Introduction
Have you ever wondered about the Alexander Technique? What is it? Why do so many people use it? What good can it do me as a musician? This page is designed to answer some of those basic questions. This page will not teach you everything you need to know about Alexander Technique (because I am not an Alexander Teacher) but it will introduce you to the basics as I read them in several books (see the bottom of the page for references).
Definitions
Kinesthesia: A �sixth sense� that allows us to feel where our bodies are at any given time, and where certain body parts are in relation to others. This tells us about our movements when we play.
Body Map: Your vision of yourself in your brain. Your image of your body will affect your movements. One goal of the Alexander Technique is to create an accurate body map so that your movements are natural and comfortable.
Primary Control: A fluid, relaxed control that we have over our body and its movements. Primary control focuses on the relationship between the head/neck and spine and it makes movements which are fluid and powerful.
Constructive Conscious Control: A process through which you observe yourself and your actions and change the unnatural actions to natural ones. This process is very important in the Alexander Technique.
Alexander Technique: A process of study which uses Constructive Conscious Control to accurately define a person�s body map and make their movements natural and comfortable. Flutists use the Alexander Technique to make playing their instrument a comfortable action so they can practice for long periods of time without hurting themselves.
Some Keys to Correct Posture (�Balance�)
Head balances freely on the spine and is free to move
Throat is open and tongue is relaxed
Neck is loose, directly over the spine
Torso and neck are twisted slightly to the left, movement comes from the head
Spine is slightly curved, relaxing the spine allows it to grow to full length
Weight is centered slightly forward, on the front of the spine
Torso should be upright, without pressure on the front or back
Arms and legs are relaxed and free to move at all joints
Wrists are straight and relaxed, with a gentle curve towards the flute
Fingers are relaxed, slightly curved around the flute
Knees are balanced, not locked or bent
Weight is centered over the hips and lower spine
Movements should be free, natural, and comfortable
In Your Head
The brain controls sensory, motor, and cognitive aspects of music
The brain has a body map which is a visual picture of the body�s parts
This picture determines the range of motion of each part
An unnatural picture causes unnatural motions, which cause injury
The structure, function, and size of parts determines their motion
Goals of the Alexander Technique
1) Fix problems with playing posture; these usually come from an inaccurate body map. Example: Body map is too small: stretch to full height
2) Develop an accurate body map. This involves a thorough understanding of anatomy. If you truly understand how you move, your movements will be more natural and less likely to cause injury.
3) Find a balanced posture. You can depart from this when you move while playing but should always be able to return to it as a comfortable starting point.
4) Understand the full range of motions that are possible from each body part.
5) Gain primary control over the body and its motions.
6) There are three sources of pain: disease, injury, and misuse. The Alexander Technique is designed to prevent injury from misuse altogether.
Reference:
What Every Musician Needs to Know About the Body: The Practical Application of Body Mapping to Making Music by Barbara Conable. Andover Press, Oregon, 2000.
1) Find a Techer: The American Society for The Alexander Technique
2) Take a Class: What Every Musician Needs to Know About the Body
3) The Performance School: Teach yourself the Alexander Technique
4) Complete Guide to the Alexander Technique: Q and A
5) Alexander Technique International: Excellent resource, links