How to teach posture for an optimal musical performance

By Mauro Banfi

The didactic method of postural arrangement in relation to practicing an instrument or vocal technique is difficult to manage. The difficulty is to describe anatomic concepts, and what is right or wrong in a musician’s bodily dynamics. This can lead to misunderstandings that sometimes cause the musician or singer to have a bad pattern of motricity. This text aims to clarify the most frequent mistakes in didactic rapport between teachers and students, and to provide useful information and tips to improve communication with the student.
Mauro Banfi, Physiotherapist and Osteopath, after publishing " Singing and Posture ", a book dedicated to singers, now follows with this book, "Teaching posture for an optimal musical performance". The text is intended to be a useful tool for teachers and students to clarify doubts and facilitate the teaching-learning process by improving skills in observational and postural analysis while always respecting each student’s specific needs

• Language: English
• Publisher: Mauro Banfi
• Release date: Sep 6, 2016
• ISBN: 9788822839688

Book preview

Mauro Banfi

HOW TO TEACH POSTURE FOR AN OPTIMAL MUSICAL PERFORMANCE

How to teach posture for an optimal musical performance

Author Mauro Banfi - self published 2016, all right reserved

Pics Mauro Banfi

Desings Diego Bionda

Copy editor: Julia Challinor

From the italian Insegnare la postura in ambito musicale

Translation Mauro Banfi

first italian ebook edition isbn 9786050407082

Unauthorized reproduction,copying, distribution or any other use of the whole or any part of this documentation is strictly prohibited

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Credits

A Gabriele e Margherita.

Table of contents

Credits

Author's note

Teaching correct posture

False Myths about the Human Body

Physiology of movement

Perturbing factors

Callouses

The too much factor

Typical sings of difficulty

Basal muscle tonus

Automatism

The age of the student

Exercises with an istrument

Language and imagination

Manual contact with a student

Postural analisys

Corrections with an instrument

Verify the improvement

Forget and return to listening

Bibliography

Author's note

This work is intended to continue a frequent exchange of information with teachers, and professional singers and musicians, who are all motivated by passion and interest in osteopathic and biomechanical approaches applied to the art of music.

The source of the information is the practical and experiential workshop experiences in music schools, conservatories, choirs, and groups in multiple countries and including several points of view about the didactic control of body motricity and postural influence in musical actions. 

I do not write extensively about the diaphragm, its anatomy or myths about this muscle here.

There is a chapter on the diaphragm in my previous e-book, Singing and Posture, postural and osteopathic principles for singers that explains the function of the diaphragm in a more detailed way.

Any interest, question, concern, or proposal for hosting specific workshop for teachers in your school, association, etc. can be addressed via mail at:

[e-mail]

Mauro Banfi – Osteopath Physiotherapyst

www.atelierposturale.com

Teaching correct posture

In recent years, there has been much investigation of the relationship between anatomy, physiology of movement (including posture) and injuries and their effect on the management of the musical instrument and vocal technique. 

Artists coming to my studio to solve structural problems are usually followed by various professionals teachers during their training.

Comparing students and teachers, I sometimes find that both usually have a good preparation in the specific field of music, but this does not match an equally good knowledge of the field of anatomy and physiology. 

In fact, it would be useless or excessive to expect that a music teacher or a singer would know the body’s anatomy or the smallest details of the muscles and structures used in musical practice.

However, it is important to avoid errors in the management of postural concepts and physiological rules that can cause vicious cycles of problems and even dysfunction.

So I will analyze, in a simple but not superficial way, the weaknesses and errors that teachers often transmit to their students so as to suggest a more respectful physiological view of the body. 

What I have been most struck by when listening to students’ experiences is the fact that some had sought new teachers, believing that their previous teacher was not up to the job.

It is also curious that some students consider that their new teacher is better than their old one despite the fact that their new