Playing an instrument with comfort

Musicians' injuries have been widely recognized for many years now. Hand problems probably top the list, but back pain, neck and shoulder stiffness are common complaints for many instrumentalists. Noisy breathing plagues wind players and vocalists. Many of these complaints can be alleviated and even eliminated through becoming aware of habitual contraction. Habits are tricky in that we often dont know we have them. Sometimes even excellent professional musicians have been poorly taught about the best way to hold their instrument, breath soundlessly and perform without undue stress.

One very important physical fact is that our lower jaw drops, but our upper jaw is part of of skull. If we breath by opening our upper jaw, our head rolls back onto our cervical spine, and our breath is sucked through a narrow opening, causing an unpleasant sound intake. If we, however, allow our jaw to drop, our breath naturally goes straight to the largest part of our lungs, deeper and quietly. We get a really good breath by allowing this process rather than forcing the air in.

This is part of the Alexander Technique and is a natural,easy way to get a l of air. Words alone do not do this process justice.

Our hand problems can often start with incorrect assumptions about how our hands are connected to our back. Yes, our arms connect to our back, not our shoulders. Again, words can only hint at the changes that will bring about ease and comfort. A series of lessons in the Alexander Technique can be life-changing, especially for musicians. But wait! Using the computer is a very similar process so computer users (so many of us) can benefit from knowing more about habits and misconceptions.