This morning I was looking at some videos I’d found on YouTube after searching “good posture.” What I found was a mix of ideas and demonstrations, some helpful, many not so helpful. One of the things that many of the “not so helpful” videos had in common was in presenting posture as static. Something to be held.
Here were some of the most frequently given directions about holding this good posture:
Tuck your chin in as you lift your head upward, holding your head directly over your sternum (breast bone)
Pull your shoulders back and down, pinching your shoulder blades together
Lift your abdominal area, pulling your navel toward your spine
Tuck your pelvis slightly under, so that you’re not arching your back
Tucking, lifting, holding, pulling and pinching. Lot’s of doing. Lot’s of effort.
As an experiment, I took out my saxophone and followed these directions. Besides not being able to produce my sound in any reasonably pleasing way, I also noticed I couldn’t move. I couldn’t express myself. I couldn’t really breathe very well. I was not free. I was planted. I would get tired very quickly if I had to maintain such holding in my body.
As an Alexander Technique teacher, I wasn’t too surprised by this experiment. I see time and again musicians who get some kind of a notion about good posture, then make a mess of themselves (and the music!) as they try to maintain it.
Now in all fairness, if you were to look at snapshot of somebody maintaining this kind of holding, it would probably look like good posture. You’d likely be able to see the symmetrical alignment in the body. But if you were to put your hands on this same person’s body, you’d fell nothing but tension and rigidity.
According to the Alexander principles, good posture is a result of a good use of yourself. And this good use involves releasing yourself into balance.
Contrast the above directions above with the Alexander Technique primary directions:
I allow my neck to be free so that my head can release upward on top of my spine
I allow my torso to release into length and width
I allow my knees to release forward from my hip joints and one knee away from the other
Notice the word release is used in each direction. This is a matter of un-doing as opposed to doing, and involves much less effort. In truth, we are designed to release upwards into good balance, posture and alignment. It’s what we naturally default to (as long as we don’t interfere with it!) Just look at a small child sit, stand, and otherwise move and you’ll see this to be evident.
If you were to see somebody carrying out the above Alexander directions, they too would look like they were maintaining good posture (nicely aligned, etc.) But the difference is that they would be able to move easily, breathe easily and express themselves easily through these directions. Just like a small child. Balance instead of bracing.
So if you find yourself struggling to maintain the correct posture, think of balance and fluidity instead. This is where a good Alexander Technique teacher can help tremendously. In an Alexander lesson you’ll learn how you are creating habitual patterns of tension that are interfering with your natural, easy, upright balance and coordination.
Take a look at this video of the great pianist Artur Rubinstein performing Chopin. Notice how beautifully upright he is as he plays. If you were to take a snapshot of him in mid-flight, you would see what appears to be good posture. But as you can also see, he is free and flowing, expressing himself effortlessly and gracefully. Releasing into balance.
As an Alexander Technique teacher, one of the most common habits of mal-coordination I observe involves how wind instrumentalists and singers open their mouths as they perform. Whether to take a breath, or to simply set the embouchure (in the case of the wind player), I too often see this: the performer opening the mouth from the wrong side of the joint. Let me explain.
Your jaw is a joint that has two movable sides: A bottom side (called the mandible, or “jawbone” side of the joint) and a top side (called the maxilla, or “skull” side of the joint). Technically speaking you only have one jaw, and that’s the part (the mandible) that hangs from the skull. But in reality you can open your mouth from either side of the joint, skull-side or jaw-side.
By far, the most efficient way to open your mouth is from the jaw-side. This is really mostly a matter of letting the jaw release away from the skull. But what I see far too often are singers and wind instrumentalists opening their mouths from the skull-side of the joint. By doing so they put excessive strain not only on the jaw structure, but also on the entire head/neck structure which creates a type of tension that interferes significantly with breath and coordination.
Try this little experiment:
Place one of your hands, palm-side down under the bottom of your chin, so that your fingers are lightly touching your throat. Now, keeping your hand still to stop your jaw from moving, open your mouth (you’ll be opening your mouth from the skull-side of the joint). Now close your mouth from the jaw-side of the joint. Repeat this open and close process two more times. You’ll feel your head being pulled back by all the tension you’re placing on your neck to open your mouth.
In Alexander lingo, we say pulling your head back by tightening your neck in such a way interferes with your primary control, that is, the relationship of your head to your neck and back that is absolutely primary in how it conditions the quality of your entire bodily coordination (including breathing!)
If you pull your head back to open your mouth your directly interfere with to things. First, by tightening your neck you interfere with the free use of your limbs (your hands will be compromised). Second, by pulling your head back you will press your larynx in towards the bones of your neck significantly interfering with your ability to inhale. (If you’re a singer, it’s also going to create way more tension on your vocal mechanisms.)
Also, almost without fail what goes hand in hand with this habit is gasping the breath in noisily through the mouth during inhalation. Not only is this disruptive to the music, but it is not the most efficient way to breath in quickly. (I’m going to write specifically about this in a future post.)
So what do you do when you open your mouth? Observe yourself when playing or singing, especially when you must take breaths quickly. You might find that you already are in the habit of letting your jaw release away from your skull to open your mouth. If so, great! You might also find that for the most part you let your jaw release away from your skull, but under the pinch of taking a quick breath you start to go toward pulling your head back as you open your mouth from the “wrong” side of the joint.
If you find yourself doing this habitually, now’s the time to start lessening that tendency (aiming to eventually eliminate it!) Here’s a way to proceed:
Start practicing opening your mouth without your instrument. Just think about letting your head stay in easy balance on top of your spine as you let your jaw release away from your skull.
Practice opening your mouth with your instrument as you bring your instrument toward your face. Then place your instrument in (or onto) your mouth and let your jaw and lips come to the instrument, but don’t yet make a sound.
Repeat this step, but this time once the instrument is “in place”, blow a bit of slow, warm air without any intention of producing a sound.
Put it all together. Give yourself a few moments each day, maybe when working on long tones or other tone studies to be mindful about how you open your mouth.
Your sound, breathing, ease and coordination will all improve by subtracting this one little habit in your playing.
What is your habit? Observe yourself as you play and sing, especially when taking quick breaths.
One of my greatest satisfactions in life is being able to use the Alexander Technique as a tool help musicians. If you’re a musician, the Technique is useful for everything from teaching you how to avoid injuries and play with less pain and strain, to improving your coordination and skill, to helping you hear and respond more effectively to the music around you, to giving you a way of finding and developing your authentic expressive voice as a performer. It has helped me to improve as a musician more than anything else that I’ve yet discovered in my life.
Here’s a very nice video made by Lori Schiff, who teaches the Alexander Technique at Juilliard and at the Aspen Music Festival. She doesn’t try to describe the Technique so much as she just let’s the students (she also has a few working professional musicians speaking as well) tell about how they’ve been helped by the work. If you have experience with the Alexander Technique, you’ll likely appreciate (and relate to) what the various musicians are saying about the work. If you haven’t experienced the Technique, I hope this at leasts piques your curiosity. Enjoy!
Playing a musical instrument involves repeating specific movements over and over again within a given time period. When you play your instrument you are repeating some of these patterns literally thousands of times per hour. That’s a lot of muscular contraction. This can (but doesn’t have to!) lead to the unintended consequences of fatigue, muscle and joint pain, repetitive stress injuries (RSI), or worse. (Not to mention frustration, dissatisfaction, and even depression and anxiety.) There are three things that primarily impact your health and comfort in your music practice: use, environment and rest.
If you practice a great deal each day and/or find yourself challenged with chronic back, neck, shoulder, or other kind of musculoskeletal pain, ask yourself these three questions while you work:
Am I using myself well?
The primary aim of the Alexander Technique is to teach you how to use yourself well as you carry out your activities. Because much of your excess tension is carried out on a regular basis (falling below your level of consciousness) your first challenge is to become aware of your habits. (This is where lessons with a certified Alexander Technique teacher can yield huge benefits in a fairly short period of time.)
The most important thing to consider here is what not to do (i.e., what to prevent yourself from doing as you engage in an activity). Don’t stiffen your neck. Don’t hold your breath. Don’t clench your jaw. Don’t lock your knees. Don’t pull your shoulders up into your neck. (In short, don’t stiffen and tense yourself up!) These are a few of the most essential things to prevent in order to use yourself in an efficient and safe manner.
You can also check to see that your head is poised in a relaxed manner above your pelvis (not stiffening your neck and shoulders) as you sit or stand, and that you are able to move freely from your hips, knees and ankles if you need to bend forward (whether to get closer to your instrument or the music in front of you). Make sure you are on your sitting bones when sitting, and that you are neither collapsing, nor trying too hard to hold yourself up. Simply let yourself find an easy balance between the two extremes.
Most important, don’t forget that it is your thinking that primarily conditions your muscular effort. This is in part determined by your attitude. If you imagine your work as easy, as opposed to strenuous (whether it is or not), you will save yourself considerable energy. Make things light and playful when you can.
Is my environment supporting my good use?
Alter your work environment (instrument, accessories and other equipment, furniture, lighting, music stand, etc.) to support your good use. If you’re sitting, make sure your chair is the correct height for you. Often I see musicians sitting in chairs that are too small for them. This invites collapse in your spine and strain in your hips, back and shoulders. Your knees should never be at a higher level than your hip joints when you sit. (Ideally, they should be slightly lower.)
For many musicians, a good stool is a better alternative to a chair. Even a simple bar stool with a (not too softly) padded seat can be a significant improvement. Research and explore the possibilities to find what works best for you.
If you stand a lot, make sure you’re wearing comfortable, low-heeled shoes. Your footwear should be compatible with the surfaces you walk and stand on. Some musicians (myself included) prefer practicing without shoes. Letting your feet really feel the floor can help you stay in good balance and encourage upward release and mobility.
Make sure that your instrument and all accessories are the right size for you and are adjusted appropriately. I’m always amazed at all the saxophonists I see who use a too-narrow neck strap with their instrument slung too low, creating a huge amount of neck strain. It’s worth the time and effort to make a study of your equipment.
Arrange your work environment to most efficiently meet your needs. This takes some thought. Your first consideration should be lessening your physical effort. It’s also a good idea to arrange things so that you are not bending and/or twisting so much. Sometimes just giving yourself a little time to plan before you begin your work can save you discomfort or injury. This might mean gathering all your music practice materials and equipment before you begin your practice session. (As opposed to struggling and straining to find that method book or metronome while holding on to your instrument.)
Always make sure you have adequate and appropriate lighting. This is one of the most overlooked aspects of the work environment. If you are struggling to see your work, you will be tempted to use yourself poorly: squinting your eyes, holding your breath, craning your neck forward, etc.
The same can be said about the height of your music stand. Find your good balance and comfort first, then adjust all equipment to your good balance.
Unfortunately, you can’t always control the quality of your work environment. This is why you need to pay attention to what you can control: Your use.
Am I resting adequately?
You’re not made of steel. Even if you are using yourself well and have a supportive environment, you need to take breaks from your work. It is fundamentally important that you rest before you get tired. (Don’t wait for exhaustion or discomfort to tell you when you need to rest.) Here are a few other basic ergonomic guidelines concerning rest:
Alternate sitting and standing (when possible) while you work.
Avoid prolonged periods in the same position. (Allow yourself to move. Don’t be “planted” down in any one position.)
Try not to sit for more than 30 to 40 minutes at a time without getting up to move around. Conversely, don’t stand for too long a period without rest.
Consider breaking your practice routing into several small sessions. I find myself practicing for no more than about 10 to 20 minutes at a stretch without taking at least a brief break. I’m way more productive by approaching my work this way.
Consider breaking your practice routine into two or more practice sessions per day. This is particularly helpful if you practice for three or more hours per day. A morning and evening session (as opposed to one marathon session) can lead to better health and greater productivity.
Lying in the semi-supine position (constructive rest) is a great way to give yourself a fully restorative break during your practice period. This involves lying on your back (on a carpeted floor or other firm surface) with your knees bent, feet on the floor and elbows bent with your palms resting where your ribcage meets the sides of your tummy. Put a book or two under your head to keep your head in good integration with your neck, back and pelvis. Fifteen minutes or so of resting this way in the middle of your practice session will greatly improve your comfort, endurance and overall health and safety. Here’s more about constructive rest.
So you can begin today to make a difference in how you practice. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how much easier things can be if you keep these three things in mind.
Welcome to my blog. This is my first entry. I got the idea for this after recently having a bit of a renaissance with my musical practice. I’m a professional saxophonist (and to a somewhat lesser degree, a flutist) who is deeply in love with improvising. I’ve always been well-disciplined where practice is concerned, but about a year ago I sort of rediscovered that spark that makes me truly excited to practice every day.
Unlike many musicians, I don’t practice for the sole purpose of being prepared to perform. Don’t get me wrong. I love to perform and take my readiness for this very seriously. But for me the act of practicing is itself a reward. One of the consistently most joyful and satisfying parts of my day is my practice time. It’s meditative, invigorating, challenging and always edifying. Practicing is also an ongoing tutorial about learning how to learn. It’s a beautiful thing.
I typically spend two to three hours a day practicing (more on days that I don’t work). Because of this, I must be mindful about taking care of myself. I personally know many musicians who struggle with chronic pain and other health issues because of their practice habits. I used to be one of those musicians, too. But not any more. Some years back I discovered something that has helped (and continues to help) me more than anything else as a musician, not only to avoid injury, but also to support continuous growth, technical improvement and artistic development.
What I discovered was a simple, effective method of self-care called the Alexander Technique. I was so impressed by how I was able to help myself with this work that I decided to train to become a certified teacher. I’ve been teaching the Technique now for a few years, and have had great satisfaction working with musicians, actors and dancers, helping them to improve the quality of their practice and performance.
So I’ve decided to share my discoveries both as an Alexander Technique teacher and as a serious improvising musician (they’re more related than you might imagine!) There are two areas of interest to me where this is concerned:
To provide simple, practical information and advice to help musicians stay healthy, pain-free and well-coordinated by applying the principles of the Alexander Technique.I’ll be writing about some of the most common concerns where musicians are concerned, such as chronic back and neck pain, repetitive strain injuries, balance and coordination issues (including focal dystonia), breathing and managing performance anxiety. I’ll also be writing from time to time about other health topics, such as nutrition, exercise (I’m also a personal trainer certified through the National Academy of Sports Medicine), rest, self-care strategies and the use of ergonomic products.
To share my explorations in my quest to continuously develop my skills as an improvising musician. I love jazz, Balkan gypsy music, just about all folk music, conceptual improvised music (free, avant garde, new music…), and just about anything else that involves the supremely human act of spontaneous composition. My primary discipline is modern jazz, and my main passion is finding my own voice as an improviser. I also love helping other musicians find theirs. I’m always finding new ways to practice and study that help me on this journey. I’ll be sharing ideas, exercises from some of the books I’ve written (or am currently writing) about improvisational pedagogy, and other resources and ideas that I discover from others. I’ll also be posting videos of great musical performers (pointing out what helps these artists play so well) as well as my own video tutorials.
So please feel free to ask, suggest, or criticize to help me make this a better blog. I always welcome comments, and sincerely thank you for reading. Here’s to your health and continued improvement!
