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