Intuition vs Thinking

[Richard Prowse]

I've noticed over the years that I generally seem to know what the notes on my bass are going to sound like before I play them (I'm talking about when I'm starting a practice session). I've also noticed that, when I think about the notes, I get them wrong. I used to think that this was just that I didn't really know what the notes were going to sound like, but I think I've discovered the real answer. It comes down to 'intuition vs thinking'. I believe that I probably memorised the notes on my bass years ago and that I can always hear them... after all I can remember lots of phone numbers and the subtle differences between different faces. I can even remember things like smells. When my logical mind interferes, it brings with it a fear of failing and puts me into guessing mode. As long as I don't listen to my logical mind, I believe that I can hear the correct notes all the time. I know that when I finger my bass in my mind, it is very easy to hear all the intervals.
What I'm talking about is something that is at the heart of all good musical performance... trusting one's intuition.
A friend said,
"You need to flex your intuition muscle."
I'm quite excited about the steps I am taking in this area and would welcome your thoughts and experiences.