Relax! Improve Your Playing by Releasing Tension Dr. Liz Aleksander - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Relax!

Improve Your Playing by Releasing Tension

• Dr. Liz Aleksander and Andrew Morency

University of Tennessee at Martin

Tension

• Goal when playing: minimize tension
• Tension radiates to other areas

○ Physical and Mental

• Tension is caused by using the body in an inefficient way
• We do need some level of physical involvement in four key areas

○ Breathing ○ Posture ○ Hands ○ Embouchure

• BUT: there needs to be as little tension as possible

Tension

• How & when to make these changes

○ Some changes are easiest to start working on when AWAY from the clarinet! ○ When practicing, make these fundamental adjustments while warming up (esp. long tones) ○ Direct awareness to area & address the issue ○ Don’t judge or berate yourself! ○ Relax into the change; don’t force it

Breathing: Importance

• Deep, low, relaxing breaths result in:

○ More air ○ Better sound ○ Mental relaxation

• Shallow breaths lead to:

○ Less air ○ Anxiety ○ Fatigue & endurance problems

Breathing: The Science Behind It

• Diaphragm is the muscle most responsible for breathing

○ 80% of breathing work done by this muscle

• Breathing occurs when diaphragm contracts and pulls down

○ Belly breathing ■ Diaphragm pushes downward into the abdomen ■ Fills more air sacs in the lungs - more air to use

• We use accessory muscles to allow maximum air intake

○ External intercostals- lift the rib cage up and outward

• When the diaphragm relaxes, we breathe out normally
• But to forcefully exhale, we have other muscles that help force the air out

○ The internal intercostals and abdominal muscles squeeze the rib cage down & push the diaphragm back up forcefully ○ Control over these “core” muscles allows us to exhale with force

Breathing: The Science Behind It

Breathing: Inhalation & Exhalation

• Inhaling

○ Every good inhalation begins with a good exhalation ○ Diaphragm breathing ■ Feel back & sides ○ Breathe low ○ Open throat ■ Yawning ■ Nose breath

• Exhaling (playing!)

○ Fast (cold) vs slow (warm) air ■ Don’t be swayed by well-intentioned conductors ○ Open throat - maintain this from inhalation

Breathing: Diagnosing Tension

• Unfocused tone

○ Problems projecting or lack of presence in the sound ○ Articulation (esp. staccato) exacerbates tonal issues

• Uncontrolled or unpredictable entrances
• Problems with connection around the breaks
• Inability to play loud
• Issues with response and/or cracking, esp. above the staff & in the altissimo
• Pitch is flat, esp. above the staff & in the altissimo

Breathing: Strategies to Release Tension

• Breathing low

○ Listen to the sound of the breath ■ High pitched - Shallow/Tense ■ Low pitched - Deep/Relaxed ○ Feel for expansion of back & sides ○ Avoid raising the shoulders when inhaling ○ Inhale through your nose ○ Lie down ○ Use Breath Builder

Breathing: Strategies to Release Tension

• Using cold air

○ When seated, pick feet up & hold legs parallel to floor ○ “Play” it on the airstream only

• Open throat

○ Yawn (maintain while playing too)

• Optimal position = optimal body health, free breathing, optimal musical sounds
• Poor Posture = pain/injury, more difficult to breath freely which leads to poor sound
• Posture affects:

○ Tone ○ Dynamics ○ Articulation ○ Technique

• Keeps body healthy and efficient

The body is good at compensating for poor posture! It’s hard to fix once it’s become a habit, so this needs to be addressed early & often!

• When & where to address postural issues

Posture: Importance

Posture: The Science Behind It

• Proper posture consists of supporting the body along the axis
• Sit on the ischium

○ The “sit down” bone

• Leaning will make very small muscles work hard to maintain bad posture

• Remember: muscles are straight tissues, so they work best when aligned
• The abs play a major role in keeping the body straight in the front

○ They’re also used for playing!

• The erector spinae group pulls the other direction from the back

○ But don’t hyperextend!

• You want a balance between your back and abs

Posture: The Science Behind It

Front Back

• Remember to always use the largest muscle for the job
• Use these big muscles to support your instrument
• Roll your weight back

○ Support the weight on your deltoids and trapezius ○ Leaning forward to support the instrument puts stress on weaker / smaller shoulder muscles & areas of the body like the wrists

• Make sure your shoulder muscles don’t raise up

○ Remember, roll them back!

Posture: The Science Behind It

Posture: Diagnosing Tension

• Hunched shoulders
• Slouching
• “Good girl” posture (upright, but stiff & tense)
• Reaching for the horn with the head / neck
• Holding bell between the legs / knees
• Crossing the legs

Posture: Strategies to Release Tension

• Maintain natural skeletal alignment

○ Imagine string pulling upward from the crown of your head ○ Jump! - how you land is most stable ○ Use a wall ○ Distribute weight evenly ○ Shoulders relaxed down the back ■ Balance an object on your shoulder to detect excess movement

• Sitting vs. standing posture
• Keep as relaxed as possible
• Yoga, Alexander Technique, & body mapping

Hand Position: Importance

• Even, facile technique
• Faster technical passages
• Most importantly: avoids injury (RSIs)

Hand Position: The Science Behind It

• Muscles provide the force that moves our body

○ But tendons & ligaments directly attach to the bones

• Muscles can be much more easily stretched & bent than

ligaments ○ Imagine a massage

• Tendons & ligaments are made of a different type of

tissue that only stretches one direction, and your hand is filled with it! ○ This is why it’s very important to pay attention to how your hands are aligned!

• Problems caused by over-stretched or misaligned ligaments & tendons include:

○ Decreased mobility ○ Fatigue / exhaustion ○ RSIs (repetitive stress injuries) like tendonitis & Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

• Unlike muscles, tendons & ligaments take a much longer time to heal than muscles

○ This is why proper hand posture is so important! It: ■ Prevents injury ■ Allows a wider range of movement ■ Increases endurance

Hand Position: The Science Behind It

Hand Position: Diagnosing Tension

• Uneven fingers
• Inability to speed up technical passages
• Lack of control, inc. inability to play fast passages at a slower tempo
• Squeaks resulting from not consistently covering the holes completely
• ANY pain in the hands, wrists, or arms

Hand Position: Strategies to Release Tension

• If you have ANY pain, let your teacher know AND go to the doctor!
• Stretch before playing
• ALWAYS warm up!

○ Long tones ○ Fingers ○ Articulation

• Take breaks
• Straight wrists
• “C” hands
• Work on this SLOWLY, using scales or other conjunct material
• Neckstrap?

Embouchure: Importance

• Air creates vibration and vibration creates sound
• Vibrations are essential for creating sound

○ Relaxed muscles allow for more vibration

Embouchure: The Science Behind It

• It’s hard for blood to reach tense muscles.

○ You need blood to deliver oxygen!

• Small muscles always tire quickly

○ Use the largest muscles you can

• When the muscles of the jaw completely relax, the

mouth naturally opens

• Muscles called constrictors wrap around the throat

○ This “open” position of the muscles maximizes air flow into the throat ○ During yawning or swallowing

• Muscles that control the throat are hard to

consciously control ■ Try tapping into natural instincts like yawning and swallowing ■ Try focusing on the base of the tongue or the throat

Embouchure: The Science Behind It

Embouchure: Diagnosing Tension

• Visual cues

○ Crunched chin ○ Jaw motion, esp. when changing register

• Tonal cues

○ Changes based on register or articulation ○ Unfocused sound (air issues can also cause this)

• Pitch cues

○ Flat = embouchure is too loose ○ Sharp = embouchure is too tense

• Biting is the most common problem (and is caused by tension!)

○ Pinched sound (esp. above the staff & in the altissimo) & uncontrolled entrances ○ This overlaps with breathing issues because biting compensates for not using the air correctly.

Embouchure: Strategies to Release Tension

• Jaw is open & relaxed; lips & surrounding muscles work to cushion reed/mouthpiece

○ There’s some muscular involvement around lips ■ Flat chin ■ Use ALL lips ○ Avoid tension ■ RELAX the jaw open ■ Feel for the hinge of the jaw opening ■ Feel for open throat ■ Avoid “dragon throat” - stay open & relaxed

Embouchure: Strategies to Release Tension

• How to develop awareness of & strengthen lip muscles

○ Double-lipped embouchure ○ Michael Lowenstern’s Q/T exercise ○ Whistle ○ Drink a thick milkshake/smoothie through a straw ○ Breath Builder ○ Devices to create awareness & strengthen corners of lips ■ Facial Flex (cheaper - stroke recovery) ■ Wind-O (more expensive - for instrumentalists)

In Conclusion...

• Tension is bad!

○ Physically ○ Mentally

• Fundamentals are important!

○ Understanding how your body works & how this affects playing clarinet ○ Use practice time (esp. warm-ups) to address fundamentals & eliminate tension

• Questions?

○ Contact us at emails or phone numbers on handout ○ PPT & Handouts are available at www.utm.edu/clarinet - Resources Link