Coming from ease when we play

Ease. It is the buzz word for flow, creativity, freedom, and musical artistry. With ease, the holy grail of musicianship is ours and accessible to our students. Yet, how do we have it, and what does it make possible in our functioning that isn’t already there? 

”Ease” is a state of being (and not just about muscles or a physical condition) that enables flow. “Flow” is an experience that heightens ease in our use through the integration of mind, body and spiritual energy toward an intention. Ease and flow work together on the whole system of one’s being facilitating overall functioning and neutralizing habits, thoughts, feelings or behaviors that interfere with process. It’s the direct link to high potential, less effort, joy and excellence. It supports our well-being. Ease with flow serves us and our art. Yet, how many of us were taught to play an instrument within the context of ease and flow? What’s more, the literature available on ease and how to obtain it—particularly in the learning of an instrument—is not always clearly stated or specific, especially in the areas that most matter, such as setting up posture and facility.

Here’s what I mean.

Taking Alexander Technique, Feldenkrais, various somatic and/or movement practices, Paul Rolland’s work for string players and the writing of Kato Havas for violinists, there’s a wealth of findings and approaches that follow a similar belief. The key to ease lies in the mind-body connection. Without a trained mindset that promotes curiosity, exploration, anllowance and awareness of self, ease is elusive. How that is achieved varies by approach—some begin with the mind while others start through the body, but the underlying theme remains the same: ease requires the integration of the whole self to be valid. Yet, in each of these practices and therapies there is little or no time given to setting this up with a beginning music student or professional player. Rather, material on how to begin from a place of ease, bring it to the instrument, and intentionally maintain that ease through musical development is inconclusive, even when it is instrument-specific.

The primary concern is the individual. The musician. The student beginning an instrument. Our primary instrument is the body, Each one of us has our own habits of thought, behavior, movement and posture unrelated to the instrument we bring to it. One size does not fit all. How I set up my violin may be marvelous for my physiology but unsupportive of someone else’s. This is why, I believe, many practices and practitioners gloss over the transition from ease of self to ease on the instrument. There’s not just one way. It’s highly unique. And, most critically, it is not solely defined by the practitioner what may be “easy” or not. In fact, the experience of the musician is the determining factor of what is of greater ease, and that cannot be effectively identified without the player’s clear awareness of what the experience of ease looks like for him.

I’ve taught violin and piano students for over forty years, and it is still astonishing to me how crucial it is I enable my students’ own awareness and articulation of their musical experiences. It is empowering for them, and it encourages their agency over their self-growth. I start this awareness early, before the child has begun to play an instrument, within the group MusicTime class. The definition of “ease” is demonstrated through free, full-body movement exploration, such as swings, sways, jumps, twisting, and shaking, that moves in the direction of balance, counter-balance, and mimicked gestures originating from the core. All movement is accompanied by or initiated through music—rhythm, beat, melody—and expressive or aesthetic elements, such as dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture, and inter-related arts experiences. Students unable to achieve a relaxed left arm position, right arm bowing motion, or flexibility in the joints and limbs in playing position without the instrument are not yet ready to practice with the instrument. Movement play and games that practice facility with balance create the necessary mind-body experimentation that will be brought to the instrument later. Once employed, the student’s instrument becomes a mere extension of the body with the attributes of weight and counterbalance, mobility and core stability already in place. Students know when the neck strains forward, the chin isn’t placed correctly, or the hold is exhaustive. They have the necessary experiences in ease and adjustments toward ease to instinctually move in that direction. 

In mindset, I use a “stop-prepare-play” process that sets up each step of finger use, bowing technique, and ear training to establish the sense-think-act habit from the beginning. Bringing sensation, thought and movement into collaboration also facilitates ease in being—something that prepares ease in flow. Young students, when given the experiences relevant to what they will discover on the instrument, self-correct toward ease and require less interference from the teacher or parent to improve. In this approach, the way to mastery becomes very personal, multi- sensory and highly unique with each child.

How about those of us who are accomplished performers wanting to glimpse a bit more ease in our own playing?

Begin exploration without the instrument observing how you move—or not—as you pretend to play. Are unused muscles tense? What happens to the right if I move my left shoulder? What is the natural counter-motion to this movement? Is my heart—my center for expression—aligned with what I want to create? How is my breathing and does it change with certain motions or postures? Get to know your habits of movement and explore which ones may be inhibiting you. Remember, not everything you have learned is wrong; in fact, most, if not all, of it has worked for you very well to get you to where you are. Gaining awareness of yourself as you move in your playing is information you may not even need yet. You are whole as you are. Yet, there is room to move toward greater ease and flow within that. I guarantee, the next time something feels amiss in your playing you are much more likely to not only have it come to your attention, but will have ideas of how to investigate a better way toward use either with your thoughts, your body or your feelings.

You are your best teacher, coach and practitioner. You have ease and flow within you already. It is there to discover. Hone the awareness necessary to evolve into reaching your greatest potential musically, instrumentally and holistically. If you are curious to learn more on how to implement ease directly into your teaching or within your own playing, feel free to message me. I have helped others develop their approach and practice through mind-body awareness toward greater ease and flow in their lives and in their work, and I can guide you, as well.