In the last article, we looked at the best way to review your posture and playing position and fiddling with varied styles.
Quickly going back to posture, if you're struggling to find your natural position, try this exercise:
Drop your arms down by your side so that your arms, hands and fingers are totally limp and pointing to the floor. Next lift up your forearms at the elbow, so they are horizontal, pointing towards the piano. Then let your hands drop at the wrist as if you were about to play a piano note.
This is your natural playing position. Experimenting using this as your beginning position will help you in finding a cosy position to avoid aches.
If you've found your ultimate playing position don't stop there, you'll also need to exercise. Do not worry, this isn't as exhausting as it sounds.
To exercise, ball your hands into tight fists for a few seconds. Then release and stretch out your fingers into a stretched out starfish shape. Repeat this a couple of times.
Next, pretend you've got an invisible barbell in both your hands and make the motion of 'pumping iron ' with your arms. Bring you hands to your shoulders and down again. Repeat this a few times as well.
Do this before, in the middle of and after practice. This will give your arms, hands and fingers a short break from playing and you will be surprised by how much this can do to ease discomfort, anxiety and stress.
Also, if you are practicing for an extended period of time, be totally sure to take regular breaks every 15 minutes. This is going to help release any stress you may be building up and get you to reset your posture when you return to the piano, as its quite simple to fall into a bad posture without even thinking about it!
Remember, always be mindful of your body when you practice piano, keep your well-being under consideration and be observant for any developing tenderness or stress when you play. This is the safest defense against future problems.
Quickly going back to posture, if you're struggling to find your natural position, try this exercise:
Drop your arms down by your side so that your arms, hands and fingers are totally limp and pointing to the floor. Next lift up your forearms at the elbow, so they are horizontal, pointing towards the piano. Then let your hands drop at the wrist as if you were about to play a piano note.
This is your natural playing position. Experimenting using this as your beginning position will help you in finding a cosy position to avoid aches.
If you've found your ultimate playing position don't stop there, you'll also need to exercise. Do not worry, this isn't as exhausting as it sounds.
To exercise, ball your hands into tight fists for a few seconds. Then release and stretch out your fingers into a stretched out starfish shape. Repeat this a couple of times.
Next, pretend you've got an invisible barbell in both your hands and make the motion of 'pumping iron ' with your arms. Bring you hands to your shoulders and down again. Repeat this a few times as well.
Do this before, in the middle of and after practice. This will give your arms, hands and fingers a short break from playing and you will be surprised by how much this can do to ease discomfort, anxiety and stress.
Also, if you are practicing for an extended period of time, be totally sure to take regular breaks every 15 minutes. This is going to help release any stress you may be building up and get you to reset your posture when you return to the piano, as its quite simple to fall into a bad posture without even thinking about it!
Remember, always be mindful of your body when you practice piano, keep your well-being under consideration and be observant for any developing tenderness or stress when you play. This is the safest defense against future problems.
About the Author:
Dr. Anthony Fernando is the creator of the well-liked piano software " Piano Is Fun which helps children and adult students learn how to read piano notes. Visit his website for more piano note information