Why Posture Matters

Whether you play an instrument that requires no breath (ie. piano, violin) or one that does (ie. woodwinds, brass, voice), proper posture is the fundamental key to performing properly and in a healthy manner. Without proper posture, execution of phrases can become difficult, not to mention various health problems that may arise. Here are a few reminders that you can go over each time you are practicing.

1. Increases Breath Capacity: Good posture (head up, chest up, neck straight in line with the spine) will extend your breath capacity. This is obviously important for any instrument that requires breath.

2. Encourages Diaphragmatic Singing: Good posture will (with practice) engage your diaphragm, helping you to take a deeper breath. Slouching can cause only your chest to rise and fall while you breathe, which indicates a shallow breath.

3. Relieves tension/stress: With every inch of slouching, you can put more than ten extra pounds of pressure on your larynx (voice box). This number grows exponentially the more you slouch. Good posture keeps your singing muscles free of unnecessary pressure. In addition, sitting or standing properly will relieve all the other muscles of your body from unneeded tension. Sitting/standing poorly can result in stiff or sore muscles, which if unchecked can lead to more serious problems.

4. Is good for your heart: This ties in with standing. Studies have shown that prolonged sitting is one of the worst things to do for your heart, so if you’re practicing...stand up! Especially for singing, standing is usually the best way to practice. If you play an instrument that requires you to sit then just make sure that you’re sitting flat on your chair with your feet flat on the ground. If your feet can’t reach the ground use a box or a stack of books to help your posture.

5. Alexander Technique: This technique is a type of “movement therapy” in which good posture is key. As of recently, many music schools will mandate that singers, if not all musicians, take some form of Alexander Technique. Check the link to find out more!