening to this conversation.

Michael mentions Kenny Warner, author of Effortless Mastery and shares an exercise designed to strengthen your creativity muscle and reprogram your mind away from judging: Start playing anything on your instrument, completely relax your body and when your MIND kicks in, take your hands off your instrument. When judgment arises, take your hands off and stop.

We talk about negative musical identity programming from our developmental years and how few people come out of youth without scars.

Michael has a vibrant YouTube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-SVyGwS22rnzhXxf1_nwwg

Visit Michael’s Website: https://www.michaelmartinezmusic.com/

Enjoy Michael’s music here on Spotify and in many other places https://open.spotify.com/artist/5xU9fGVJjEudolpIPCqg4w

Michael and Anne recorded a single in 2022, a cover of Sarah MacLachlan's Angel:
https://open.spotify.com/album/585AJ1nB9hfEoVTNb0atoc

Takeaways:

• When you let go inside something magical happens
• There is a constant river of creativity available to us
• The mind gets in the way of our songwriting
• Don’t mentally grasp at everything
• Setting goals for yourself and having a deadline can give you a surge of creativity
• Let go inside instead of getting overwhelmed and stressed
• Allow a letting go at a deep level instead of ”this has to be good” and “has to sound like this” because that will be too mechanical
• The need to sound good kicks in a “trying”
• Bring back a playfulness into your music and see what comes through
• Lengthen the stretches of time in between judgements, create spaciousness
• Mindfulness practices will help you catch the undertone of quick, negative emotions
• Attune your body with your instrument

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