I saw a thread about this on a banjo forum where people are struggling to 'break through' to the high-speed picking that's so famous. Many noticed that muscular tension was holding them back.
I carry a lot of shoulder tension, and this goes double for when I'm performing something new, or under unfamiliar circumstances. I know at least one other player on this forum who said he tensed up so much when starting to perform that he could barely play at all.
While I (and he) have largely overcome that through familiarity, I still battle to achieve those levels of relaxation where I can just play as I play after an hour of practising. I hate playing in music stores, because I feel self-conscious, tense up, and play at less than half my ability.
So I thought it might be good to have a thread specifically about feeling physically relaxed enough to play at our best. Some tips I've come across to get going:
Breathe - I sometimes find that I'm holding my breath while playing. There's no doubt that forcing myself to breathe while I play releases tension and allows me to play better.
Play really softly - Playing really lightly can help with relaxing, unlocking muscles, and increasing speed and accuracy.
Relaxing the shoulders - easier said than done, but I carry most tension in my shoulders. If I can relax them, my arms and hands relax too.
Listen to 'the air': Listening to your playing as if you're in the audience takes your concentration away from what your hands are doing and allows you to feel the music, enjoy the music, and hence relax more.
Downing 3 pints before performing: ?
I'd be interested to hear if any of you are struggling with this, or have overcome it.
I carry a lot of shoulder tension, and this goes double for when I'm performing something new, or under unfamiliar circumstances. I know at least one other player on this forum who said he tensed up so much when starting to perform that he could barely play at all.
While I (and he) have largely overcome that through familiarity, I still battle to achieve those levels of relaxation where I can just play as I play after an hour of practising. I hate playing in music stores, because I feel self-conscious, tense up, and play at less than half my ability.
So I thought it might be good to have a thread specifically about feeling physically relaxed enough to play at our best. Some tips I've come across to get going:
Breathe - I sometimes find that I'm holding my breath while playing. There's no doubt that forcing myself to breathe while I play releases tension and allows me to play better.
Play really softly - Playing really lightly can help with relaxing, unlocking muscles, and increasing speed and accuracy.
Relaxing the shoulders - easier said than done, but I carry most tension in my shoulders. If I can relax them, my arms and hands relax too.
Listen to 'the air': Listening to your playing as if you're in the audience takes your concentration away from what your hands are doing and allows you to feel the music, enjoy the music, and hence relax more.
Downing 3 pints before performing: ?
I'd be interested to hear if any of you are struggling with this, or have overcome it.