Twist Not, Want Not: The Work of Dorothy Taubman and Sheila Paige, Part 1

            I feel once again that I must preface this post with a disclaimer. This is my personal understanding and current experience with the work of Dorothy Taubman as presented and taught by Sheila Paige of the Keyboard Wellness Seminar (www.keyboardwellnessseminar.com). I am not a Certified Taubman Instructor, nor am I a faculty representative of Ms. Paige’s seminar. I am posting this representing my thoughts on their ideas and innovations, with heavy reference to Sheila Paige’s work.

            It is hard as a pianist to go far into the world piano pedagogy research regarding technique and not see the name of Dorothy Taubman. And rightly so; without her innovative and imaginative thinking, many pianists (such as myself) would no longer play the instrument. Mrs. Taubman gained a reputation for helping pianists (and other instrumentalists) overcome repetitive strain injuries by exploring a more coordinated use of the arm.

This coordinated technique is based upon the idea that sound on the piano is achieved by the weight of the forearm entering the keys by balancing on the fingertips, and not by the fingers exclusively "pushing" down the keys. A coordinated technique would be defined as one in which the fingers, hands, wrists, and forearms lift and drop as one unit. Essential to this unit is the concept of alignment.

Last week in our discussion of the Alexander Technique (see here) the word “alignment” was not used, though the work is about bringing the body into alignment. Once that process is established and the basic directions are in place, it is easier to focus on the arm, hand, and fingers. The most common misalignment for pianists is known as “radial/ulnar deviation” or to use Mrs. Taubman’s more memorable term “twisting”.

Hand and Arm in Alignment

Ulnar Deviation

Radial Deviation

This deviation/twist most commonly occurs when the pianist is attempting to bring the hands in front of the torso or is playing the thumb or pinky finger. For the former, the pianist must incline the torso backwards by shifting to the back of the “sit bones”. The whole arm then shifts in front of the body to keep the weight of the arm behind the active fingers. A place where this is especially troublesome to our students is the infamous "Middle C Position". If only one hand is playing in front of the torso, it is also advisable to shift the whole torso slightly to the side of the other hand.

When the twist occurs because the pianist is trying to bring the thumb or pinky to the keyboard, the solution is simple: bring the entire arm forward. The myth that the fingers must be in a straight line on the keyboard must be put to rest. Each hand has five fingers, which are five different lengths. And it works far more to our advantage, and that of our students, to let these fingers be the length they are naturally than to attempt to “curl” them into the same length.

The “twist” is a problem for pianists for two reasons. The first of these is that the long flexors and extensors that run through the carpal tunnel operate best when not pinched off. Deviating the alignment of the hand and arm causes the bones in the wrist to shift, thus encroaching of the carpal tunnel’s space. Whenever overused in this position, the pianist (or often, the computer typist!) begins to develop what has become known as “Carpal Tunnel Syndrome”. This condition is one in which the tendons (flexors and extensors), being misused, become inflamed and begin to swell. This swelling within the finite space of the carpal tunnel becomes problematic as the bones of the wrist begin to shift and press on nerves. This is why common symptoms of CTS include wrists popping, numbness in the hand/fingers, and sharp shooting pains up and down the arm.

It is important to note at this point that numbness and pain due to pinched nerves may not be occurring because of a carpal tunnel problem. There are three other “nerve bundles” that you should have examined when investigating these symptoms. The elbows, the thoracic outlet (between the clavicle and first rib), and the atlanto-occipital (AO) joint (where the base of the skull and the top of the spine meet).

When Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is the issue, people are often pressured to have surgery performed. In short, what this surgery accomplishes is to cut the ligament band which forms the Carpal Tunnel. This may provide permanent or temporary relief, depending on how heavily the pianist uses it after. It will only be temporary if the pianist continues a heavy practicing/performing schedule and does nothing to change their technical habits. Most prefer to go through this surgery, rather than going to the “trouble” of retraining with a healthier, more efficient technique. Again, it comes down to deciding if one wants a long-term permanent solution or a short-term quick “fix”. We have to keep in mind that fatigue and pain are only the symptoms of a deeper problem. Solving the pain without solving the root of it really solves nothing.

Our students are especially prone to these issues due to the hours spent each day on phones, tablets, and computers. Technology is all well and good, but the body that is misused will eventually begin to protest. We have the duty of helping our students to realize that what we do away from the piano still affects us when we come back to it.

The second reason that we want to avoid playing with a twist is that it becomes impossible to balance the weight of the arm behind the fingers playing. It’s much as if one were to sit with half of their posterior on a chair and the other half hanging in the air. It feels uncomfortable and out of balance. When the arm and hand are properly aligned, it allows the weight of the arm to drop to a point of balance on the fingertips.

It is important to have an understanding of what exactly the arm is, anatomically speaking. Sheila Paige’s lecture “Anatomy for Pianists” (see preview for this lecture) is a great resource for those looking to educate themselves further on this topic.

Next week we will continue talking about the Taubman Approach and the Keyboard Wellness Seminar in terms of the for motions of the forearm and how we use them in the transfer of weight from one point of balance to another point of balance.

            

Freedom through Inhibition: Applying Alexander Technique to Piano Pedagogy

            I think it is important to start this post off by saying that I am not a certified Alexander Technique instructor. This post is meant to give a starting place and hopefully interest some of you in seeking out your own Alexander Technique instructor. I have taken lessons and attended seminars for several years and have found it to be of extreme use both to my personal practice and to my pedagogy.

            When I was in graduate school, I wrote a lengthy research paper on this topic. I am hoping to make this post somewhat less academic, while still reaching the same conclusions. I will probably share that paper at some point. However, I hope that this condensed version will be helpful to those interested.

            Last week’s post (see here) opened open the discussion of approaching our piano students with a full body approach. Allowing students to develop as physical and spiritual beings is essential to helping them to become fluent in the language of music. Because the body is a house for the physical and spiritual/emotional processes, it is important to keep it functioning at a high level. A discipline which is foundational to this is the Alexander Technique.

            I do not wish to spend too much time discussing the development of the technique. For this post, a brief background will suffice. F.M. Alexander was an Australian-born stage actor and reciter, who began to experience troubles with throat pains and losing his voice in the middle of performances. After consulting doctors, who were unable to find a cure for his condition, he began the lengthy process of discovering what it was that was the source of his troubles. By using mirrors, he discovered that he was assuming a position unconducive to taking in air and projecting.

Over several years, he realized that his physical “posture” and habits were engrained far deeper than his stage career. He began exploring the use of the human body and how it changed from infancy to childhood to adulthood. So impactful was his work, people of all walks of life began to seek him out for help. His work is continued and has been expounded upon, to this day.

I consider Alexander Technique to be the most important step in this process of setting the body right. The technique teaches the body to recognize and direct its natural tendencies, and inhibit those brought in by societal conditions. In doing so, the technique brings the body to a state in which it can perform the functions of other disciplines: in this case, playing the piano.

The brain works as a “command central” of sorts, sending signals to various parts of the body, causing it to function. Unfortunately, the body likes to get caught up in the brain’s job, and it starts “doing”. We must first learn to inhibit this tendency. Our bodies unconsciously react to external signals such as “Sit up straight” or “Curl those fingers”. Society has gifted us with ideas about posture, which tell us to hold ourselves a certain way.

Alexander Technique doesn’t know of “posture”; instead it teaches you to be “poised”. Automatically that word implies being in a state of readiness. Ready for what? Ready to doing whatever our brain directs us to do. If we simply think to do something, and inhibit our urge to “make it happen”, we find ourselves constantly poised to receive the next direction from the brain.

There are three basic directions, which the brain should constantly be giving: 1) to the head and neck, “Up and forward”; 2) to the back, “Lengthen and widen”; and 3) to the breathing mechanism, “Breathe.” As you read this paragraph, you may find yourself pulling your head up, stretching your back, and inhaling/exhaling copious amounts of air: DON’T!

Humor me by trying a small experiment. This will hopefully begin to help you untangle what society has come to call “sitting up”. Sit in a four-legged type chair or on a piano bench, with your feet on the floor, about a shoulder-width apart, and ankles under your knees. With your tongue touching to the roof of your mouth, let air flow in through your nostrils; don’t suck it in, simply allow it to enter. Then, slowly exhale whispering “ah” or “sss”. As you release the air, simply think of the head and neck going up and forward and the back lengthening and widening. Inhibit the urge to pull them up and forward. This is intended to help you gain an insight into what the back, head, and neck feel like when they are freed from the duties of holding onto a posture. Once these basic directions are established, you then are able to begin giving directions specific to the task at hand. It is important that the basic directions are always in place.

While I hope this post can get you started, I want to remind you that I am not an Alexander Technique instructor. I encourage you to seek one out so that you can begin enjoying the benefits both as a pianist and a teacher. I have found this technique to be invaluable to helping my students develop an effortless technique which allows for them to play with a high level of musical artistry.

One might ask the question: “If this technique is so valuable, why is it not more popular among piano teachers?” There are probably many reasons. I believe that the fear of losing students because of a “non-traditional” approach is a factor. This logic is ironic, as most piano teachers teach outside of the confines of what is the societally accepted form of learning: that is, the classroom. However, if piano instructors could just experience the freedom of musical expression that comes through releasing the body, they might be persuaded to incorporate Alexander Technique into their pedagogy.

Piano teachers have been given an enormous responsibility in shaping future generations of musical artists. As guides in their students’ lives, piano instructors should be aware of the physical complexities involved in playing the piano, as well as the possible solutions to such complexities. If piano teachers help students gain physical freedom, students will learn to make music with their entire being and through the piano. The principles of the Alexander Technique, when used as a foundation for a teaching philosophy, can help piano teachers produce musicians and people who appreciate and understand music. As piano teachers, we are faced with the responsibility to instill a passion for music which may only be fully realized when the body is open and free to perform as intended. I want to invite you to join me in pushing aside fear and convention and pursue indirect procedures to guarantee the future of music