Further discussion: ergonomic instruments, injuries, perfect pitch

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Don Ehrlich, ergonomic instruments, ergonomic viola, injury, music education, pedagogy, perfect pitch, recovery, surgery, updates

Town crier in Plymouth, Devon, England, 2014. By Sullivanthepoet. (Own work.) [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons

New information updates previous blog posts!  Recent input informs the way we handle injuries, where each of us is in the perfect pitch conversation, and ergonomic instrument development.

First, Don Ehrlich, who plays an ergonomic viola, posted this comment on Facebook:

Don:  Hi Gretchen, An interesting point in time that this [link to my guest post] reached my computer. You don’t know this: The injury to my right thumb got worse and worse. For example, I played a performance of Bach’s 3rd Brandenburg Concerto, where in rehearsals I couldn’t get my bow to behave as I wanted it to. (It did work out in the performance, thank heavens.) Turns out to have been a broken tendon. I found a Very Good hand surgeon in Kaiser South San Francisco. He operated on me on April 13. I’m only now in recovery, trying to regain my skill, strength and endurance. Today I had an appointment with my physical therapist, one recommended by my surgeon. He is weaning me off my range-of-motion exercises and giving me strengthening exercises. Life is never easy, I guess. There is a new-styled frog for violin/viola bows, the Galliane frog. It’s supposed to be ergonomic, though I don’t know how. I was hoping to have it in place already, for my recovery, but that hasn’t happened yet. I can keep you posted, if you like.

Gretchen:  Thanks for being in touch, Don. I was unaware that tendons could break. Best of luck, and yes, please keep me posted.

OK if I add your comment to your guest post?

Don:  Of course.

My physical therapists usually like to say to avoid surgery at all costs. Well, for me it became intolerable, and surgery became necessary.

Gretchen:  Thanks, Don. I know 2 other people who have had tendon surgery (a finger was trapped in closed position for both). They are completely back to normal now; one is a pianist.

I’m glad you did it, given the circumstances.

Don Ehrlich’s guest post:

http://gretchensaathoff.com/2009/11/07/guest-post-by-don-ehrlich-s-f-violist/

A previous post about playing with pain and ergonomic instruments:

http://gretchensaathoff.com/2009/10/31/are-you-playing-with-pain-ergonomic-instruments/

A related article:

Ergonomic Advice for Specific Instruments
http://www.artist-musikerhalsan.se/en/musician-ergonomics/3-ergonomic-advice-specific-instruments

Another Facebook find, from Beth Parker:

Science Has Great News for People Who Can’t Sing
http://www.interlude.hk/front/science-great-news-people-cant-sing/

A related discussion:

Perfect pitch and relative pitch: how do they differ?
http://gretchensaathoff.com/2015/05/14/perfect-pitch-and-relative-pitch-how-are-they-different/

and my e-book!

“Goal-oriented Practice”
Are you practicing safely? How do you approach physically demanding works? Do you power through when the pressure is on? How do you guide your students?

This book will help you take a step back, save practice time, learn more music, and perform with confidence.

50% off!!!

What did you find here?  What would you like to see? Comments welcome!

If this post has been helpful and you think your friends and contacts would benefit from reading it, please share.

I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks!

Many thanks to Don Ehrlich and Beth Parker. 

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