Resolve Physical Pain and Stress When Playing
when Playing IS Painful
You are likely familiar with the saying "no pain, no gain," especially as it applies to getting physically stronger. But such an ignorant approach to playing the guitar will likely lead to injury.
As they should, many teachers stress listening to their students. Listening develops an awareness of your playing and performing in ensembles. Not listening to what is happening around you means being out of touch. The same holds true for listening to your body when you are playing.
If you are playing and part of your body begins to experience pain, listen to it. Pain alerts you that something is not working as it should. Sometimes this means you need to take a break; other times, your body may tell you that your posture or technique needs adjusting.
With beginner students, the only discomfort, if any, should be soreness on the fingertips. Even sore fingertips should last a couple of weeks if the student plays the guitar several times a week. If sore fingertips persist beyond this point, the guitar's string height may need an adjustment.
Proper Posture and Technique
You will play more easily if you play in a naturally supported position. Here are some general guidelines to ensure proper posture:
Keep your back/spine straight
Relaxed neck, shoulders, arms, and hands
Relaxed breathing
You might feel these guidelines are apparent, but players often ignore them. So often, the player overly focuses on one or more elements that one or more of these guidelines become ignored.
Unprogramming Stress
Even if you have proper posture, stress can wreak havoc on your ability to perform. Your muscles, tendons, et al., must be relaxed to work efficiently. Unfortunately, many players program in stress by constantly reinforcing it.
Have you ever made a mistake while practicing and felt a pang of tension? And when you decided to practice the part again, you made the same mistake, but the strain increased the second time? So by now, you are ticked and determined to show those notes you are the boss.
If this sounds familiar, you are reinforcing stress into your playing. But do not worry: you can reprogram it. Anytime you begin to feel stress or anxiety, check your breathing. Why? Because this is most often the first thing to go. Once your breathing is no longer relaxed, the rest of your body begins to tense up.
One of the most counter-productive things you can do is practice under tension. If you are frustrated, put the guitar down and take a break. Then, return to it only when you are relaxed. Depending on how ingrained the habit is, this can take 30 minutes or an entire day.
Playing Naturally with Ease
If one common element is shared between virtually all of the master musicians, it is how effortless they play. Even the most technically demanding pieces sometimes look like a casual stroll through a park for many of them.
Watch videos of some virtuosos. Do any of them look stressed? Are they struggling? Do their techniques look or sound forced?
To achieve such ease, the player must experience it mentally and physically. Practicing with a supported posture in a relaxed state will work wonders for you. Your body will thank you, and your future performances will improve, too.
Where are some of the areas you experience the most tension when playing the guitar?
