Our bodies and our instruments
Stress and repetition can cause painful inflammation and pain from playing your instrument. Here are some helps that everyone needs to apply!
Please take heed...
Please take heed...
- Rest, rest and rest! Rest is the best thing that you can do for any pain or inflamation.
- Next to rest, proper posture while playing your instrument is the most important thing that you can do for your body and playing and breathing.
- Short times of practice are better than marathon practices.
- Start small and build up strength and endurance.
- Do exercises that are appropriate to strength or stretch that part of the body.
- Developing strength or muscles over time to support the instrument is extremely important.
- Holding an instrument at the correct angle is extremely important in avoiding injury and developing the proper musculature and coordination to play the instrument for a long time into the future.
- For most wind and brass instruments, it is important that the instrument is brought to the mouth as opposed to the student adjusting around the instrument.
- Good strong breath support is an absolute must.
- Everyone must become "expert breathers".
- Listen to your body. Avoid tension and/or over-straining, which will only bring fatigue and injury.
- Always warm up.