Learn Correct Posture Of Sitting When Playing Piano

The Importance Of Posture

Posture is vital when performing the piano due to various reasons. For beginners, whether you are up for it or not initially, performing with proper posture is the best way to perform and will enable you to rehearse for extended amount of time in a pain-free manner. Further, by practicing while keeping your muscles relaxed rather than tension you will be saving your body against tension-oriented health problems to spine, wrists and arms. Multiple instruments can create recurring strain hurts if the correct playing technique hasn’t been followed, with the piano being no different! Finally, performing piano with correct posture is crucial as it enables you to generate the finest sound with your instrument. Possessing liberty of movement, plus performing with eased shoulders will offer you the finest dynamics and expression ever experienced by you.

How To Change Your Posture 

Altering your posture may be hard after you’ve already developed bad habits! Attempt to create ‘checkpoints’ during your rehearsal while you re-establish correct posture. This may imply that each time you shift between songs allow some time to reorganize your body right from head till toe. You may also insert a note in the bottom of each page of a lengthier song prompting you for straightening up! It may be a headache modifying anything as habitual like the way you sit while performing piano, which might annoy for the initial few practices. Nevertheless, sparing the time for adopting correct posture while playing piano may better your playing, maintain you cozy and avoid straining your body – all gains for which you can definitely afford to change your routine.

Know How To Play Piano Sitting With The Correct Posture

Right posture comprises a major portion of correct piano playing and you should follow the following considerations. The first point to ensure is not to slouch. Slouching restricts your mobility upon the keyboard besides negatively affects your piano performing. Slouching also does not appear so graceful when you take stage performing for numerous people. So make it a point to be seated straight each time that you are seated upon the piano.

Next point to ensure is for your elbows to be at an angle of 90 degree. With your elbows being extended more than that, your piano seat is set to way back. When your elbows get held back to your body’s rear, your piano seat is near the piano. Being seated at a right distance to the piano further guarantees that you possess the complete reach and movability that is required for playing the instrument.

While you enter within a song to become emotionally involved, you may discover yourself normally leaning upon the piano else crouching down to actually jam out. It may be named artistic movement, which is absolutely acceptable.

The following are the 10 Commandments of the Piano Performing Proper Posture

Right And Incorrect Piano Performing Posture

1. Always retain your feet level on the floor. Your feet constitute the initial station for stability. Ensure your feet do not get too distant or near to each other. They must back your body’s stability.
2. Ensure your knees get positioned bit below the keyboard. The legs must be inclined slightly greater than 90 degrees. Note, the proper posture involves everything to maintain your body curved. That’s the way to build a constant movement and power. An excessively narrow or broad angle implies you require to alter your piano seat or stool’s height.
3. Sit upon the forward half from the chair

It is done in order to lean ahead and backwards as required. The bench should gaze the keyboard specifically.

When you don’t possess a piano seat you must certainly obtain one. It’s crucial to be comfortable when playing besides possessing a chair which suits the adaptability your body needs while performing the piano.

Few chair are tilted for instance or they carry a back recline. Both these case will probably develop the incorrect piano performing posture.

OSP Piano Bench

Purchase the OSP artist piano bench

Being seated on a cozy piano bench doesn’t constitute a matter to be taken lightly. Actually sitting cozily and correctly implies you’re playing nicely. On purchasing the OSP artist piano bench you’ll find it is made to precise standards and constitutes a quality item at an awesome price. It assures that you’ll get seated on the right height to keep the proper hand position. These Artist benches have been utilized by show pianists over the world due to this very reason.

4. Maintain a straight back. However, don’t elongate it excessively. You’ll learn that your rear is excessively extended when your butts don’t completely lean upon your seat. While we perform piano we generate power not just with our fingers but even from the entire arm weight plus the whole way back onto our shoulders. Attempt to maintain that energy within single line.

5. Position your elbows slightly higher than the keyboard being at a relaxed distance to the body. Positioning your elbows extremely near the body signifies signifies that you’re seated too adjacent to the piano.

6. Relax your shoulders. Ensure they remain in that manner even while you play anything you find hard. Some people are inclined to lift them up in reaction to stress.

Right Hand Piano Performing Posture

7. Ensure your pulse remains slightly higher than the arm bar. It must always be slack. Inquire a friend once to fling your hand of the piano while you play which when soars away conveniently it shows you’re doing nicely at maintaining your wrist relaxed.

8. Retain your hand’s palm rounded like you grasp an apple. Perform just with the edge of your fingers without breaking them.  Conduct the energy running through the entire arm. Ensure that your hand’s bridge is round.

TIP: When you are seated and keep your hands upon your knees followed by raising it up till the keyboard you’re previously carrying a rotund hand having the precise angle.

9. Ensure your neck stays elongated with a straight head. Some people are inclined to extend their neck ahead which creates pain. This may also be indication for possessing bad eyes. In case you wear glasses don’t forget to put them on so you don’t need to strain your eyes.

10. Assume you’re a puppet gripped from the top by a hypothetical string. The motion of the puppet is light which we should feel so. It aids to ponder about it while maintaining the proper posture.

For including these 10 Commandments among your habits, it is suggested to practice the proper posture exercise daily for 5 minutes for some time till you get comfortable to it.

A Good Posture Is Vital

A nice upright posture before the piano is extremely vital to keep you experience relaxed, while aiding you to respire comfortably. This is essential when you are setting out to play, as the ability to breathe correctly helps you remain tranquil and relaxed enabling you to concentrate upon your performance. Apart from maintaining correct posture while playing piano, also vital is to retain the proper hand posture during playing of the piano. When you perform for a longer duration, possessing the correct hand stance not only assures that you play the instrument correctly, but assists to lower fatigue.

A nice posture also benefits your body by avoiding any type of ache or cramp to your rear, hands or fingers. So goodbye to justifications for not rehearsing!

If you wish to play a Piano, you need to perform it in a seated position. However, for playing keyboard you can be standing or seated. As a starter, begin playing in a seated position as this aids you to keep a correct posture while playing piano. After becoming an improved performer, you can elect to stand and play.

Proper Posture For Piano

At the time of piano playing it is vital for your posture to be right from above your head to the end of your toes.

Your Head

Your head must be maintained high, while your neck should be at ease. Maintain your head facing ahead – shift your eyes rather than shifting your neck while reading music and locating your fingering.

Your Shoulders

Let your shoulders be relaxed at the time of playing! This is among the most regular places for pianists to develop tension, but to obtain the finest sound from your instrument, you require to be playing from the shoulders – which demands that they be relaxed!

Your Wrists

Maintain your arms raised, with your wrists on top of piano keys. Your hands must be in the notorious “spider” position, while your elbows must be only little bent. Additionally, your arms and wrists must be relaxed to obtain the finest tone and expression while playing.

Your Seat

The place of sitting of your bench can impact your posture hugely. Normally, pianists only sit on the forward half of their piano bench. From this spot, you wish to be near enough to the piano so as to the whole of the keys without stretching, but sufficiently distant for your elbows not to be bent when playing the keys nearest to you.

Your Legs And Feet

Your knees must be at 90-120 degree angle, with your feet placed on the pedals or right to their front. It may require some time to locate the precise ‘sweet spot’ for your bench, but after you locate it, marking the point with a bit of tape may be worthwhile for you not to repeat the process each time you wish to rehearse.

Relaxed Seating Before The Piano

Nice piano playing is only probable if we are cozily seated at the piano. So, at the start of each lesson and practice session, we lay our piano bench for it to be at the optimum height for performing and the finest distance from the piano.

The ideal height is one which both permits the elbow and upper arm to dangle freely from the shoulder, and enables the forearm to be parallel to the floor when the forearm and hand are in their normal shape – the manner they are when the hand is suspended at the side.

The finest distance is that which permits our elbows to lie slightly in front of our center line when our hands are placed neutrally on the keyboard, with our hands ahead of the elbows ( not forward of the body or at the edges of the keyboard ).

The upper arm seems quite relaxed and normal – not heavy or held, not raised or extending forward. The hand and forearm are relaxing, though not so eased they are heavy. They are in their shape when dangling at the side, packed with the life which enables them to move. The wrist lies in one piece with the forearm and the hand, neither holding up or lying down.

Where To Sit On The Bench

We sit forward on the bench. Our torsos require to shift from the hip joint, so the hip joint should be free to sit in a nice place. We sit way back on the bench to feel adequately stable to not hold ourselves in place ( it’s not pleasant to feel perched ). We sit sufficiently forward on the bench to permit free movement of the hip joint. If plenty  of our thighs are upon the bench, our torso is pushed back making forward movement from the hip joint difficult.

Putting Height To The Bench

It’s quite popular that even modifiable benches can’t lift people sufficiently high for their hands, shoulders and arms to be comfortable. So we are often compelled to increase the bench height.

Boosting Height To The Floor

Persons whose feet don’t touch the floor would be unable to feel conveniently balanced forward onto the piano. A few official-appearing stools are available on the market for children with shorter legs, but other things can be utilized too.

You will also discover pedal extenders on the market. This imparts children whose legs will otherwise hang above the pedals the opportunity to experience the complete range of sounds the piano can produce, while sitting comfortably.

9 Vital Tips To Aid You Keep Nice Piano Posture

Whereas little literature concerning nice posture with respect to piano performers is available in comparison to guitarists or drummers, keeping a nice posture for pianists is equally vital. Maintaining a correct posture while playing piano allows the performer to practice comfortably or for longer period, without undergoing pains or incurring injuries. An instrumentalist with proper posture can perform in an easy manner, which offers more control and improves the quality of audio generated.

These 9 vital tips will serve to better your posture with the piano:

Put Your Neck Coordinated To Your Back ( Prevent Forward Neck )

Your neck must be placed in course to your spine, and your ears over your shoulders. As you interpret the composition, you should retain this position, rather than slouching forward, thrusting your chin outwards, and compelling your head in front, even though this appears more natural for you. To see the various portions of the composition, rotate your eyes rather than your neck.

Why This Is Essential?

An evened up neck forms the basis of great posture. Similarly, an ahead neck constitutes the harbinger to a host of different issues. The more ahead the position of your head, the greater weight for your neck to bear. This creates a lot of stress in your shoulders and neck, while your above back will roll to provide for the increased weight. The hurt and pain will increase and may even make you look like the Hunchback of Notre Dame.

What You Can Do?

To locate whether you carry an in front neck, you may perform this easy exercise. Stand putting your lower rear and the rear of your feet in contact with a wall. When the rear your head does not reach the wall, you probably have in front neck.

To rectify your posture, modify your head such that the rear of your head taps the wall. Ensure that your spine is lengthened rather than just bending your head rearwards. You might have to press your shoulder bones together. Now, maintain this position till a minute. Slowly increase the duration during which you remain in this position. Memorize this position to make sure to employ it when you perform the piano.

Let Your Shoulders Be Down

Your shoulders must be maintained relaxed. They must be positioned naturally, not lifted or curved.

Why This Is Essential?

If you lift your shoulders, it would make you unable to shift your body and arms weight on the piano keys while you play. It is necessary for you to manage the amount of body weight you apply on the piano when you wish to access the complete range of dynamics and tonality required to perform pieces. To achieve this, you must maintain your shoulders low and relaxed.

What You Can Do?

Firstly, ensure to place the piano bench at the proper height. You elbows must be about the similar level to the keyboard.

Then, examine whether your shoulders become tense only while you perform the piano, else it’s an issue that stretches to your daily life. If you’re only stressful upon the piano but maintain a normally nice posture elseways, you may be too tense. Rather than assigning your whole attention on how nice you’re playing, attempt to concentrate on placing your shoulders within a relaxed position, beneath your ears.

Keep Your Spine Neutral

Whereas your back is not ( and must not ) be straight as a ramrod, the normal curvature of your spine must be retained. This signifies that you must be sitting straight without slouching.

Why This Is Essential?

An upright torso is much more aesthetically attractive as against a stooping one, affording you a greater dignified look while you perform. It also decreases the stress put on your back besides lowering the possibility of spinal hurt apart from making you appear more energetic.

What You Can Do?

It must be simple enough to know whether you’re slouching. If you’re truly uncertain, you could ask someone to snap a photo of your adjacent profile and match your posture with instances of hygienic sitting stances online.

To rectify your posture, contemplate of stretching your spine. Presume yourself to be a puppet having a string affixed with your head. Slowly raise the hypothetical string to make your spine straight. Attempt to consciously keep this position, when even you’re not performing the piano.

For making this position appear more normal, think about reinforcing your rear with some plain exercises.

Position Your Elbows Within A Cozy Distance From Your Body

Your elbows must be placed at about the keyboard plane, for your forearms to be nearly parallel with the floor. You elbows must not be in contact with your ribcage nor must they be spread outwards as  a bird fluttering its wings.

Why This Is Essential?

When your elbows get unusually rotated, it puts your shoulders under more strain. Your degree of mobility will be restricted also.

What You Can Do?

When you put your hands upon the keyboard, assume your forearms to be lying on armrests. While you perform a broader variation of notes, assume the armchair to become wider also. Your shoulders must stay relaxed always.

Keep Flexible Wrists

Your wrists must come down when you apply pressure on the keys while you get ready to strike the following key. To achieve this properly, your wrists must be maintained atop the keyboard plane. Prevent clasping your wrists at place, letting your fingers perform the  whole work.

Why This Is Essential?

Your wrist action helps you shift force upon the keys. It assists with changing dynamics and attaining a vibrant, richer sound.

What You Can Do?

Examine whether your wrists are positioned atop the keyboard plane prior to playing. If you encounter problems with getting your wrists upwards, call a friend for testing your wrists while you play. Try to be natural to the maximum, make the gravitational force aid you – imagine your hands dropping into every key.

Keep Firmly Rounded Fingers

Your fingers must always be curved, apart from the thumb, which must be straight though loose. Maintain your fingers’ curvature and prevent your fingertips from buckling as you strike every key.

Why This Is Essential?

Your fingers consist of various small joints. Maintaining rounded fingers aids absorb the punch as you press each key, securing your joints. This also retains the agility of your fingers, assisting you to monitor complex passages.

What You Can Do?

To obtain the perfect curvature for your fingers, put both your hands together, like you were cupping a rooster. Revolve your hands, put them back over the keyboard to acquire your perfect finger placing.

Place Your Knees At Proper Distance To The Keyboard

Your knees must be placed such that you can easily reach the keyboard as well as the pedals. Though the “correct” distances depends on every player’s build, keeping your knees bit below the keyboard is effective for many people.

Why This Is Essential?

When your knees lie located at the correct distance to the keyboard, this implies that your remaining body is too at an ample distance and your control upon the pedals is nice. When your knees lie too distant to the keyboard, this often signifies that shoulders lie too distant also creating stress within your arms besides restricting your area of locomotion, as you try to adjust for the improper positioning.

Conversely, when your knees lie too near the pedals, the legs will be curved inwards, so that treading upon the pedals plus maintaining a tight footing upon the ground gets daunting.

What You Can Do?

If performing stays uncomfortable even when your knees lie bit below the keyboard, examine your piano bench’s height. Modify it till you discover a relaxed position that allows you to keep a nice posture on the basis of other tips. To get ideal results, sit upon half-to three-quarters of the piano bench, rather than on the complete bench.

Put Your Feet Level Upon A Surface

Your feet must be held level upon the floor else a raised surface like a stool, with not to remain hanging in the air. When you require to utilize the pedals, let your heel be stuck upon the floor when you tread on the pedals with the ball of your feet.

Why This Is Essential?

This ensures balance and stability of your entire body while you perform.

What You Can Do?

Try altering the piano bench’s height first. In case the keyboard gets too lofty after you modify the bench so for your feet contacts the floor, employ a footrest. When you require to utilize the pedals, you may buy ( or construct ) a pedal extender.

Sit Strategically

Rather than bouncing and slipping about the piano seat, you should just shift your torso and extend your arms during performing passages which are extremely high or low. In case you observe that the composition is overshadowed by high notes, move the bench rightwards. Similarly, move the bench leftwards for pieces commanded by low notes.

Why This Is Essential?

Bouncing and slipping about the piano seat will let you apply unintended force upon the keys. For preventing extra strain put on your body, attempt to reduce having to extend to reach top or bottom notes by sitting at a strategic point.

What You Can Do?

Read every piece before rehearsing. Examine whether there are plenty of top or bottom notes that you need to play at the distant edges of the piano. In case there are, move your piano seat accordingly.

Keeping correct posture while playing piano not only keeps you healthy, but even aids you perform comfortably with elegance and enhances your audio by offering reach to the complete range of movement of your body. Don’t get too tensed if you discover that you’re packed with dreadful habits, it’s not much late to begin acquiring positive habits today! In the matter of posture, inculcating a positive habit frequently renders it simpler to rectify your various bad habits.