Finding the Feel of It

So, I've had a recent revelation: using vision to play is not helping me but is in fact getting in my way. I tested this theory out on the piano and found that it is indeed the case. When I look at my hands, there seems to be a real disconnect. How to explain . . . 

I think it may be because I'm trying to use my vision to direct the movement of my hands. I look at the key I want to press, but then my hand won't go there. Is it the lack of eye-hand coordination? Maybe. I do seem to have difficulty with that in everyday life.

So why does it work better to not look? Well, I'm not sure, but if my hand is in the right place, I can tell my finger to push down and it obeys quite readily. I say to my hand: 113243, 112154. It has no trouble doing that. And I get instant feedback with auditory input--if the note is right, I know I've pushed the right key. When I try to use vision and I get the wrong note, I don't know why it's not right. Isn't that strange?

Now, with guitar I've got a whole lot of additional information to process. Strings, frets with left, strings with right hand. Then there's the neck and the body of the guitar--all parts that are touched by the skin, either with hand or arm or chest or belly. Lots of contact.

But there's something about all that touching that is . . . how to describe? It creates a closeness with the instrument that can't be obtained by looking alone, an intimacy, a connection that is more direct, more primal, if you will. Holding the instrument, wrapping my arms around it, pressing the strings, holding the neck, plucking the strings (better than using a pick)--all of that connects me to the instrument, which is already a warm thing, being made of wood as it is from a formerly living thing.

Now, add the feeling of vibrations and the feeling of the strings and the wood--the different sizes and types of strings with a rough or smooth texture. The smoothness of the wood of the neck in the palm of my hand. 

And then there's the proprioreceptor sensation--my hand, arm in space--that is part of the skin's job as well, which I had been unaware of.

Then finally, the sound of the strings, alone and in combination. The infinite variety of sound that comes from an infinite variety of vibrations--again, it's a feeling, being felt, as it were, by the inner ear.

So, how to get better at locating the places where the vibrations are produced? Finding them quickly, picking them out from the entire space that is the guitar as it's held?

So much to do! It will take time but I'm looking forward to it because I like the feeling of communion with my guitar, my lovely little guitarra!