I suggest the theramin is an instrument that doesn't hurt the performer (the listener, now...
On Feb 18, 8:39 am, mistertaterbug <[email protected]> wrote: > Robin, > I recommend stretching wholeheartedly. Paul Duff showed me a few > simple yoga stretches for shoulders/arms/wrists last time I was down > in Oz and I'll have to say, they have made a huge difference in how my > arms work. Or should I say, they keep them working. I was doing the > stretches yesterday and feeling the warm tingle and thinking to myself > that I should do a whole body routine every morning. It feels too good > and the benefits of even a small amount are obvious. Paul's yoga > teacher told him to watch the dog and do what the dog does...everytime > the dog does anything, including taking a nap, a walk, eating, or just > walking across the room, he stretches. Of course, I don't guess that > includes that licking the butt thing...LOL. > > I went to a friend of mine for an upper body massage a couple years > ago. During the process, she said that my right shoulder would not lay > down flat on the mat and is probably a mandolin related problem. > Matter of fact, she said that the twinge I get in my forearm and wrist > is probably a posture thing that starts up around my neck. She said > that she works on a number of classical violinists every week, so it's > not just us mandolineers. > > I remember the first Mandolin Symposium had one over-crowded class > with Thile talking for an hour and a half about technique. It was one > of the highest attended classes the entire week. One fellow who'd been > in the class said that Chris spent and hour and a half talking and > what he learned was how Chris holds a pick and....how to sit in a > chair. I guess Chris has changed his thinking on the matter. > > I think the point here is exactly what's been talked about here; it's > far easier to be aware of bad posture/technique habits when the lid on > the case is closed. Practice "right" technique and posture (which is > not the same for everybody) during practice time so that it becomes > more second nature when time to play is at hand. > > Is there an instrument invented that does not hurt a person to play > it? <G> Is it the techniques required to play these instruments that > gives us the problems, is it the repetitive motion that does it, or > does it have to do with psychological issues(ego)? > > Taterboy > > On Feb 17, 7:06 pm, Linda <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > All inspiration here. I had some posture/pain issues a while back > > (just before starting my Compton lessons or just at the start) and > > found a physical therapist here in Hobart that specializes in > > musicians and hands, arms, shoulder, neck systems in the body. It was > > a revelation how one can do a couple of simple things to relieve pain, > > how the length of the strap, the arm position, and all the rest must > > be right to avoid issues. The therapist had special books just for > > hands..etc. > > > I must try that breathing thing. Seems like my attention can only go > > to one or two things at a time, so if working on right hand things, I > > have to play something that comes automatic with the left hand, and > > even then just one thing at a time, angle of strum, wrist/no wrist > > action, position in terms of the bridge, and when it seems right to > > then keep the memory of that in my awareness, to get back to it next > > time as a full habit. I often catch myself reverting back to old bad > > position, old bad technique, etc, so there seems to be always too much > > to think about. And Mike catches me at the forgetting ...is > > embarrassing but helpful...... Its that same feeling I have had with > > the meditation teacher, years ago, showing what I don't know, and not > > knowing that its showing...but when you realize it ...then want to go > > hide and get over the embarrassment. Enlightenment - painful > > sometimes but always rewarding. > > > I like to think I can learn things easily, ideas and such from > > books ...seem to work well, but with the mandolin, so much has to be > > going on to get things like I want them and I find that for: tunes, > > fingerings, all the technique things, strums, pick grip and angle, > > etc., I am a very slow learner, but do learn, that is the positive > > thing. Having the patience with myself is the issue. > > > Mike's suggestions caused me to change my general way of holding and > > playing the mandolin, and the way I hold and use the pick. That threw > > other things out of kilter so now trying to reclaim my tone, to play > > cleaner the way I used to..etc. > > > Bad habits from years without any instruction take their toll. Just > > recently someone took a photo and there I was holding the mandolin the > > old way, without knowing it, gurr... > > > I do get flack from the locals about playing tunes too slow. I prefer > > to play things well at a speed that allows for clean playing, fabulous > > tone. No matter the speed, I am at the edge of what I can do. It > > seems fast to me, cause I am playing the fastest I can manage and > > still feel satisfied with what it sounds like. > > > Over the years though, speed is picking up S L O W L Y. > > > HA > > > linda > > > On Feb 18, 4:15 am, Robin Gravina <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > Thanks for those youtubes. I'll check them out. It's odd as I have > > > recently been working on exactly that posture from advice from someone > > > who teaches kundalini yoga. I hold that posture generally, but somehow > > > it all goes off as soon as I have a mandolin in my hands. I think > > > there probably must be an ideal position for each person, whereby you > > > can keep the instrument away from your body, without it causing > > > tension in your arms. I actually think what I might do is play simple > > > things for a while with my eyes closed, good posture, deep breathing, > > > and see if my body will show me how to do it. Ommm > > > > 2010/2/17, Don <[email protected]>: > > > > > Hey Robin, > > > > > I went through the same thing with a PT. It was torture but I can play > > > > pain free now. Good correct posture was the key for me for remaining > > > > pain free after playing. Look at videos of Chris Thile sitting down > > > > playing all hunched over. That's what you don't want. You want to play > > > > with good posture, pushing the top of your head straight up to the > > > > sky, chin tucked in slightly, shoulders back not hunched, back > > > > straight. Keep that posture while doing things like working on the > > > > computer and sitting on the couch too. Easier said than done. Also > > > > look for Pete Martin's videos on youtube for the correct way to hold > > > > the mandolin. That's an excellent resource for playing in a way that > > > > won't cause you physical problems. Seems too simple, but it's > > > > important. > > > > > Did your PT give you some exercises? Strengthening the muscles you > > > > need for good posture and the muscles you use playing mandolin will > > > > also help. > > > > > Good luck with it. Don > > > > > On Wed, Feb 17, 2010 at 7:02 AM, Robin Gravina <[email protected]> > > > > wrote: > > > >> Just had a gruelling physical therapy treatment this morning, for a > > > >> fall > > > >> while ice skating (!); she is a really excellent therapist, and while > > > >> she > > > >> was at it, she discovered a sore and knotted place under my left > > > >> shoulder > > > >> which she couldn't explain, until I mentioned playing the mandolin, > > > >> which > > > >> made perfect sense to her. > > > >> I had no idea that my playing position was causing me pain, so I was > > > >> wondering if anyone had any routines, stretches, or things they do in > > > >> order > > > >> to keep everything relaxed whilst playing and not get to the point > > > >> where > > > >> you > > > >> need someone to torture you on a massage table. > > > >> Best > > > >> Robin > > > > >> -- > > > >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > > > >> Groups > > > >> "Taterbugmando" group. > > > >> To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > > > >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > > > >> [email protected]. > > > >> For more options, visit this group at > > > >>http://groups.google.com/group/taterbugmando?hl=en. > > > > > -- > > > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > > > > Groups > > > > "Taterbugmando" group. > > > > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > > > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > > > > [email protected]. > > > > For more options, visit this group at > > > >http://groups.google.com/group/taterbugmando?hl=en. > > > > -- > > > Enviado desde mi dispositivo móvil- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Taterbugmando" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/taterbugmando?hl=en.
