Relax!Improve Your Playing by Releasing Tension
Dr. Liz Aleksander and Andrew MorencyUniversity of Tennessee at Martin
Tension ● Goal when playing: minimize tension
● Tension radiates to other areas
○ Physical and Mental
● Tension is caused by using the body in an inefficient way
● We do need some level of physical involvement in four key areas
○ Breathing
○ Posture
○ Hands
○ Embouchure
● BUT: there needs to be as little tension as possible
Tension ● How & when to make these changes
○ Some changes are easiest to start working on when AWAY from the clarinet!
○ When practicing, make these fundamental adjustments while warming up (esp. long tones)
○ Direct awareness to area & address the issue
○ Don’t judge or berate yourself!
○ Relax into the change; don’t force it
Breathing: Importance● Deep, low, relaxing breaths result in:
○ More air
○ Better sound
○ Mental relaxation
● Shallow breaths lead to:
○ Less air
○ Anxiety
○ Fatigue & endurance problems
Breathing: The Science Behind It● Diaphragm is the muscle most responsible for breathing
○ 80% of breathing work done by this muscle
● Breathing occurs when diaphragm contracts and pulls down
○ Belly breathing
■ Diaphragm pushes downward into the abdomen
■ Fills more air sacs in the lungs - more air to use
● We use accessory muscles to allow maximum air intake
○ External intercostals- lift the rib cage up and outward
● When the diaphragm relaxes, we breathe out normally
● But to forcefully exhale, we have other muscles that help force the air out
○ The internal intercostals and abdominal muscles squeeze the rib cage down & push the
diaphragm back up forcefully
○ Control over these “core” muscles allows us to exhale with force
Breathing: The Science Behind It
Breathing: Inhalation & Exhalation● Inhaling
○ Every good inhalation begins with a good exhalation
○ Diaphragm breathing
■ Feel back & sides
○ Breathe low
○ Open throat
■ Yawning
■ Nose breath
● Exhaling (playing!)
○ Fast (cold) vs slow (warm) air
■ Don’t be swayed by well-intentioned conductors
○ Open throat - maintain this from inhalation
Breathing: Diagnosing Tension● Unfocused tone
○ Problems projecting or lack of presence in the sound
○ Articulation (esp. staccato) exacerbates tonal issues
● Uncontrolled or unpredictable entrances
● Problems with connection around the breaks
● Inability to play loud
● Issues with response and/or cracking, esp. above the staff & in the altissimo
● Pitch is flat, esp. above the staff & in the altissimo
Breathing: Strategies to Release Tension● Breathing low
○ Listen to the sound of the breath
■ High pitched - Shallow/Tense
■ Low pitched - Deep/Relaxed
○ Feel for expansion of back & sides
○ Avoid raising the shoulders when inhaling
○ Inhale through your nose
○ Lie down
○ Use Breath Builder
Breathing: Strategies to Release Tension● Using cold air
○ When seated, pick feet up & hold legs parallel to floor
○ “Play” it on the airstream only
● Open throat
○ Yawn (maintain while playing too)
● Optimal position = optimal body health, free breathing, optimal musical sounds
● Poor Posture = pain/injury, more difficult to breath freely which leads to poor sound
● Posture affects:
○ Tone
○ Dynamics
○ Articulation
○ Technique
● Keeps body healthy and efficient
The body is good at compensating for poor posture!
It’s hard to fix once it’s become a habit, so this needs to be addressed early & often!
● When & where to address postural issues
Posture: Importance
Posture: The Science Behind It● Proper posture consists of supporting the body along the axis
● Sit on the ischium
○ The “sit down” bone
● Leaning will make very small muscles work hard to maintain bad posture
● Remember: muscles are straight tissues, so they work best when aligned
● The abs play a major role in keeping the body straight in the front
○ They’re also used for playing!
● The erector spinae group pulls the other direction from the back
○ But don’t hyperextend!
● You want a balance between your back and abs
Posture: The Science Behind It
Front Back
● Remember to always use the largest muscle for the job
● Use these big muscles to support your instrument
● Roll your weight back
○ Support the weight on your deltoids and trapezius
○ Leaning forward to support the instrument puts stress on
weaker / smaller shoulder muscles & areas of the body like
the wrists
● Make sure your shoulder muscles don’t raise up
○ Remember, roll them back!
Posture: The Science Behind It
Posture: Diagnosing Tension● Hunched shoulders
● Slouching
● “Good girl” posture (upright, but stiff & tense)
● Reaching for the horn with the head / neck
● Holding bell between the legs / knees
● Crossing the legs
Posture: Strategies to Release Tension● Maintain natural skeletal alignment
○ Imagine string pulling upward from the crown of your head
○ Jump! - how you land is most stable
○ Use a wall
○ Distribute weight evenly
○ Shoulders relaxed down the back
■ Balance an object on your shoulder to detect excess movement
● Sitting vs. standing posture
● Keep as relaxed as possible
● Yoga, Alexander Technique, & body mapping
Hand Position: Importance● Even, facile technique
● Faster technical passages
● Most importantly: avoids injury (RSIs)
Hand Position: The Science Behind It● Muscles provide the force that moves our body
○ But tendons & ligaments directly attach to the bones
● Muscles can be much more easily stretched & bent than
ligaments
○ Imagine a massage
● Tendons & ligaments are made of a different type of
tissue that only stretches one direction, and your hand
is filled with it!
○ This is why it’s very important to pay attention to how
your hands are aligned!
● Problems caused by over-stretched or misaligned ligaments & tendons include:
○ Decreased mobility
○ Fatigue / exhaustion
○ RSIs (repetitive stress injuries) like tendonitis & Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
● Unlike muscles, tendons & ligaments take a much longer time to heal than muscles
○ This is why proper hand posture is so important! It:
■ Prevents injury
■ Allows a wider range of movement
■ Increases endurance
Hand Position: The Science Behind It
Hand Position: Diagnosing Tension● Uneven fingers
● Inability to speed up technical passages
● Lack of control, inc. inability to play fast passages at a slower tempo
● Squeaks resulting from not consistently covering the holes completely
● ANY pain in the hands, wrists, or arms
Hand Position: Strategies to Release Tension● If you have ANY pain, let your teacher know AND go to the doctor!
● Stretch before playing
● ALWAYS warm up!
○ Long tones
○ Fingers
○ Articulation
● Take breaks
● Straight wrists
● “C” hands
● Work on this SLOWLY, using scales or other conjunct material
● Neckstrap?
Embouchure: Importance● Air creates vibration and vibration creates sound
● Vibrations are essential for creating sound
○ Relaxed muscles allow for more vibration
Embouchure: The Science Behind It● It’s hard for blood to reach tense muscles.
○ You need blood to deliver oxygen!
● Small muscles always tire quickly
○ Use the largest muscles you can
● When the muscles of the jaw completely relax, the
mouth naturally opens
● Muscles called constrictors wrap around the throat
○ This “open” position of the muscles maximizes air
flow into the throat
○ During yawning or swallowing
● Muscles that control the throat are hard to
consciously control
■ Try tapping into natural instincts like yawning
and swallowing
■ Try focusing on the base of the tongue or the
throat
Embouchure: The Science Behind It
Embouchure: Diagnosing Tension● Visual cues
○ Crunched chin
○ Jaw motion, esp. when changing register
● Tonal cues
○ Changes based on register or articulation
○ Unfocused sound (air issues can also cause this)
● Pitch cues
○ Flat = embouchure is too loose
○ Sharp = embouchure is too tense
● Biting is the most common problem (and is caused by tension!)
○ Pinched sound (esp. above the staff & in the altissimo) & uncontrolled entrances
○ This overlaps with breathing issues because biting compensates for not using the air correctly.
Embouchure: Strategies to Release Tension● Jaw is open & relaxed; lips & surrounding muscles work to cushion reed/mouthpiece
○ There’s some muscular involvement around lips
■ Flat chin
■ Use ALL lips
○ Avoid tension
■ RELAX the jaw open
■ Feel for the hinge of the jaw opening
■ Feel for open throat
■ Avoid “dragon throat” - stay open & relaxed
Embouchure: Strategies to Release Tension● How to develop awareness of & strengthen lip muscles
○ Double-lipped embouchure
○ Michael Lowenstern’s Q/T exercise
○ Whistle
○ Drink a thick milkshake/smoothie through a straw
○ Breath Builder
○ Devices to create awareness & strengthen corners of lips
■ Facial Flex (cheaper - stroke recovery)
■ Wind-O (more expensive - for instrumentalists)
In Conclusion...● Tension is bad!
○ Physically
○ Mentally
● Fundamentals are important!
○ Understanding how your body works & how this affects playing clarinet
○ Use practice time (esp. warm-ups) to address fundamentals & eliminate tension
● Questions?
○ Contact us at emails or phone numbers on handout
○ PPT & Handouts are available at www.utm.edu/clarinet - Resources Link
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