Alexander Technique can be an extremely useful skill to learn especially for musicians and instrumentalists.
There is always a tendency to use too much tension when playing an instrument, out of lack of awareness, which then interferes with a balanced co-ordination throughout the body.
Much of our good intention to play well actually becomes tension!
By becoming more aware of our harmful habits, especially when practising, we can gradually unlearn harmful patterns.
Practising our musical instruments and using this kind of awareness in daily life is the key to a much improved body use that prevents pain and stiffness throughout the whole body including the neck, arms and fingers.
It helps us to play with much greater ease, improves technical abilty and lets the sound develop more freely!
I completely agree with everything in this article. I am a piano and violin teacher and, although I amd not a qualified Alexander teacher, the technique has played a very important part in my life for the last 16 years and has influenced the way I teach both instruments, as well as my approach to my own practice and performance work.
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