This ebook, An Alexander Technique Approach to Trombone Technique, is published on this website in a PDF format. It is very detailed and practical, and it will give you the physical tools you need to take the limits off of your ability to create the accurate trombone technique you want without sacrificing your body.
This ebook is also for sale on all AMAZON websites in a KINDLE format.
Located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.A. (MOVEMENT THERAPY)
This conversation is about applying the Alexander Technique to Dave’s return to playing the trombone after years of not playing because of injury. We’re discussing how he can play again and not hurt himself like he did years ago, by using the principles of good posture and good use in the Alexander Technique.
Dave graduated from a reputable school in trombone performance about 35 years ago. Unfortunately his career was cut short after suffering from Focal Task Specific Dystonia. Dave had some limited experience with an Alexander Technique teacher some twenty years ago, but was unable to apply it in a way that would allow him to return to playing trombone at a reasonable level without getting injured over and over.
So, Dave reached out upon learning I was an Alexander Technique teacher who specialized in working with performing musicians, and what follows is a discussion of the principles of the Alexander Technique applied to how to play the trombone without pain and injury.
ETHAN: So, I can’t wait. What do you think of my trombone ebook?
DAVE: Hey Ethan! This book is simply incredible! I have gone to the heart of the problem, holding the trombone and posture. So, I haven’t gotten much past the first few pages:-)!!
Here’s the problem I’ve run into (I originally wanted to wait a few more days before I got in touch). Breaking down the observations of “where am I holding” is overwhelming. The result – not much being fixed.
Problem 2; probably as a result of the previous; no emotional satisfaction, frustration etc.
Now this is really important. Your comment, which said become perfect at leaning to play stress fear, has really, REALLY struck a chord. However, does the work now become more about mechanics and less about the note? As you can see I’m a little confused in my “how to proceed”.
Here’s the thing. Your eBook has me nodding my head over and over. It’s described my issues as if it was written for me alone!!!! I’m wondering; should I keep reading or can you give my an idea on how to get the most from my practice time?
ETHAN: Thanks very much for telling me the book is incredible. Since the book speaks to you, and I know I’m not boring (ha!ha!), then the reason you’re nodding off, is the book is a threat to your ego, to what you have believed about yourself as a trombone player for 30 years, which hasn’t been very loving. So, be kind to yourself.
Here’s my suggestion, read a few pages each day, cycling through the whole book over and over. I did this with a profoundly spiritual book, and it really helped me accept and internalize what I knew was the truth of the book I was reading.
As to practice, why not sit down a half hour a day and apply what you’re reading/experiencing/realizing. Set up simple practice patterns, scales, exercises, very simple pieces, applying what you’re reading. Let it be ok to be a beginner again.
As to this turning into an emotionless exercise, making the trombone easier and easier, so you can let go of the hate side of your love/hate relationship with it, is NOT an exercise in not feeling. It makes what you’re doing, letting go of your fear, an opening for the love you once had for the trombone.
DAVE: Good Morning. I’m really amazed at times how WORDS can change one’s perspective! I get what you’re driving at and it’s time to regroup. And Yes I like the idea of reading a few pages a day. Once again, many thanks Ethan! I’ll get back to you.
ETHAN: You know the more I think about it, this conversation with you has made me realize how much I love music and the arts.
DAVE: I agree. I have this almost aching feeling when I listen to or watch players doing music that I used to do with ease. It drives me batty at times!
Something I meant to ask you when we spoke last week. Why do I find my trombone so heavy when I pick it up, with my left hand? Because of this, a whole bunch of muscles go in to a sort of compensatory mode which invites tensing and stiffness. Is this truly something physical or the result of poor usage?
ETHAN: I see it as psychological and poor usage, which gives you back the power to choose, doesn’t it?
DAVE: Hey Ethan! Just touching base to let you know what’s going on. Pretty exciting stuff. It’s seems whenever I have a question about a comment you’ve made, I read a little bit further and Viola there it is!!! Which brings up the question, are the problems I’ve encountered That Predictable?
In any case, I’ve found Alexander technique is providing me with a kind of “State of Grace”. The fighting with the trombone appears to be slowly going away (ever so slowly) to the point I can make good contact AND make changes. (very slight). No question, issues with sitting, hunching the shoulders, the Breath; all the usual suspect’s mentioned in the Book.
Now, I made a bad mistake the other day. I was feeling pretty confident and started to blow with too much force and had a setback. My specific issue-which is the crux of the problem; somewhere along the line, years ago, I made a bad embouchure shift, stemming from fatigue, I think. I must get that back in line!!!!!! The body is such a mess going in ten different directions when preparing to play, carrying over to actually making sound. DAMN!
I also happened across a couple of good You Tube Video’s which has helped as reminders of the Pedagogical end of things including a really good, new way to grip the trombone with the left hand. I’m trying it and I’m really liking it. (from Douglas Yeo, Bass Trombonist Boston Symphony).
My new Mantra is Slow & Steady. I’m finding Alexander technique is giving good feedback as to when the fatigue set’s in soooo, so far so good.
I know you’re busy but how would you feel about doing another conference call in a week or so? That way I’ll save up all of my questions.
ETHAN: So, the louder you play, the MORE you want to inhibit/release – right before you blow and as you blow. Sure, let me know when you want to talk.
DAVE: Hello Ethan! I think I’m stuck. My problem has to do with HOW I’m reading your ebook. I’m getting hung up on certain words which are causing me to NOT see the overall point.
Example: You say check the Jaw for tension. No question-it’s there. So that has me focused on jaw tension, AND NOTHING ELSE!!!! As I read, I’m constantly picking at snippet’s of what you’re saying and if it fit’s my perception of what’s going on any particular day or hour, that’s what I grab onto.
Now, there a couple of very objective problems that I’ve found as a result of your ebook:
1. I have a serious embouchure shift. In effect I’ve been playing out the side of my mouth.
2. My whole body is just so stiff and rigid. I’m at the point where, I can only play a single note, (an ongoing problem for as long as I can remember).
Goodness Gracious, when I started playing the trombone in Grade 9, I could play music better than what I’m doing now!!!!!
So I’d really like to hear your thoughts on how to read your ebook. I see myself editing the content, self-defeating and creating a lot of clutter when I sit down to practice without really understanding WHAT I need to do! Can you expand for me the comment below about the loud playing and the inhibiting/release?
ETHAN: So, with jaw tension, you see it. Feel it, and right before you play you release it. This is inhibition. One trick is to really tighten your jaw and then release it, and then play. If you can’t feel the tension, then put your hands on the sides of your face for feedback and just blow without the trombone.
Now, try playing a single note and releasing your jaw as you blow. What has happened is you tell yourself you can’t play with a released jaw and this is a lie, and it is based on you NEVER did play with a free jaw. So you never really felt what was happening to your jaw as you played.
As to your whole body, you are now aware of what you were doing to yourself when you played. Do an inventory of releases as you play a single note. Release the tension in your left thigh and play. Release the tension in your neck and play, etc., etc.
Here is the positive side of all of this. You NOW KNOW how much tension you have always played with, and it is massive. Imagine how good you’ll feel and play when you stop doing the unnecessary in your playing. This really proves it is about body use and technique, not about a damaged body.
DAVE: Today I decided to change it up a bit at practice time. I went almost all Alexander technique; how I’m holding the horn, how I’m breathing, some light buzzing with a spare lead pipe and finally, how I’m moving the slide around. I wanted to observe just how inefficiently I really am and if I can inhibit any of it.
I discovered my whole upper body was shifted left, which explains the lower back pain on my right side. My FTSD dystonia has me locking my right shoulder and “hunching” it towards the left. Not good ’cause it has me tightening my upper chest. In a previous email you used the word massive to describe the tension. Oh it’s massive all right!!!
And just to be sure Ethan, it’s not like this stuff is new. It is however, something you try to tuck away or try to hide. So, my overall plan is to practice smarter, use the ebook while trying to balance NOT playing it too safe. Does this all coincide with your thinking?
ETHAN: Yes! When you go “all Alexander” as you say, you’re taking care of yourself, and in taking care of yourself, you’re automatically taking care of your horn playing. “Not playing it too safe” is playing without holding anywhere in the body, as you balance fully upward. That is the goal of the technique.
As to your whole body shifting left, I’d suggest setting up a couple of door length mirrors around you, so you can see what you’re doing. In my Alexander Technique training we used mirrors all of the time to reinforce and confirm that we were doing what we thought we were doing posturally in whatever activity we were engaged in.
Within a short time of using the mirrors, you’ll begin to experience more accurately that you’re doing what you feel you’re doing. F. M. Alexander called a person’s inability to experience accurately what was happening in the body debauched kinesthesia. Hang loose in there!
DAVE: This week I kind of got slapped in the head with “Ethan-Alexander Technique”!!!! It went like this: When I start my practicing I have this horrible habit of trying to get that BIG SOUND right away. Of course this is self-defeating and has been for a long time. The Chops are not up for it & I know that but….that’s the anxiety level when first starting.
Last night I sat and said “Let’s just blow easy and softly. Let’s take it easy and try to be NICE to the body”. Now you already know what I’m going to say. A concrete, first class example of your teaching learned the hard way. Instead of slamming the trombone into my face, JUST…..BE….NICE!!!!!! 😉
ETHAN: Perfect! When you start looking into how you physically play an instrument, you will begin to realize that not only physically have you probably been hard on yourself, but also psychologically hard on yourself. Let me put it another way, you finally are bringing to consciousness that what you did on the trombone was not kind, but you got so used to it that you didn’t realize how hard you were being on yourself.
You truly can become a fine player by backing off on the volume, play at your most comfortable volume, and do a whole body INVENTORY OF RELEASES, that allow you to play without bullying yourself.
DAVE: Let me try and give you a heads up as to how it’s going without writing a novel!
First off, you were right-the practice approach switching to Alexander; awareness as opposed to the old way, was to way to go. Now, my practice session is focused on usage. This allows me to break it down and examine the body AND mind with a little bit of musicality.
I now have projects as I go to my practice session; review the head, the neck, arms and breathing. How did I just make that sound? It took some time to switch over to this new approach but I do like the goal-setting aspect. Small incremental change etc. And if I’m able to clean up an issue, there is satisfaction with that.
I know I mentioned this to you before, the fact the tension, stiffness and the spasms had crossed over to my everyday drinking, eating etc. I do have the ability to exert control over that where, it doesn’t happen at all. This is important because now I’m doing the whole thing ass-backwards; the bad usage playing caused the other stuff to appear and now I’m using that and trying to incorporate the lack of stiffness into my practice. NOTE We’re not there yet!!!! but I see daylight at the end of tunnel.
The problem I have right now is when to back off and when to step on the gas. Example; good session to day is not necessarily a good session tomorrow. This creates the problem of lack of confidence and to frustration. Two steps forward, one step back; I hate it followed by “Do I still have the ability to play as my age has advanced. (I turn 60 this year.)
The only solace I get as I try to deal with this problem, is the anomaly; an 8 year old kid, picking up a trombone for the first time could play better then I can, right now, which suggests something is very wrong here.
So, there are puzzle’s going on, head games with usage etc. I often think when is the light-bulb going to come where I can progress.
As to the actual usage problem, I’ve detected my lower lip is actually slipping out of the mouthpiece!!!! So, before I can play that second note I’ve got to set up the embouchure all over again. Also hunching up the right shoulder (can’t move the slide my arms locked). my whole posture is angling up to the left, back pain while standing in my right lower back. One other thing, my approach for the longest time has being pick up the horn, place it and blow LOUDLY as if that represents a “good solid sound” as our teachers first taught us to play. I came across a clinic Bill Watrous was doing on Utube which basically said that is wrong; “any damn fool can play loudly. The ability to play softly and in control” is the mantra he lives by and considering he’s probably the greatness player of his generation, it won’t hurt to adapt that approach. Another great comment from him was all the action occurs inside the cup of the mouthpiece. That and the air support. Everything else should be still. Again, it makes a lot of sense.
I review certain part’s of your eBook quite a bit and I’m gradually understanding more and more things. And for sure this is very much of a story of trying to connect the dot’s.
ETHAN: Sounds you’re really applying the principles of the Alexander Technique.
Remember – When you discover a problem, like the lower lip slipping, troubleshoot to find out what is causing the slipping. Don’t tense somewhere else in your body to solve the problem. Almost all musicians create all kinds of tension problems throughout their bodies to solve a technique problem.
Central to the Alexander Technique is to find a solution to a technique problem, AND then to do even less work in your body to sound and play even better.
ON JUNE 24TH, 2014, DAVE CAME TO ME FOR A THREE DAY INTENSIVE AND THIS IS WHAT HE EMAILED ME AFTERWARD:
I’m really, Really, REALLY pleased by the breathing change (can’t believe I missed this for 30 plus years) the new Center Position and ability to place the trombone without the tremor’s.
It Works and it feels so much more secure.
ON JULY 10TH BACK HOME:
My Ethan Work, as it’s now called, is going good. I’m trying not to become Rigid and stiff in front of the mirror. I guess I just wasn’t tuned into the pain in my shoulders and arms not to mention incorrect breathing!!!! I still can’t believe how off balance I was!!!!!!!
9/28/2014
DAVE: I recall being very competitive my first year of trombone playing. We had this guy, (he in Grade 12, me in Grade 9) who was first chair in senior band. I regarded this guy as nothing more then a complete A….Hole. My mission became getting this guy out of first chair replaced by me, of course!
So, it wasn’t really about music, it was about kicking this guy’s Ass! That was the fuel for me. And I succeeded. My music teacher handed me a solo, Chopin’s Nocturne I believe; complete with a recording by the University Wind Ensemble, started me taking lessons and on Concert Day playing solo in front of an audience.
To this day, I still don’t know how I managed to pull this off. I practiced the piece every day in my bedroom and it just Sucked!
On Concert Day, in our large auditorium, it just came out. It was just beautiful!
The last note of the piece was a sustained Triple D. In practice I never went for it. That night I decided “Why Not?” and it came out perfectly!!!!
Now I was the new first chair!!!!!
Back to your point, and as you know, I can’t string two notes together. Overcome with fear and anxiety doesn’t describe the half of it.
Yet, there is this feeling I know how to do this and it ain’t hard!!
How to beat back the fear? Good question.
I’ve being working on your Alexander stuff as often as I can, with all the construction stuff going on at my place. I’ve discovered something that has me baffled. When I’m buzzing with my mouthpiece, if I hold it in my right hand it becomes more stable with less work. Go figure!
One thing I was going to ask you; what kind of practice should I be doing complete with how many minutes on each component. For example, when I start my session, I spend time establishing Center, just as you showed me. How long should I be doing that? What should I be doing next? And so on. I’m still a person that needs structure.
In other words, I want to know, if you were me, what YOUR routine would be? How, for example do you approach your guitar?
ETHAN: So, when you hold the trombone in a different hand it is more stable, at least temporarily, because this is not part of your old technique.
I was thinking, I’d spend 10 minutes playing one note and stopping and inhibiting between notes, then 2 notes for 10 minutes, and then 3 notes for 10 minutes etc. It is about gently building up trust in this process a note at a time by establishing good posture and technique between each playing, which is what inhibition is all about.
Don’t ever forget what you did and how good it felt and sounded. This gives you the faith to know you can reclaim what you’ve temporarily lost.
My ebook, An Alexander Technique Approach to Trombone Technique, is published on this website in a PDF format. It is very detailed and practical, and it will give you the physical tools you need to take the limits off of your ability to create the accurate trombone technique you want without sacrificing your body.
