Whether you realize it or not, posture is a key factor in developing technique and stage presence as a pianist. While your child is taking piano lessons in Atlanta or is a seasoned veteran, it is crucial that you enforce great posture on the bench. Here’s what you can tell your child.
When your body is aligned with the bench, the pedals, and the keys, you will find yourself discovering new, optimal ways of executing challenging passages with coordination, grace, and skill. Practicing with perfect piano posture ensures effortless harmony with the instrument. Plus, you’ll avoid the pain and discomfort that can come from a slouched back for elongated periods of time.
One of the advantages of having private piano lessons from skilled piano teachers is that they can often help with the teaching and identifying correct posture. Something that self-taught pianists don’t have the luxury of. This article will discuss 5 essential tips for maintaining perfect piano posture. Let’s start from the bottom and work our way up.
1. Keep Your Feet Flat
It is of the utmost importance that you keep your feet flat on the floor or on an elevated surface (to accommodate height/age), and not dangling in the air. This is the best place to start controlling your posture from.
Having your feet planted typically causes your back to straighten, and the rest of the body to follow suit. It is also important to keep your feet on the ground, so you can use the three pedals below the piano. By doing so, stability and balance comes with ease, and you’ll look like a professional on stage.
2. Align Your Neck with Your Back
Another element of great posture is your neck. As a pianist, you should align your neck with your spine. To do this, ensure that your ears are above your shoulders, not in front of them. As you read the sheet music in front of you, maintain this upright position, and resist the urge to slouch forward and jut out your chin. As you read the sheet in front of you, move your eyes—not your neck—to maintain this position.
An aligned neck, in tandem with firmly planted feet, is the foundation of good posture. A forward neck, with ears in front of shoulders, chin jutted out, can be a precursor to a multitude of problems, typically resulting in upper and lower back pain.
3. Keep Your Shoulders Down
The next thing to pay attention to is your shoulders. They should be placed in a relatively natural position, but not rounded or raised. This will allow you to channel the weight of your arms and body onto the piano keys, controlling how much of your body weight you wish to exert onto the piano.
If you notice your shoulders tensing up when playing the piano, it is very likely nerves taking over. If this is the case, focus on keeping your shoulders relaxed, as opposed to how well you are playing.
4. Maintain A Neutral Spine
The most important component of good posture is your spine. Contrary to popular belief, your back should not be completely straight while sitting on the piano bench. Rather, make sure you maintain the natural curvature of your spine.
Sitting upright should come naturally after observing the previous three tips in the order they’re presented. A neutral spine helps you avoid upper and lower back pain, but it also emits an authoritative and confident aura on stage.
5. Keep Your Fingers Arched
Believe it or not, great piano posture trickles all the way down to your fingers. While not traditionally considered part of posture, proper finger placement means that the rest of your body is in perfect harmony with the piano and bench.
Arched fingers help absorb the impact of each key strike and keep them agile and ready to navigate tricky passages. This position requires you to adjust your forearms and elbows to be at the ideal angle.
By following these five tips, you’re guaranteed to improve your posture. As you begin your journey of piano mastery, look no further than Lessons In Your Home. We offer engaging, in-home music lessons that inspire students to reach their full potential. Contact or call us today at 1-800-826-0988.
