Flexible Fingers Ц The Key to Great Instrument Playing

Articles on Musical Instruments | Topics: instruments, instrument

by Nimah Baker

It is possible that one of the most apparent things you need to know about playing an instrument is how to use it properly. This consists of how to hold it, how to control one's fingers, and how to arrive at the proper stance for ultimate playing results.

While playing instruments, the best way to shift the fingers to attain a desired result is to become skilled at playing with the slightest amount of stress in your hands and body. The utmost skill is reached with the nearly all the muscles relaxed. This too prevents developing habits, which may advance to injuries because of incorrect use of the skeletal frame and muscles. For example, when playing the piano "fingering" (knowing which keys the fingers belong on) is a skill that is slowly acquired as the student improves. There are many orthodox methods, which a teacher can convey. In addition to fingering, a guitar player is trained how to strum, pluck, and correct posture. Musicians of wind instruments study about breath control and correct placement of the fingers on the instrument. Singers become skilled at how to make the most of their vocal cords without damaging them.

There are countless folklore and misconceptions among music instructors, particularly in the western classical customs, about good and bad posture. The aspiring musician who finds that playing their instruments brings about physical pain ought to bring this to their instructor's attention. It is an important, if often unnoticed characteristic of learning to play an instrument. Learning to use your body in a style that is in harmony with the way your anatomy is designed to work can be the difference between serious damage and a lifetime of pleasure. Students should not take the "no pain, no gain" approach as a satisfactory answer from their music teacher when they tell them they are experiencing physical pain.

Alarm about injuries that occur due to using a musical instruments and the proper posture that musicians should use have become accepted by the mainstream in recent years. Musicians have gradually been turning to medical experts, physical therapists, and focused procedures seeking respite from pain and prevention of severe injury.

There are specialized exercises that may not be commonly accepted, many teachers instruct students with the rhythmic playing of particular patterns, such as scales, arpeggios, and rhythms. There are also series of exercises for piano intended to stretch the connection between fourth and fifth fingers, making them more independent.

Instrumental performers are a unique group of individuals at risk for recurring motion injuries. A substantial amount of them develops physical complications connected to playing their instruments; and if they are also computer users, the dangers are complex.

What can you do to keep your fingers flexible and stretch them without causing injury?

Assess your technique Ц decrease force and find positions that will keep the joints in the middle of their range of motion, use larger muscle groups when feasible, and lessen body usage that entails fixed, tensed stances.

аHistorical Quote

We are all instruments endowed with feeling and memory. Our senses are so many strings that are struck by surrounding objects and that also frequently strike themselves.

—Denis Diderot (1713–84)

Always warm up Ц Musicians are like athletes and if they try to use their instrument without warming up, they are sure eventually to cause injury.

Take a lot of breaks to stretch and relax Ц You should take short breaks frequently as well as longer breaks every hour or so. Steady tension and repetitive motion does not permit the body to wash away metabolic waste products and this can damage tissues after a while. Even in the middle of playing a section of music, you may have a few moments to relax a hand or arm to bring back circulation. Excessive training actually diminishes performance. Try two or shorter practices in a day instead of one long, concentrated session, and set time limits on the total time you are on your instrument.

Assess other activities Ц Your troubles may be based upon other things you do frequently. Computer use is an excellent example, but excessive effort and/or stressors in other daily activities may have a huge impact too.

Take notice of what your body is saying to youЦ Pain is your body's way of telling you that it is in trouble. Do not ignore this, but at the same time learn what is comfortable or problematic. If you learn the signs before your body is in pain, you may prevent injury.

Check out your instrument Ц are you using a one that is too large or awkward for you?

Be careful with the methods us utilize for strengthening your fingers Ц if you practice your musical exercises in excess while having an improper technique, or poor posture, you may only increase your problems

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Please note: All personal opinions expressed in the "Flexible Fingers Ц The Key to Great Instrument Playing" article belong to the contributing author and are not necessarily shared by MusicInstrumentsCds.com.

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