Body Tension

ADziuk · Posted: Sat May 21, 2005 1:03 pm Post subject: Body Tension

Well, here is the deal. While I play trumpet, I have several really horrible body tension issues that happen.

First of all, my left arm gets really, really tense, and the muscles all flex very hard no matter what I am playing. It doesn't affect my playing at all(i.e. I am not pulling the horn into my face) but it it irritating because my arm gets tired and sore after many hours of practicing. I am pretty sure that this is a subconcious habit aquired from marching band seven or eight years ago. When I try to conciously relax my arm I can't play very well, not because I really do need the tension, just because the part of my brain that turns on to play trumpet is so strongly subconciously connected to the part that tightens up my arm.

Same issue with some back tension. No real adverse effects on my playing, just sick of getting back aches after practicing.

I have not been down to see Mr. Adam for a bit now. I will get to see him a lot this fall, but for now what do you older Bill Adam guys have to say about issues like this? What kind of thinking or relaxation or anything did Mr. Adam have people do to break this?
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jpellett · Posted: Sat May 21, 2005 1:36 pm Post subject:

I had a problem with that in college and my teacher John Head, who was a Bill Adam student, had me play holding the horn by just resting the horn on my fingers. It helped a lot, and I still do it occasionally if I feel tension creeping back. I have a feeling that the Shulman System gives a similar effect, but it probably does it better. I'm planning on ordering one soon.

Jason Pellett
www.atlantabrassalliance.com/trumpetlessons.html
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PhatMon · Posted: Sat May 21, 2005 1:53 pm Post subject:

The eacxt same tension happens to me in my left arm. I sometimes play just holding my horn with my right hand while my left arm hangs loosely by my side. I have considered the Shulman system....anybody here have any experience with one and does it work??
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Billy B · Posted: Sat May 21, 2005 4:08 pm Post subject:

Kenny Werner's book Effortless Mastery has some on this. He has you put your horn down then simply sit and relax. Then reach over and just touch your instrument. Note the changes in your body. When you can do this and remain relaxed, pick the horn up and just hold it. Then touch it to your lips. Then actually play a note. Pick up the book, it is well worth it. As far as Adam goes, I haven't heard him address this problem specifically, except that tension is a primal reaction to fear.
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Trumpet Monkey · Posted: Sat May 21, 2005 6:08 pm Post subject:

I very highly recommend the Alexander Technique. When I was an undergrad I had some major tension issues while playing. I heard about the Alexander Technique classes that our school of music offered and thought I’d give it a try. My teacher, an Adam student, was a little hesitant about Alexander Technique because he thought it would distract you from focusing on the sound while playing but I found that it fits quite well with Mr. Adams’ teaching.

The simplest way to describe the Alexander Technique is that it’s a way to get rid of the excess tension in your body, but of course there’s much more to it than that. I had a pretty decent sound before I began my Alexander lessons but once I got into it my sound really opened up and became more Herseth-like. I found it much easier to get the sound that was in my head to come out of the horn because I wasn’t fighting my own body any more.

I’d recommend finding an Alexander Technique teacher in your area if you can. Alexander Technique is like Mr. Adams’ approach to trumpet playing in that you can talk about general ideas but to really benefit you need to have lessons in person and it may take a little time for things to come around. If you can’t find a teacher there’s a very good book by Glynn MacDonald called The Complete Illustrated Guide to Alexander Technique. It’d be a good starting point. Google brings up some good information about it as well.

I’m curious if anyone else here has had experience with this? If so let me know what you think about it and how it fits or does not fit with Mr. Adams’ teaching. Hope this helps.
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Billy B · Posted: Sun May 22, 2005 6:18 am Post subject:

I do know that Mr. Adam studied Aikido.
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Bill Bergren

_FELIX C · Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2005 5:19 am Post subject:

intersting post. I feel the same while playing not while practicing. It affects a lot my performance.
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dkruziki · Regular Member Joined: 19 Mar 2005 Posts: 33

There are some other books out as well. Performance Success and Audition Success by Don Greene are good. He talks about a concept of centering. Basically you formulate what you are going to get done after you center and then you take centering breaths in your nose and exhale out of your mouth. You should read the books yourself though, I am no expert.