June | 2019 | Bill Plake Music

A good percentage of musicians who seek my help as an Alexander Technique teacher do so because of chronic pain when playing their instruments.

And with some, it might not be because of pain, per se, but because of a palpable sense of strain and misdirected effort as they play.

Though the source of (and solution to) their problems vary, virtually all these musicians have one thing in common that is exacerbating their condition. Specifically, misconceptions about their human design in relation to making music on their instruments.

The thing that still amazes me after all these years of teaching, is that many of these misconceptions (that are causing some serious problems!) could so easily be remedied by taking the time to study and understand some very basic functional musculoskeletal anatomy and physiology.

Serious musicians give great attention to so many details of their craft and art. Sometimes obsessing over finding the best equipment, they also practice and study diligently and passionately, and are always on the lookout for anything to help them do what they do better.

Yet, as I’ve mentioned, far too many of them neglect to take the time to gain an accurate and detailed understanding of the workings of their most essential, primary instrument: themselves.

And that’s too bad. Because it is such a small, easily doable thing, really. In fact, sometimes just clarifying an anatomical reality is all it takes to solve a particular, debilitating problem.

Even spending a few hours studying and better understanding your design can make a significantly positive impact on how you practice and perform.

And if you teach, having this knowledge is not only essential, it is part and parcel of your responsibly to your students. They will have a far greater chance at success when you’re teaching them through the lens of anatomical and physiological accuracy.

So yes, understanding your human design is important. Very important.

The good new is that nowadays there are so many great, easily affordable and accessible resources to help you get the information you need.

I recently came across what I think is perhaps the most essential book on understanding our human design as it relates to any kind of movement and activity (including playing music!)

It’s entitled The Body in Motion: Its Evolution and Design. Written by Alexander Technique teacher, Neurodyamics specialist and scholar, Theodore Dimon, Ed.D, it functions as both an in depth tutorial and reference for how we are designed to move.

The thing I like most about it is that each aspect of our anatomical structure is introduced and described relative to our evolutionary development, and in particular, our unique upright, bipedal design.

The book starts by laying the groundwork for the origins of animal movement, and how a system of muscles and bones came to be. Though this might sound like just an interesting (or not) story, it is much more than that.

By helping you understand how we evolved, based upon environmental need, the author is also helping you build a foundation in understanding how all our musculoskeletal structures work together as an interdependent whole. (This is very important, and can help you to avoid a good deal of dubious information floating about in this day and age of the internet.)

Dr. Dimon goes on to demonstrate and explain the most essential aspect of our ability to produce skilled movement: our upright support. It is this system of support and suspension that serves as the foundation for the complexity of all human movement.

From here, he elucidates upon the various structures essential to this movement: the spine, shoulder girdle, limbs, (including the hands), and then onto the mechanisms of breath and voice and more (including muscular spirals, etc.)

The text is clear and concise, and always introduces new ideas/concepts/chapters in relation to the previous ones, tying everything together under the central organizing principle of our unique, upright human design.

It is written with the layperson in mind, and if you’re new to musculoskeletal anatomy, you won’t be overwhelmed with a litany of scientific terminology. Just essential, practical information.

The book is also very nicely and abundantly illustrated by G. David Brown, so that whatever the author is presenting, is supported by visuals. Part of this visual support includes simplified drawings that demonstrate the mechanical principles of how bones and muscles work together. (This is immensely helpful!)

At only 107 pages, it’s a brief introduction into the most fundamental aspects of this wonderfully efficient design! You could probably read the entire book over a weekend. But the information you glean from it could positively impact you for the rest of your life. Highly recommended!

Here’s a line that is inspired by Stan Getz’ classic solo on Stella By Starlight (from the album, Stan Getz Plays, where he so masterfully uses polymeter to create an interesting rhythmic tension in the final cadences of the song form on the first chorus). The harmonic structure I’ve used here is a minor to major turnback (i.e., minor key ii-V7s that “turn back” and finally resolve to major), which also happens to be a somewhat condensed version of the last eight measures of Stella By Starlight. Take a look at the example above. If you analyze the note choices I’ve made on each chord, there is nothing harmonically complex or “exotic”. In fact, most of the melodic content is more or less outlining the chords themselves.

But what gives this line its particular surprise is how I’ve used rhythm and meter in constructing it. The first motif is a 5/4 pattern, subdivided into 3/4 and 2/4 (the 3/4 being the first six eighth notes; the 2/4 being the quarter note and the two eighth notes that follow it). The final two eighth notes of this motif (A and Ab) act as “approach notes”, or passing tones, that lead to the “G” in the second beat of the second measure, thus starting a similar melodic pattern (with some variation) of the original motif, but modulated down a whole step with respect to the new chord (E half dim7). The original rhythmic pattern (six eighth notes followed by a quarter note and two eighth notes) is then stated again, but this time displaced by one beat (hence, the 5/4 over 4/4).

You’ll notice that the quarter note has been rhythmically displaced, moving from beat four in the first measure to beat one of the third measure. On the third beat of the third measure the rhythmic pattern varies again, but still implies a 5/4 organization, with the B natural acting as the fifth beat of the 5/4 pattern. So the entire pattern fits into 15 beats, giving the impression of the time turning around significantly against the 16 beats of the four-bar harmonic form. Spelling out the C maj7 gives the entire melodic line a strong sense of release against the previous harmonic and rhythmic tension. If you practice this over a backing track you’ll most clearly hear the harmonic/rhythmic tension, but even practicing it with a metronome clicking on beats two and four, you’ll still get the feeling of the cadences being displaced against the 4/4 form.

If you would like to explore these concepts further, please consider my e-books, Essential Polymeter Studies in 4/4 for the Improvising Musician, and ii-V7-I: 40 Creative Concepts for the Modern Improviser. For a free, downloadable pdf of this etude, click the link below:

5/4 Implied Over Minor to Major Turnbacks in 4/4-pdf