Join the Movement
An Introduction to the Alexander Technique
For an amateur musician, an overuse or stress-related injury that halts playing for a while might be an inconvenience; for a professional musician, an injury could end a career. That’s why the Alexander Technique has long been popular among musicians.
The Alexander Technique is a psychophysical training method that teaches how to increase body awareness, recognize unnecessary physical habits, and rid the body of harmful tension.
The technique is named after F. Matthias Alexander, a Shakespearean orator who lived from 1869 to 1955. Alexander began studying the human body and its movements because he suffered from voice problems caused by excess tension.
Although the technique is best taught by trained instructors using extensive hands-on guidance and verbal instructions, its main principles can be grasped by musicians of all experience levels.
Unlike Yoga or other stretching, posture, and movement methods, the Alexander Technique focuses on observation rather than a set of exercises. For example, if you observe a young child’s movements, you may notice that they have an ideal posture: a long spine, flexible joints, free breathing, and a loose neck that easily supports their head.
By observing how you sit or hold your instrument, you can begin to notice patterns of excess tension and inefficient body movements which develop from poor postural habits, overused movements, and emotional or psychological stress.
It is only later in life that bad habits, repeated movements, and stress cause the body to move inefficiently. To combat this, the Alexander Technique attempts to increase “kinesthesia,” or body sensory awareness, and help us unlearn the bad habits we have picked up throughout life.
Musicians took to the Alexander Technique because they are particularly susceptible to overuse, stress, tight muscles, and slouching. Nervousness about performing can make limbs tense, and exercises and scales can cause repetitive use injuries.
One way the Alexander Technique helps musicians is by teaching them that physical problems can limit creativity and that making music is supposed to be fun. One lesson of the Alexander Technique is that when you practice, try to become more aware of how your body interacts with your instrument.
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Different instruments put different demands on the body. Violinists and flutists should look for tension in the arms, hands, and shoulders. Wind players can be tense in the chest and shoulders, and often take shallow breaths instead of letting air move freely through their lungs.
Musicians who stand to play may slouch and strain their backs and necks. All musicians should be aware of locked shoulders, tight limbs, clenched jaws, and tense torsos. Try to observe your playing carefully using a long mirror to identify your own playing habits.
Another important concept of the Alexander Technique is that of “end-gaining.” One way to explain this concept is to ask yourself whether you sacrifice means in order to reach an end. If you’ve ever found yourself struggling to learn a tricky passage or new chord sequence “at all costs,” then you are end-gaining.
Setting challenging goals is an important way for musicians to motivate themselves, but relying on bad habits to try to get quick results is not the best way to achieve those goals.
