Further to the feature Musicians & Hand Therapy and Muscle Tones which appeared in Music Journal (MJ Sep 05 and Jan 06 respectively), I should like to suggest the following techniques that I was taught many years ago in the form of  ‘Muscular Relaxation in Performance’.

Relaxation is very important to all musicians, and providing one understands the use of the muscles, there should be no physical problems at all caused by playing an instrument. Although different muscles are used for different instruments, the same basic muscles apply to all. In fact musicians, although they do not realize it, have the answer to RSI (repetitive strain injury).

The correct use of the muscles – which sadly is something that has been neglected over the years – was automatically included in my teaching to students from the beginning. By understanding and using the right muscles and positioning of the body for the instrument, there should not be any tiredness or strain. I studied pianoforte, violin and organ and am a trained accompanist. I have 83 years of playing behind me, sometimes for as long as six hours at a time, with no ill effect; and if I was weary before the session I was refreshed afterwards, which is how one should feel if the whole body is relaxed towards the instrument.

The Hands

The hands are very important. Between each finger and thumbs there are muscles which have to be stretched, remembering that there is a big gap between the thumb and forefinger which also will stretch. If the finger muscles are not pliable, there are difficulties in playing; therefore they are exercised with scales, etc. Never drop the wrist or forearm to play the thumb. To begin with, the thumb will not reach the key; but do not worry about this, because as long as it is trying to reach the note it will eventually play.

Position of Hands

With the forearms level with the height of the keyboard, place the hands flat on the keyboard with fingertips facing the lid of the piano. From the wrists, slowly turn the hands into the outward position so that the tips of the thumbs (first finger) are level with the tips of the little fingers (fifth finger). It is a good idea to rest the thumbs and the fifth fingers against the edge of the black keys, as this will give a perfect position. The fingers are now ready for moving around the keyboard without any strain.

The Palm of the Hand

There are exercises to stretch the palm of the hand before playing octaves, ninths and tenths. Nothing should be forced, and the hand should be relaxed across the palm between each note. To stretch an octave, play and hold the key note with the thumb (first finger), slowly stretch the fourth finger by gently stretching to reach and play the fifth and sixth note of the scale; then, using semitones, continue to reach the seventh and the octave with ease. This is repeated for the fifth finger. At a later stage, with the same procedure starting with the fourth finger on the sixth note of the scale, gradually stretch until the ninth and tenth note are reached. If the hand aches in any way from this exercise, remove it from the keyboard and give it a shake. During the course of learning or playing, this is the only ache or pain one should ever receive. At all times the palm of the hand is relaxed, and when playing octaves in succession, the hand is relaxed between each octave or chord.

Position of the Body

Correct positioning for the piano is vital. The stool must be at the right height so that the upper arm is in a normal and relaxed position at the side of the body, and the forearms with elbows at the right angle to place the hands on the keyboard with wrists up and fingertips on the keyboard. Imagine the hand and fingers as a bunch of bananas. Place the third finger of each hand on the keyboard, keeping the wrists up with the fingers close to the black keys, which gives the correct line for playing (in my day it was one inch – I now use two centimetres). This is so that the white and black keys can be played without moving the hands backwards and forwards to keep even time. Then slightly push the forearms forward and feel as though the hands are going to touch the lid of the keyboard. This is now the correct position to commence playing.

To Play a Note

The strength of the fingers is in the tip, not the pad. Play with finger tips, pick up and bend fingers, as one note goes down the next note comes up – similar to two buckets of water: when one goes down the other comes up, passing it halfway.

To Repeat a Note

The note is repeated before the first note comes up.

To Strengthen the Fingers

Use any hard surface: placing the hand over the surface with wrist up, pick up and bend fingers in the same positions as on the keyboard of the piano – the louder the noise, the stronger the fingers. This method works very well to exercise fingers when on holiday or without access to a piano. It can also be of help to other instruments.

Breathing

Breathing is very important. In the early stages, it is quite common for students to hold their breath; therefore it is essential that the student should be made aware of this.

By this time, the student should be relaxed.

The Wrists

The wrists are very important and should be loose, because this is where the playing is done from. If they do not loosen up enough after exercises, there is an exercise one can do. Keep the upper arm in a natural comfortable position close to the body, bend the elbows with forearm into a right angle, and with one hand at a time slowly work the hand up and down in a relaxed manner. Eventually the hand will wave up and down quicker as the wrist becomes looser.

Playing the Piano

Always take the hands with you. As one ascends the scale, the forearm moves along the keyboard first, followed by the upper arm. While the arm is in the ascending position, take the hand with you by slightly turning the wrist, and when descending turn the wrist backwards so that the hand is facing in the direction the fingers are playing.

For broken chords and arpeggios, remember that the hands are well over the keyboard with the wrists up, and move the hands with the fingers over the keys in the direction being played. Sinding’s Rustle of Spring is a good example: in the right hand there are broken chords, taking the hand with each finger forward and backwards over seven notes per beat. Another good example is Mozart’s Sonata in C K545, bars 18 to 21, where each hand plays triplets in opposite directions.

Scales in the early grades are performed up to a moderate speed with wrists up. To play four octaves at a fast speed, lower the wrist and hand. For chromatic scales, lower the wrist and keep the first, third and second fingers very close together and cling to the keyboard. Staccato is played from the wrists with fingers firmly but lightly playing the note as if it were hot.

The Body

So far, the muscles from just below the shoulder blades have been used for playing. It is very relaxing when moving the arms and fingers with easy flowing music and playing in the middle of the keyboard – eg, the opening bars of Handel’s Harmonious Blacksmith.

The body must not be seen to move at any time. For example, to play a four octave scale hands together, having composed oneself and pulling up from the bottom of the spine, change the weight of the body to the left side, the weight then changes to even balance for the middle octaves, then changes again to the weight on the right side for the higher octaves. Descending, it is in reverse.

Let us take Finlandia by Sibelius as an example. To play heavy chords, as in the opening 23 bars: after composing one’s self, and having pulled up from the bottom of the spine, the weight of the body is on the left hand side, due to the fact that the right hand is playing in the bass clef. For the following nine and a half bars, the weight of the body changes to even balance, using the muscles just below the shoulder blades. Starting at bar 52 to the double bar, the weight of the body remains at even balance, but the music is played by using the muscles around the waist line. The cantabile is played in a very relaxing manner from the muscles just below the shoulder blades. This explains how the muscles of the whole back are used.

Singing

In my experience, some students find this difficult, mainly because they do not take a breath or open the mouth wide enough to pitch the sound. To overcome this problem, I suggested that the student takes a deep breath, then puts the side of the thumb between the front teeth, removing the thumb and singing as they breathe out slowly, so as to obtain a reasonably good tone.

I have accompanied quite a number of singers and the physic for singing has been to stand upright with shoulders back in a relaxed manner with the feet about one foot apart and the arms down at their sides, breathing deeply from the stomach.

The Violin and Viola

There is a recognized way to stand to play these instruments, with the feet roughly one foot apart and the right knee slightly relaxed in order to relax the bowing arm. With the instrument in a comfortable position, firmly resting between the shoulder and the chin and without any weight on the hand holding the neck of the instrument, the left elbow turns in under the instrument so that the wrist can turn the hand to reach all of the finger board without any strain.

In some cases, the correct way to hold the bow has been neglected due to the fact that some beginners find it difficult to hold. If the bow is not held in the proper way, the wrist and arms are not relaxed, hence the aches and muscle strain. I introduce the bow as a magic wand. The first finger lies bent with the knuckle on top of the frog and the thumb on the underneath; the fourth finger stretches to the nut; with the second and third fingers resting on the frog between the first and fourth fingers. The first finger and thumb control the bow and the fourth finger is to balance the bow: it will be noticed that the wrist is up.

Placing the bow on to a string, the knuckle of the first finger presses the wood of the bow so that the hair of the bow grips the string before drawing the bow down or up. As the string is played, the wrist moves up for the up bow and down for the down bow, with the forearm moving up or down according to which string is being played. Staccato is played with a quick wrist movement and is different to stop bowing.

The Shoulders

There should not be any tension in the shoulders if the muscles of the body are used correctly. In any case, tension can cause pain in other parts of the body. If necessary as an exercise, one can wriggle the shoulders and/or swing the arms in different directions in the mornings to help relax the shoulders. If a student has difficulty in relaxing, I use a puppet action which in my experience seems to work quite well. I ask the student to stand upright and bend over with their head down, letting their arms dangle loosely. Try to remain in that position whilst getting nearer to the piano to sit down, put the hands on the keyboard, then play.

Distractions

Showmanship is unnecessary. It is the quality of the performance which is valued by the audience and the energy used in this way should be put into the performance. Anything which is restricting any movement of the body should be removed before the performance. Nothing in the way of loose jewellery (eg, bracelets) or anything which could interfere with the sound of the music should be worn during a performance, as this distracts the listener and spoils the performance.

It is not necessary for violinists to make exaggerated movements on the stage while performing, causing the listener to follow the soloist around the stage instead of enjoying the programme. In any case there is a recognised stance.

The classical pianist has no need for showmanship in the movement of the body or hands when performing, nor show a hand display on conclusion of the performance. The energy should have gone into the performance. Once again, the body should not move.

Therapy

If the above teaching were followed, there would not be any more problems with tight or strained muscles in hands and forearms. But if the basic teaching is incorrect, there will be many problems.

The first four weeks of lessons in piano and violin are very important. In both cases, the first lesson is to position the anatomy correctly in relation to the instrument.

In the case of the piano: with hands separately, gradually using the fingers in the correct position over five notes in the right hand (middle C to G) and left hand and octave lower (C ascending to G, or middle C descending to G, whichever is easier for the pupil). With care this usually takes four weeks to cover, this period finishing with a little tune.

The first four weeks of lessons for the violin are to introduce the anatomy to the instrument and to the bow, and to play the open strings.

In the case of children, I asked for ten minutes a day of practice during the first week if possible, with the supervision of a parent for a very young child. This was to help the concentration. For the next three lessons, I judged the amount of practice according to the capability of the pupil.

There is now no tension, or tight and strained muscles, and if a student is weary before the session, they will be refreshed afterwards. One will find that the performance is greatly improved. It is, I think, so sad that understanding of the use of the muscles has not continued to be imparted to future generations.

Orience Burton is a retired private teacher of piano and violin. She is a member of the Wiltshire Centre, and this article is based on a talk she gave to the Centre in 2006.

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