Alexander Technique: “Posture”
Many pianists think about the importance of having good posture at the piano. Posture isn’t really a word that I tend to use in my teaching because it implies something static or held, and I think playing piano is more about how we move. So I’d like to address how I think about sitting and moving at the piano with an Alexander Technique perspective in mind.
When most of us think about good posture, we tend to forcibly pull up the neck and shoulders, and we create an arch in the lower back. That arch in the lower back restricts us when we try to move the torso to play up and down the keyboard. If we can undo that tension, we can create space between the arms and piano so that we can move more freely.
So how can we achieve that? There’s something in Alexander Technique called “constructive rest”. You can find plenty of videos that will talk you through it, but I highly recommend Imogen Ragone’s monthly constructive rest classes. To start out, you can just lie down on the floor in a semi-supine position before playing the piano, and notice the places where your body (especially your back) comes into contact with the floor.
When you’re ready to play the piano, just remember what it felt like to have your back against the floor. That should help you resist the urge to pull up at the neck and shoulders. It can seem like a subtle change when you’re starting out, but with some practice, you’ll start to notice a big difference in how you feel when you’re playing. It will help you to get out of your own way.
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