how to learn to relax?

[Jack Bradshaw]

This talk about relaxation has gotten me thinking. While I think that the "screw it" manta may be a real winner, I can't help but think that there may be something completely different that could be used along with the mantra for a synergistic effect. To further this end, I propose to soon offer at a nominal charge an add-on device called "relaxation booties". They are little bags of lead shot that you wrap around the flute with velcro. The name is not firm at this point, so I am open to suggestions. The way the booties work is that you start with the half pound weights and gradually progress up to the master-class weights at 3-4 pounds. The idea is simple. The weights will work just like ankle weights for the runner. You train with the weights, but when you perform or compete, you remove the weights. After playing with the training "relaxation booties", when they are removed, the flute will literally feel like it is floating in mid-air, making for effortless, tension-free playing.

What a great idea ! I think I might market the concrete flute as a strength trainer........

[Blayne Chastain]

Haven't finished reading it (read most of it) but effortless mastery has been a good read... There's some stuff that you can take or leave but the whole book is centered around the idea of playing effortlessly so it might be worth picking up... It was in stock at Borders when I was looking for it... Kenny Werner is the author... Too much content to try to rehash here...

Best,

[bang]

Tension usually comes from playing too fa[s]t - which is another way of sayng that you're trying to do too much. Most intermediate players (you've been at it for three years, right?) can hear more than they can accomplish comfortably.
If you always play within your comfort zone you will be relaxed and the music wil be better.

thanks cocusflute for this excellent point. put another way, we can only play relaxed what we know very, very well. and this knowing must be in the the body, which only comes from lots of practice. in particular, we can only play relaxed as fast as we can play the hardest bit of a tune easily. otherwise we tense up at the hard bit, stumble, tense up more to catch up, & so on. this is how train wrecks happen. :^)

the challenge, as cocusflute says, is that we tend to hear a tune in our mind the way we wish to play it, instead of listening to how we are actually playing. by playing in our comfort zone, even for the hard bits, we can notice how it feels to be relaxed as we play. as we come to recognize this relaxed feeling it becomes more & more natural.

now if i can only get that sonic image of Matt Molloy's playing out of my head... :^)

yours in reiteration, /dan

[BillChin]

Interesting idea tossing the flute in the air. Perhaps tossing something else like a coin has a similar effect. It gets the muscles moving, the brain focused on motion, the breathing more relaxed. For those who are always tense, it sounds worth a try, tossing something like a coin or a pillow or something. An expensive wood flute, I would not do it either.

[Wormdiet]

A weird relaxation technique a teacher had me use years ago was to gently toss the flute up into the air in front of me (roughly from stomach level to head level), catch it with both hands, and promptly begin playing.

one word...Tipple

Just say "screw it".

I like it!

"It" being. . . the Tipple?

[Nanohedron]

A weird relaxation technique a teacher had me use years ago was to gently toss the flute up into the air in front of me (roughly from stomach level to head level), catch it with both hands, and promptly begin playing.

one word...Tipple

Just say "screw it".

I like it!

"It" being. . . the Tipple?

Not my context. You'll have to ask Denny!

[Jon C.]

A weird relaxation technique a teacher had me use years ago was to gently toss the flute up into the air in front of me (roughly from stomach level to head level), catch it with both hands, and promptly begin playing. It's odd, and it initially disturbed me to see my flute airborne, but it does help the the upper body relax.
Disclaimer: I will not be held responsible for any dropped flutes.

reminds me of when I saw Jethro Tull in the 70's, that flute was being thrown all over the place...

[cocusflute]

There is no difference between tossing a $100 Tipple into the air and a $3,000 blackwood flute for which you've waited a while.
No offense, but there's a huge difference if you drop it.
I would tend to get less relaxed if I tossed my main flute up in the air.

[Coffee]

How to relax?

What works for me is a couple of pints of Guinness and a good curry.

If that's not an option, just listen to some Bob Marley; I don't know if it's possible to not relax whilst listening to 'im.

[Denny]

A weird relaxation technique a teacher had me use years ago was to gently toss the flute up into the air in front of me (roughly from stomach level to head level), catch it with both hands, and promptly begin playing.

one word...Tipple

Just say "screw it".

I like it!

"It" being. . . the Tipple?

perhaps I should have put them in two seperate posts?

[Wormdiet]

one word...Tipple
I like it!

"It" being. . . the Tipple?

perhaps I should have put them in two seperate posts?

I dunno - there is nothing wrong with liking a Tipple - they are very good flutes. What did you think I meant?

[Cynth]

This article is helpful to me in that it talks about practicing relaxing just like any other aspect of playing---it was a helpful idea because I find relaxing very difficult. I can't just say "Screw it"---I'm tense unless I concentrate on relaxing and not just when practicing. Tension is what feels normal to me. This article helped me become more aware of the tension.

http://galaris.com/modules.php?op=modlo ... =0&thold=0

[Denny]

"It" being. . . the Tipple?

perhaps I should have put them in two seperate posts?

I dunno - there is nothing wrong with liking a Tipple - they are very good flutes. What did you think I meant?

Fine...just fine...

I like both the Tipple and the "Just say "screw it"."

[Eldarion]

This talk about relaxation has gotten me thinking. While I think that the "screw it" manta may be a real winner, I can't help but think that there may be something completely different that could be used along with the mantra for a synergistic effect. To further this end, I propose to soon offer at a nominal charge an add-on device called "relaxation booties". They are little bags of lead shot that you wrap around the flute with velcro. The name is not firm at this point, so I am open to suggestions. The way the booties work is that you start with the half pound weights and gradually progress up to the master-class weights at 3-4 pounds. The idea is simple. The weights will work just like ankle weights for the runner. You train with the weights, but when you perform or compete, you remove the weights. After playing with the training "relaxation booties", when they are removed, the flute will literally feel like it is floating in mid-air, making for effortless, tension-free playing.

I believe this is going to be more detrimental than helpful. For one increasing the weight of the flute is going to aggravate the tension which is already inherent in one's body positioning, which will in turn hinder relaxation. That is the crux of the problem. Flutes at the end of the day are not very heavy things and if you have trouble holding them up without tensing, the problem lies in the way you are using your body, not resistance training.

I would recommend techniques that make you more aware of your body, and the unnecessary tensions that you might be holding within your body unconsciously. Oftentimes tensions in the hands or arms have roots in the shoulders, neck, or other areas. People do often tense up these parts of the body in their everyday activities without realising it. I had some a few Alexander technique classes which helped me be more aware of this, and although I can't say I live my life always bearing in mind the principles of the technique, it has helped me with more comfortable flute playing.

[m31]

Well I don't know about adding tiny weights, but playing a Bb flute will magnify any tensions that one already tends to have. It's remarkable how going from a Bb to a D flute feels like playing a tin whistle!

My chiro puts me on the TENS machine at the beginning of each visit. The idea is to stimulate and tension the muscles to the point of fatigue so that they stop "tensing up". It does work, but the effect is relatively short lived and does not address underlying causes.