UD#121 The Power of the Pause!
UD#121 The Power of the Pause!
from Ukulele in the Dark with Guido Heistek
When we play our ukuleles, or any instrument, we often use more force or exertion than we need to. This can show up in excessive gripping, held breath, tightened and narrow shoulders, tightened jaws, narrowed focus, etc. I am sure that you know what I am talking about! These unnecessary habits are largely brought about by our notions of what is necessary to achieve a certain task, whether that task be playing a uke, singing, or anything else.
Today I’d like to share with you an Alexander Technique inspired procedure that I use with students to explore how habits are initiated. It’s something I usually do in person, so this is a little bit of an experiment. Are you game? If so, let’s give it a try.
Try not to read ahead as you go through the procedure. Just do one step at a time.
Step 1: Make a fist with one of your hands.
Step 2: Keep making a fist, and bend your wrist forward and back, and side to side. Notice the quality of the movement. Is it easy? Does it feel tight? Does it feel free?
Step 3: Break time! Let your hand fall to your side or on your lap. Do nothing for a little while. In a moment we will make a fist again.
Step 4: Bring your hand up in front of you with the palm up and fingers open. Use the same hand as before.
Step 5: This may seem weird. Leave your hand where it is, palm up in front of you and consciously decide NOT to make a fist. You could imagine someone announcing, “Change of plans, we are not making a fist after all.” You might even tell yourself “I am not going to make a fist.” As you do this, notice any changes that happen in your hand or arm or anywhere else. What happened?
Step 6: With your hand still palm up in front of you, renew and sustain the idea of NOT making a fist in whatever manner works best for you. As you do this, slowly and gently close your fingers. You may pause from time to time to remind yourself to NOT make a fist. Continue until you have completely closed your fingers to make a fist shape. Does this feel different than before?
Step 7: Bend your wrist forward and back, and side to side. Notice the quality of the movement. How does it feel compared to the movement in step 2?
Let me know how this went for you!
THE PAUSE
I often ask my students to pause and decide to NOT play the ukulele for a moment, before they start. In making this space for themselves, they frequently notice that something changes: maybe their shoulders relax, or they take a deep breath, or their hands become less clenched. Most times, they did not have any idea that they were doing these things, which can be a very interesting discovery!
This is by no means a comprehensive overview of the application of Alexander Technique to playing music! It’s just a little sampling. If you’re interested in doing more work like this, maybe check out a future workshop! Also, I’m available for private lessons, both by Zoom and in person (Vancouver, BC). And, if you’d like to organize a workshop for your ukulele group, please let me know.
All the best,
Guido