Harpsichord – Brute Force (Musicians)(Psychology)(Pain)(Strain)(Injuries)(Posture)(Alexander Technique)(Albuquerque)

This ebook, An Alexander Technique Approach to Harpsichord 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 harpsichord 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)
Recently I’ve watched a lot of tennis and golf tournaments, and I’ve been astounded by how consistently certain players win and how consistently certain players always come up short.
I listen to the commentators, like John McEnroe or Arnold Palmer, and they clearly see what it is that the tennis player or the golfer who is coming in second needs to do to win. Do the coaches of these players not see what these expert commentators, who won all of the time, see? Do the players not know what people like McEnroe or Arnold Palmer are saying?
I think they do know what these experts are saying. So, it begs the question, “Why aren’t these athletes, who have every bit the potential to win as the ones winning, do what needs to be done?”
Now, why doesn’t the almost amazing harpsichord player do what needs to be done to be a first tier performer, given that it would be easy to gather a group of fine harpsichord players together who could make a list of what the harpsichord player needs to do to be phenomenal?
Here’s why. I LISTENED VERY CLOSELY TO WHAT MCENROE AND PALMER HAD TO SAY ABOUT THE TENNIS AND GOLD PLAYERS. AS A FORMER CONCERT GUITARIST I LISTENED INCREDIBLY CLOSELY TO WHAT GUITAR TEACHERS AND OTHER FINE MUSICAL PERFORMERS SAID I NEEDED TO DO, AND I REALIZED THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT GETTING FROM HERE TO THERE WITH BRUTE FORCE. What do I mean?
My guitar teachers were very clear about what my weaknesses were on the guitar, and they could tell me what I needed to do, and that I should do it over and over and over until I got it. But they had no idea of how to do what they thought I needed to do and let go of what isn’t working, tied to what really works.
Let me explain. If I tell a harpsichord player not to play with immobilized wrists, and the harpsichord player realizes his or her wrists are collapsing downward as he or she plays, then the harpsichord player is likely to tense the forearms to keep the wrists from collapsing. This is a really poor choice, because it isn’t even the forearms that keep the forearms from dropping, it is the brachialis, which is a part of the biceps, which supports the lower arms.
So, what is the solution? The solution is that the harpsichord player understand it is a muscle in the upper arms that can effortlessly support the forearms, and that the wrists can be available for movement (not floppy). The harpsichord player need not create a tension problem somewhere else in the body to solve the original physical problem.
There is a famous saying, “The devil is in the details.” These details can keep a harpsichord player, a golfer, or a tennis player from performing at the highest level, when someone points put the performer’s or the athlete’s weaknesses, and wants them to do endless repetition trying to HOLD the right posture and hand positions etc.
I believe intuitively every performing musician or athlete with amazing potential knows something is wrong, when they can’t ever seem to become the best no matter how much endless repetitive work they put in.
In the non-Alexander Technique world musicians and athletes simply don’t understand what they call refining their technique is using BRUTE FORCE to get where they want to get to. How do you know when you are using brute force to attain a goal?
There are two indicators. First, you’re not as good as the best harpsichord players in the world. Second, you’re consistently in pain and/or getting injured.
This does not have to be. Identify the weaknesses in your harpsichord playing, and then go find an Alexander Technique teacher to show you how to reach your goals without bullying yourself, by continuing to do what hasn’t worked yet.

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An Alexander Technique Approach to Harpsichord Technique

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Ethan Kind

AUTHOR, TRAINER "When you change old habitual movement patterns with the Alexander Technique, whether in playing a musical instrument, running, weightlifting, walking, or typing at a computer, you create an ease of body use that moves you consistently into the zone." - Ethan Kind Ethan Kind writes and is published extensively on all of the above activities. He teaches musicians, athletes, and computer operators how to stop hurting themselves, by showing them how to use their bodies with ease and coordination. He brings a unique perspective to his work, having been a musician and athlete all of his life. After training for three years at the American Center for the Alexander Technique (New York, NY), Ethan received Professional Certification credentials.