Q&A: Neck pain and the piano

Any type of pain associated with playing an instrument needs to be addressed. Let’s talk about neck pain in this post, though, to keep things manageable for readers. Onset When and how did your neck pain start? What were you doing at the time? What do you do when not playing the piano? For example, [...]

Split fingers: something that works

An anonymous reader contributes

Phlegm!

Until now, I thought phlegm bothered only singers.

Trying something new? Proceed with caution!

My students, as well as contributors to a piano discussion forum in which I participate, often talk about the same dilemma.  When trying something new, they have physical pain!  This should not be the case. People’s first reaction, and I include myself, is that the pain will go away.  It doesn’t.  Don’t ignore pain! I [...]

Ergonomics: Watch those angles!

One morning last week, I woke up with swollen, painful hands.  What was going on?  I felt upset for several hours.  Then, after some time, I figured out the cause. It wasn’t from playing the piano. I’m writing about my experience so you can avoid the same discomfort. Background There was a significant amount of [...]

How to help adult beginners play pain-free

“When I practice this piece, I feel  pain.” Adult students sometimes experience physical discomfort when learning a challenging piece.  A good teacher will know how to facilitate a student’s practicing so s/he can play comfortably and not incur injury. Causes Tension Some people are not the most relaxed beings on the planet, myself included.  Tension we carry every [...]

The single most important thing you can do right now to improve your practice sessions

​How often do you spend hours practicing, only to realize later that much of that time was wasted? If the answer is anything other than “occasionally,” you can do something about it.  Practicing does not have to be unconscious. How to avoid going around in circles Make a plan for this practice session based on [...]

Update: James Levine adjusts schedule

In looking at his extremely busy conducting schedule vis-a-vis his health, James Levine has made several changes in his schedule. Articles have appeared in The New York Times and the Boston Globe, providing detailed information about the most recent changes: You: Levine Cuts Back on Work for the Met (nytimes.com) James Levine withdraws from remainder [...]

Do you practice with self-compassion?

An article in last week’s health section of the New York Times cites research suggesting that people who practice self-compassion have more positive outcomes with losing weight and exercising than those who are more self-critical. While reading the article, I wondered whether we could look at practicing in the same way. The researchers found that people do better [...]

Mindset gets it done!

Tasha Danvers, British Olympic athlete ~ Image via Wikipedia A recent New York Times article talks about the mindset athletes need to push through pain during competitions. This post is not intended to suggest that musicians play through pain!  The mindset, though, can be very useful. The following is a paraphrase of some of the [...]