This ebook, An Alexander Technique Approach to Banjo 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 an extraordinarily accurate and kind banjo performance.
This ebook is also for sale on all AMAZON websites in a KINDLE format.
Located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.A. (MOVEMENT THERAPY)
Banjo players repeatedly tell their bodies what they want from their bodies when they play the banjo, but this is usually done subconsciously. It feels like, to the banjo player, that the body is doing technique and posture by itself. In other words, the technique and posture that the banjo player has established, maybe a long time ago, just do themselves.
THE TECHNIQUE AND POSTURE A BANJO PLAYER PRACTICES AND PERFORMS WITH DO NOT DO THEMSELVES. They are informed by the beliefs that the banjo player plays the banjo with, and these beliefs/thoughts constantly determine what your body does. So, for many fine banjo players, the only thing that is still conscious in their playing is how they interpret the piece.
But what if you realize that there are some things that you would like to change about your posture or technique on the banjo? Other than saying to yourself sit up straight or place the hands in a new position and force yourself to remember to do the changes you want to make to your banjo playing, there is a specific tool that the Alexander Technique offers.
It is RENEWING THE THOUGHT, and renewing the thought is based on giving ORDERS OF ALLOWANCE to your body. Orders of allowance are conscious orders given to the body telling the body what you want it to do on the banjo. So, when you are making a postural or technique change on the banjo, you are bringing to full consciousness what needs to be done to improve how you play the banjo.
Ex: An example of a postural change is that you realize your neck is collapsed and locked when you play. So the order of allowance you give to your body just before you play the banjo is, “My neck is free and my head is leading a lengthening neck and spine upward, as I play the banjo”. An example of a banjo technique change to tight hands and fingers is, “My hands and fingers are released, as I play”. And you order/let your body make these changes.
Notice, in both cases you’re telling your body what you want with very clear orders or directions. The question is, is saying this once to yourself as you begin your banjo practice session enough? No. That is where the tool of RENEWING THE THOUGHT comes in. Let me explain.
As you have probably experienced in your past on the banjo, when you were making changes to your banjo technique or posture, that you would make the changes, and then realize after 30 minutes of practice you had forgotten about the changes. You had reverted back to your old technique and/or posture.
What did you do? I don’t know what you did, but I got angry and redoubled my effort to make sure I did the new changes no matter how mean I was to myself. I eventually got to the point in my banjo playing that the new technique or posture were part of my established new way of playing the banjo. But what a painful emotional and physical price I paid to make these changes.
The loving act of renewing the thought is the kindest way to establish changes in your banjo technique or posture. It is the quickest way to replace the old with the new. So, as you practice to establish a new technique or posture in your banjo playing, and you realize you forgot the changes, then repeat the order of allowance. This is renewing the thought and letting your body make the improvements to your banjo technique or posture. Very quickly you will internalize and kindly habituate the new way.
How often do you renew the thought? You repeat it gently every time you become aware, as you practice the banjo, that you “forgot” to do the new technique or posture. This truly places you in charge of how you want to play the banjo, and it does it very consciously and very kindly.
