>For me its the other way around. I keep doing the stretching exercises that my physical therapist prescribed so that I can sit and play without pain. Otherwise, when I tense up (especially during lessons, when I'm really concentrating) I can only go for a few minutes before the ache sets in. For me, a big part of learning the instrument is learning what I need to do with my middle-aged body to allow me to play. So the lute keeps me exercising and I get the benefits in the other parts of my life.
But I've also noticed that the little things like correct posture, seat height, angle of the lute, angle of the left arm, position of the left thumb, etc., all make a difference in both my playing and my comfort. Tim > > >---- Original Message ---- >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Subject: Re: Virtue/lute >Date: Thu, 8 Jan 2004 07:33:07 EST > >>In a message dated 1/8/04 7:28:08 AM Eastern Standard Time, >>[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: >> >>> And the only position I feel >>> comfortable in is sitting upright on a hard chair playing my lute, >with a >>> hot-water bottle behind me. Somehow the combination of the hard >chair and >>> the >>> position required to play the instrument relieve the pain, and >course the >>> music >>> does the rest. >> >> >>I recall from a past LSA seminar seeing Jacob Lindberg using a >specially >>designed wedge-shaped cushion which slopes forward at a low angle >with a little >>gap cut out for the spot at the bottom of the spine. He said that >it solved his >>back pain and gave him a comfortable posture. Recently, here in the >U.S. I >>have seen these for the first time being sold in the Walgreens store >chains (I >>think they cost around $20 or so). >> >> >>Kenneth Be >>Cleveland, Ohio >> >>-- >>
