August 1998

Posture, Pt. 2

In my July, 1997 column I talked about posture for playing long flutes. However, correct posture is also very important for playing standard 1.8 flutes.

First, when playing standing up, your feet should be about shoulder-width apart. Also, the same foot as your bottom hand should be forward (if you play with your right hand on the bottom, your bottom foot should be forward a half step or so). This is the most stable way to play. Having both feet together is unstable. If you bow on stage, your feet should be together; you can step forward or back to begin playing after the bow. Finally, if you are playing with someone else, decide in advance whether to step forward or back so that you end up in the same place.

When playing in a chair, you need to take care not to lean back. It's easy to lean back without even realizing it, but this both looks bad and effects your playing negatively. If you lean back your spine will curve and your breathing will suffer. When sitting in a chair, sit forward on the seat and place the same foot forward as you would when standing.

When sitting seiza [translators note: the formal shakuhachi position of sitting on folded legs on the floor], you don't need to worry about posture very much, as your spine will naturally straighten out into the correct position. However, if you put your score on the floor, you will tend to lean down to see it, which can ruin your posture and breathing. You can avoid this problem by placing your score on a table or even just tilting it upward so it's easier to see.

With correct posture, breathing comes naturally and freely, improving your playing. This is one area where a little effort can have a big effect.