Jenius Creations

Category: Caring for yourself

  • Summer Doldrums…. I’m Bored!

    Summer Doldrums…. I’m bored!

    It’s the middle of the summer.  Where I live the summer took forever to start.  But once it did start, it came with a vengeance.  So, we were suckered into thinking we would have the kind of summer that was pleasant and easy.  But it’s not.  And that leads to hanging around inside, in the air conditioning, avoiding the 3H weather (hazy, hot, and humid) that comes with living in a reformed swamp. 

    When this happens, it’s easy to start to feel stifled and bored. So what should we musicians, artists that we are, be doing about being bored? 

    Here are a few ideas.

    • Acknowledge that the weather (and our desire for creature comfort) are stifling and making us a tad cranky.
    • Identify some tasks or activities you’d like to do.
    • Note that these tasks and activities will pull us away from the harp.
    • Be ok with that.  After all, the doldrums don’t actually last that long and shortly you’ll be back to it, preparing for the autumn.

    What would those tasks look like?

         1. Do some “meaningful tasks”.  This is a good time to make a list of the holiday music you’d like to start when the autumn comes.  You can make sure you have good sources so that when you’re ready, you’ll be ready.

        2. Do some harp maintenance.  Does your harp need regulation? You could do that now (or cause it to be done).  Sort through your strings and make sure you have a full set of spares.  Update your string chart.  Clear out the pocket of your case. You know, house keeping-y stuff that needs done but is easy to put off.

         3. Play some music games.  Whether it’s Rhythm Bingo or Crazy 8ths, have a little silly fun that is still edifying.  Don’t have those on hand?  Look online for fun music activity games.  Try Eurythmics in your pajamas. Laugh a little.

         4.  Go do a good deed. Go to a local care home and put on a performance.  Everyone descends on them at the holidays, but are less likely to go during summer, so they might enjoy some entertainment in the boring part of their own summer doldrums.

         5. Do a different art. Make a craft, paint, draw, make a video, write poetry.  It doesn’t matter.  What does matter is that a little creativity will go a long way to supporting your harp playing!

    There are so many things you can do to weather the summer weather!  Give yourself permission to do something different.  Give yourself a break and come back to your harp refreshed and ready to go!  What will you be doing during the doldrums?  Let me know in the comments!

     

  • Sit Up and Take Notice 2

    Sit up 2

    Last week we talked about how the rest of your life (you know – work, home life, hobbies, etc.) can impact your harp playing, possibly leaving you injured or in pain and unable to play.  And that this can happen even if your harp technique is really good.  We talked about being ready to play by maintaining strength, flexibility, and good posture.  This week let’s move from talking to what you can do about it.

    We know that at the harp, we need to close, have good space for movement, that the arm must move to support the wrist, and that we will improve with practice (which will include some repetition, no matter how you dress it up).  But do we apply this same thinking and discipline to our other tasks in life?  The sad answer is that most do not.  So, what can you do to overcome all this? 

    Here are some suggestions that are all over the place.  You can treat this list as a pick and mix or you could acknowledge that this is a wide problem and needs a wide solution. Here goes:

    • Pay attention. It is challenging to pay attention to your posture when you’re in the middle of solving a problem, typing a masterpiece, or reading a good book.  It is important though, to take a short break to check on yourself – and make corrections if you have lapsed.  If you need help, set a reminder to poke you into paying attention.
    • Don’t sit like a shrimp! Don’t slouch at the harp, at the dinner table, at the desk.  Just don’t. If you already do, sit up. Notice your posture.  Also notice the fatigue you might feel after you do sit up.  This is a sure sign that you need to strengthen your back muscles to help you sit upright.  Practicing sitting up will make it easier (seem familiar?).
    • Don’t be the hipster. Sit in any Pete-bucks (really any coffee shop with free wifi) and see how many people you can find that are not sitting curled up, head forward, neck in a weird curve, staring at a screen.  As I look around, I see – zero people sitting with healthy posture*.  See those bowed curved shoulders?  That’s those strong chest muscles overpowering the back muscles.  Remember too that your head weighs about 15 pounds (even for airheads) and your neck is a very weak set of joints, so keeping your head centered over your body is a good idea.  Keep your ears over your shoulders.
    • Leave room for expansion – sitting up will straighten your spine which will also give your ribs room to expand….and then you can breathe! Novel concept.
    • Practice like a pro. Do you think (your favorite athlete or performer) just runs out on the field or stage to play?  NO – they warm up and stretch.  You might not see them do it, but they do. So should you.  It doesn’t have to be an elaborate routine – wiggle your fingers, stretch your hands, arms, and shoulders.  Warm up your legs, hips, and back.  You’re going to be doing a lot of work, might as well prepare for it.
    • Get up. When you’re practicing, don’t plant yourself for the duration. Plan to get up.  I break my practice into segments (warm up, technical, learning, working, polishing, improv or composing, and then fun) and set a timer for each.  Sometimes I ignore the timer – if I’m working and good things are happening, I’ll ignore it (actually I’ll reset it because my plan is to do the work but not to overdo the work).  I use different times for different things – I might work for 45 minutes but only warm up for 5.  It also depends on the day and what I’m hoping to accomplish – but it’s all informed by my self-knowledge and experience.  
    • Get up too. Getting up isn’t just about keeping your mind sharp and giving yourself a break.  It’s also an opportunity to practice some back care.  Your back is a long chain of bones and connects with your ribs, hips, shoulders, arms, and legs.  All that sitting can lead to stiffness or pain that feels like your back but could be more.  Get up, stretch, move, strengthen your body so you can not only sit (comfortably, correctly) but also so you can get up!

    We don’t often think of playing the harp as a rigorous activity but you do need to have a basic level of strength so you can be successful and resilient.  You might be wondering 1. do you do these (bad) things? or 2. how do you know if you’ve stopped doing them?  I have an answer for that too – record yourself.  I know, there are still people who don’t want to see themselves on video (even after years of covid).  Get over it – there’s too much to be learned to get stuck in a hangup.  Besides – you use a tuner, don’t you? And you use a tuning wrench, right?  Well, your phone recording is just another tool, so stop arguing.  Set it up on your music stand, push record and do the thing.  Do it for a while to capture your real self and see what you need to work on…and what you don’t.  I am always delighted to see that my thumbs are up, for instance.  Most importantly, when you’re done learning from the video – delete it!

    These are all good ideas, but it is very important that you remember that if you have an injury – acute or chronic, any type really – seek medical help.  Not Dr. Google.  Don’t shake it off.  Go see a real physician, chiropractor, or physical therapist. 

    Do you have other challenges or solutions? Let me know in the comments!

     

    * Now you know my little secret writing spot.

  • Sit up and take notice

    Sit up and take notice

    It’s May, which is a lovely time of year.  It is daylight longer, the temperatures are fairly palatable, and we are ready to emerge from the winter (and to escape spring cleaning).  It’s also a time that many think about our general health and fitness – and how fortunate we are to have (generally) good health while being fit enough to do the things we love (like play the harp).

    And yet, as I write this, I have three students in treatment for various hand and arm overuse injuries and more that are preparing to seek help for sore forearms, tired fingers, tightness in the palm, neck pain, and more.

    Yikes!

    This bothers me because 1. I don’t like to see anyone in pain (except maybe that mean girl from 8th grade), 2. It interrupts their practice and our lessons, and 3. As a Human Systems Integration expert and a Certified Music Ergonomist it is painful for me to watch these things develop.  I will say that, although these students are feeling the effects in their playing, they have done me proud by working on their technique so that we can be assured that it is not the harp that is the problem.  However, the same cannot be said for the rest of their lives and there are still problems that have to be addressed.

    A long time ago I heard/read someone say that it didn’t matter if you spent 30 minutes every day in the gym strengthening your abs if the other 23 and half hours of every day you let them slag off! (can’t remember where I got this, but it stuck with me)

    This is so true for our harp playing body (and for all your other muscles (and fascia and tendons)).  You can have brilliant technique and practice habits at the harp, but if the rest of your day is not similarly managed, you can develop issues that will spill over into your harp life.  We don’t focus on our bodies while we sit at our computers, tablets, phones, paperwork, stovetops, or in front of the television.   Working from home, our current world, and busy minds have all contributed too. 

    Contributed to what? Primarily poor posture and long periods of stasis – sitting still.  Age also works against you as you calcify ingrown habits as well as losing both flexibility and strength.  There may be some truth to those people who say their day job is killing them!  Let’s not let us be one of them!

    If you’re a kid (define that as you wish), you might think that’s a problem for other people.  That it won’t happen to you. That you’re different.  Go on telling yourself that. <deep sarcasm>  Whatever – of the eight billion people on the planet, a very large proportion of those grow to older adulthood and along the way they lose strength and muscle mass, experience reduced flexibility, and develop age related injuries.  It would be good if we maintained good posture, strength, and flexibility to avoid injury and loss.

    This week, think about this and the relationship of (the other parts of) your life to your ability to play.  Next week, I’ll give you some things to work on to assure that pain, injury, or loss of mobility don’t derail your harping!  Are you experiencing any of these things?  Let me know in the comments!

  • Practice Hacks

    Practice Hacks

    Everyone is passing along hacks for everything that happens in life.  Whether it’s a no-brainer like putting a paperclip under the tape so you can find the end the next time or a head scratcher like using Doritos as kindling when you need to start a fire (think that one all the way through), hacks are advertised as little things that make life easier (and the implication is that you should have thought of it already).  By extension, they make you smarter (for doing the weird easy thing).

    There are even people talking about Practice Hacks.  But here’s the thing –

    There are no practice hacks!

    Yup, I said it.  There are no practice hacks.

    Wait, before you become forlorn because I’m not going to give you cheap and easy ways to improve your practice, and before you start looking for ways to prove I’m wrong…

    While there are no practice hacks, there are a number of ways to make your practice better!  These are all easy and cheap (or free).  And nothing I’m about to reveal should be a surprise! 

    What are these mysterious methods that aren’t hacks?  How do you make your practice better? Here are a few things you can do/try/add to your daily practice:

    • Think – Structure your practice time so you spend a little bit of time thinking about what you want to do, what you need to do, and what you left to do from the last time before you actually start to work.
    • Plan – Based on your thinking, plan what you are going to do while you practice. Don’t leave it to chance.
    • Write – A practice journal in some form allows you keep track of what you have done, how it went, what you should do next, questions to ask at your lesson, and any other thoughts you have during your practice. This really is just for you so feel free to write anything you like here.
    • Listen – When I first started playing, I was working so hard to play the notes that I didn’t actually hear them! I had to learn to listen while I play – and you can learn that too. Sometimes when I practice, I focus on making the sounds and sometimes I set aside time to focus on listening so I can hear what I’m doing.  If you find you run out of brain space before you get to listening, then use your phone to record and listen to it separately – you’ll be amazed by what you learn!
    • Be present – Practice is often painted as drudgery.  But really, your practice time is time you’re spending on you with you. And you deserve it.  So be there for you. Put your phone away, turn off the tv, close the door, and be present for yourself.
    • Be prepared – If at all possible, have your instrument ready – out of the case and in front of the bench. It is always amazing to me how off-putting the harp can be if it’s enrobed in its case!  Also, have your journal, some pencils, pens, and post-its at the ready.  Make your tea ahead of time.  Preparedness is not just for Boy Scouts and the Coast Guard!
    • Be (time) Wise – Don’t think you must have 2 hours every day to make progress. Even if you only have 10 minutes here or there – those 10 minutes can add up.  And on “those” days if all you get is 10 minutes – use it!  Don’t talk yourself out of practicing because you don’t have a long stretch of time available.  By the same token, don’t write off an entire week because you missed a day or two.  Although we think about time in days, weeks, and months, these are artificial constructs.  In this case those constructs are not helpful.  The reality is that time is continuous – so you can continue too!
    • Chill – It is easy to get caught up in comparisons. Everyone you know has already learned that tune.  Or everyone is playing it way faster than you can. Or you have a simple arrangement, but everyone else’s is complicated.  Chill – it’s not a race! You do your thing, enjoy the successes of others, and play!
    •  Actually Practice – Practicing can encompass a lot of things, but the one thing it must include is that it is a time to knuckle under and do work. Focus and pay attention and do the things you need to do.  As mentioned above – it is time you are investing in you, so make it worth your while!

    Like I said, there are no hacks.  There are no short cuts.  There are no ways to avoid the work.  But there are ways to use your practice time well and make progress – but you probably already knew that!  What are your “practice hacks”?  I’d love to hear – let me know in the comments!

  • Put it away

    Put it away

    Do you have those tunes that seem to be made of rubber?  The kind that, no matter how hard you work on them, bounce right out of your head.  Boing – right out of your hands!  In fact, these tunes seem to have some sort of negative charge – the harder you work on trying to learn them, the farther from being learned they get.  Or maybe it’s just me that has worked and worked and worked and when I can’t stand it anymore, I <still> can’t remember or play it.  Grrr.  Worse – it’s almost always a tune you really want to play. Double grrr.

    Like everything else, when you have this challenge, it’s good to have a strategy to overcome it.  But the “obvious” approach might not be the one you want to use.  Because when, as you sit on your bench, you feel like you should be able to play something, but you can’t – despite a great deal of brain work.  That’s when you might think you should double down and keep working.  Don’t!

    It’s the perfect time to put it away.  Yup. Set it aside.  Put it out of your mind.  Don’t give it a thought. And definitely don’t work on playing it.  I don’t mean just a day or two – let it sit for a while.  Let it marinate.

    How long is a while? Well, that depends on you.  I know for me it’s more than a couple of weeks.  If I can, I let it wait until it pops up in my head (uninvited – no fair “prompting” it!) and makes me crazy trying to identify it!  But when I sit to play it, I’m often pleasantly surprised!  Most surprising is that the tune that was just not going into my head is quickly worked up – like there never was a problem to begin with. 

    So, the next time something’s giving you trouble, put it away and come back to it later.  Have you tried this?  Let me know in the comments!

  • Makin’ a List

    Makin’ a List

    Since the end of the year is coming, many people are spending a moment taking stock (which is a great idea, BTW!).  My own led to a list of random thoughts that I, of course, felt compelled to share with you!

    1. If you need gift ideas (or hints?) I stand by this list for ideas. I should have added index cards to keep a running collection of tunes you have learned (I talk about that here).

    2. Regardless of whether you play for your own edification, the cat and the curtains, your church, paid audiences, or you’re opening for the Rolling Stones, never lose sight of the reality that you not only have a gift, but you sharing that gift with others simply magnifies it. Playing music is never a waste of time or resources.

    3. Take care of you. Beyond basic self-care, never play through pain or in pain.  Use good techniques, use the tools your teachers have shared with you – placing, fingering, posture, etc.  But no matter how long you practice each day, there are still the habits of the other hours of your day that can gang up on you – darn day job!  If you are developing discomfort or if you have allowed that discomfort to grown into pain, of if something else is impinging on your playing (I’m looking at you desk job keyboard un- functional posture) seek help from a Certified Music Ergonomist – like me*!

    4. Take time to enjoy. Even as the hustle and bustle, the premanufactured stress of the season, the actual stress of life, and the chores pile up – you play the harp!  Play the tunes you like (or those that come easily to you).  Really listen, feel, and resonate with your instrument and draw some peace to you, in you, and around you.  If it’s midnight and you’re keyed up, sit for just a moment and put a little disturbance into the air.  Let the ick of stress, etc., ride those sound waves right out of you!

    5. Is it possible to say thank you enough? I doubt it.  So, sincerely, thank you for sharing your year with me.  I really enjoy your thoughts, observations, and comments, and I remain delighted and grateful for you and your willingness to share!

    Told you, just a jumble of thoughts.  What’s on your list?  Let me know in the comments!

     

     

    * Shameless plug.  But seriously, if not me, let me point you in the right direction~

  • Bzzzztzzzztzzzzzzzzz

    Practice Improvement

    Do you ever feel like your practice needs fixing?  Like you should be doing something more but you’re not sure what?  After all, you do all the things (as the meme says).  And it’s our busy season coming, with friends, family, church, civic organizations, even strangers on the street, all asking for music for events or just to create a holiday vibe.  It is a gift to share your gift.  So the question is, is your practice ready or is your practice static?

    Practice Improvement

    Unfortunately, we can’t just wrap bows around our hands (or our brains!) and be ready to present our gift. So we practice.  And practice. And practice some more.  We listen to the gurus (I’m going to be presumptuous and add myself to that list!) and try to follow their advice.  We do the technical work, and we write down everything, we make recordings, we do repetitions, we make exercises from fumbles, we repeat and repeat and repeat.  Just like the “people who know things” tell us to.

    But sometimes even all that might leave you feeling like you still don’t quite have it. Like all that practicing you should be doing isn’t getting you where you want to be.  Ever feel like that? Oh, it’s just me? Ok, well…yeah, I didn’t think so.

    There’s just one problem with what I’ve described, and with “doing as your told” in general.  And that is that you can’t be static – not moving, not changing.

    You have probably cobbled together (from all that guru advice) that you should do your technical work, then do your learning, then do your polishing, then play for fun and call it a day, invariantly, in that order.  But that may be where your unease is coming from!

    You can’t always practice the same way all the time.  Mostly because you don’t always need the same thing from your practice each day.  There are so many factors that go into what you need to practice each day –

    • what you’re working on
    • what you’re working toward
    • what you’re doing the rest of the day
    • how tired you are
    • and more – all those things that impact everything in your day

    So how should you practice? Well, start by knowing that, just like your learning, your practicing cannot be static. It has to change to fit what you need. 

    But how do you know what you need? Well, as a beginner you might have to depend on your teacher to tell you – after all, you’re a beginner so you probably don’t know where to start and a teacher will certainly help with that.  But as you become more accomplished, you will be able to notice what works for you (and what doesn’t).  Before we go on, noticing what works is not the same as convincing yourself that practicing all the easy stuff is good and working on something you don’t want to do/don’t feel comfortable doing/is challenging can be skipped…these are usually the things you most need to work on (don’t ask me how I know this).

    Practicing is the time to find what works for you – and what doesn’t.  It’s the opportunity to try different approaches to your music – play faster, play slower, try shoving your way through, break everything down, listen to a recording, read the music, listen to a recording while reading the music, work backward, work phrase by phrase, walk away and come back with a clearer head, sit until you get it, repeat 3 times, 10 times, 100 times, sing it, play it on another instrument (all things some guru has probably suggested to you before).

    What do all of these approaches have in common?  They require that you pay attention.  No formulaic, mindless practicing!  Be critical (but not self-critical!).  Note what seems to help you move forward for each of a variety of situations.  Be open to changing as needed – and as the situation requires.  Follow your progress like it’s your favorite facetictweegram influencer!  Remember to start with your goals in mind so your can modify your process to get there  Focus on your progress and don’t be static!

    What have you noticed impacts your practice success?  How do you modify your practice? How do you keep track of what you’ve done that worked and what didn’t?  Let me know in the comments!

  • Sad

    Recently, a harp friend told me that she was going to move along.  That she was done with the harp.  That she had completed what she set out to accomplish. And now that that’s done, it’s time to move on to something else.

    I struggled for what to reply.  The concept of being done with playing the harp is an anathema to me.  I don’t get it.  What?

    I wanted to argue.  She’s a good player.  She’s put in so much work.  So much time. So much money!

    But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that arguing with her wasn’t the right tack.  After all, she knows her own mind.  If she’s done, she’s done.  No amount of my quizzing her to death would help.  And all those questions surely wouldn’t woo her back and might just push her farther away. 

    I just needed to be sad.

    Sad because I’m likely to lose a friend.  When your friendship is built on sharing music, will it survive without it?

    Sad because the harp gives me such joy (while also being a challenge) that I can’t conceive of leaving it, yet I have to allow her to do just that.

    Sad because I felt badly that, although I think she’s a fine harp player, she had evaluated her own harp life and found it lacking.

    And I’m still hopeful that it’s just that she just needs a break and that she’ll come back to the harp – and her harp friends.  That she’ll miss playing and just sort of migrate back to it.  That the simple act of playing will remind her of the joys to be had. 

    But if that’s not the case, I really hope that she finds something that is a balm to her like I find my harp is to me – in good times and bad, it’s there for me and I want my friend to have that too.  Even if it’s from doing something else.

    Because it’s about her and her happiness – and satisfaction – with playing.  If that’s not happening, then she probably should move on. I don’t know what she’s going to do with her time now that she won’t be practicing, going to workshops, playing, and all the other things we do.  It’s a lot of time to fill.  I’m not sure that when we’re in the middle of it, we realize how much time we spend – sometimes it really is more time that we spend with other people (not that there’s anything wrong with that! ????).

    And although I’m sad about all this, I also fervently hope that she is not sad at all.  That her choice to move along is standing her in good stead and that she’s finding something that makes her heart sing.  I’ll get over it.  I’ll play my harp to do so.  Maybe I’ll feel compelled to write a tune about it. Or maybe I’ll just play things that we had played together – as a commemoration of sorts.

    I know I shouldn’t be sad – things change.  And I’ll move past it.  But for now, I’m going to be just a little bit sad about it while wishing my friend all the best. 

    How are you? Let me know in the comments!

  • Upon Reflection

    Do you ever hear someone say, “I’ll never play as well as (insert-the-name-of-your-favorite-accomplished-harper here) does”.  I always wonder if they’ve reflected on what they are actually saying.

    Because, while It is a natural phenomenon to compare ourselves with others, it is only upon reflection that we have the chance to grow.  In addition, no matter how natural it is to make those comparisons, it does you no good.  You might convince yourself you’re determining where the “bar is set” but you’re not.  We do comparisons as a shortcut for self-assessment, so we have to stop it before it can fully derail our progress!

    There are a few reasons people make comparisons and each holds a potential lesson:

    • If your goal is to be someone else, I hate to tell you this, but they are already them, so you should stick to being you. You don’t know where other people started or how their path has differed from yours, so your comparison is a false assessment at best and certainly doesn’t serve you!
    • If you only look at people who you think are “better” than you, you don’t have time to look around for others who could learn something from you where you are or how you got there. We all have something to contribute – someone may need to learn something you already have.
    • If you are watching someone else, by definition, you only see their “performances”.  That means you haven’t seen all the work they had done before, behind the practice room door over a long time. You only see the polished, finished work while you likewise have to suffer through (and endlessly replay) your own bloopers – how is that an accurate comparison?
    • If you keep watching someone else, you won’t be paying attention to yourself.  And that means that you won’t necessarily see when you make a breakthrough. You have to be paying attention to yourself so you will be able to detect your own improvements – but you won’t see them if you’re watching someone else.
    • If your goal is a who, you’ll definitely miss the what. Wanting to be someone else isn’t really an actionable goal.  If instead, you pay attention to you and work toward what you’d like to achieve (you might identify the what by watching someone else, just don’t try to be them!).
    • If you consistently compare yourself to others, you’ll always be disappointed. This is because you’ll either be comparing up (and thereby find yourself wanting) or comparing down (thus finding yourself “better” but not more satisfied).  If you instead compare yourself to you – that is, compare where you were to where you are – you’ll be delighted by what you find!

    While it might be natural to compare yourself to others, it doesn’t help you improve.  So how do you escape this?  There are a few things you can do that will help you grow without making you grow green with envy!

    • Write it down (I know, I know, I’m always telling you to write things down… because I mean it!) – identify what it is that you think you’re lacking in comparison. Be specific – is it a technique you don’t know? Or a manner of playing? The harp itself? Something else?  Once you know what it is, you can work on it.
    • Write more down – now that you know why you’re feeling comparatively lacking, write down what your gap is (or if you even have a gap!) – this will help you realize what you have to do to close your perceived shortfall.
    • Be nice – remember to talk to yourself like you’re someone you like and are friends with!  Pillorying yourself won’t help and might actually hurt.
    • Get to know them – talk to the person you’re comparing yourself to. We harpers are a small, friendly, and accepting group and I’m always delighted by others’ willingness to share their journey, their tips and tricks, and they’re own thoughts.  All you have to do is ask.
    • State your goal – no, really, be very clear on what it is you think you need to work on…and do it!
    • Keep track of what you do – and how much progress you make.
    • Lather, rinse, repeat – consistent, persistent effort will help you move forward – but it has to be both consistent and persistent!

    It also helps to keep track of when you’re feeling like you’re falling short and instead focusing on you (rather than on someone else). 

    Have you ever felt like you’d never measure up? Have you tried any of these suggestions?  Let me know in the comments!

  • The Pandemic Slump

    It’s been two years of pandemic.  Two long, challenging, isolated, soul-smushing years.  One thing I have seen really grow over these two years is the Pandemic Slump*.  I am experiencing it myself.  And I know all too well that many of you are too. 

    What is the Pandemic Slump I hear you ask? 

    Well, it’s not a downturn in the economy.  It’s not the weird ennui we’ve been feeling and struggling to shake off, even as things begin to look up.

    What is the Pandemic Slump? Check your zoom window, you might see it there.  Do you still have the lovely posture you worked so hard to develop while on the bench?

    Pandemic_Slump

    The Pandemic Slump is, in fact, actually likely the fault of (insert the name of your favorite online video interaction app here – zoom, skype, teams, facetime, messenger, or whatever app you’ve been using to soldier on with lessons and workshops).  As we try to make do with our phones or tablets or laptops with their fixed cameras and microphones, the slump has crept up on us.  After all, they said it would only be two weeks, and then only a few weeks more. And we’re not rich tech oligarchs, we’re musicians, so we can’t really be splashing dosh all over the place for a complete cinematographer’s set up.  We have been making do with what we have.  We’re staying connected and making progress.

    And now we’re in a slump – literally.  That’s not good.  And I, as a teacher and as a CME (Certified Music Ergonomist), just cannot stand it anymore! 

    Now, to be fair, the lockdowns have done more to impact our posture than just moving to online lessons.  We’re slugged out on the couch more, binging Downton’s Anatomy and Parks and Thrones.   And while it has been good fortune that so many have been able to work from home, very few had a well designed space.  It’s home after all – not focused on working for hours each day and so, many also have a poorly designed, badly set up space using laptops on beds, kitchen counters, floors, etc. because having an expensive (but supportive) ergonomic desk chair for home wasn’t really a priority. 

    The slump is also bad because it changes your position at the harp. Your hands are at a different approach angle and your arms have to reach farther (because when you slump, your chest caves and your shoulders, going along for the ride and taking your arms with them.

    In addition, to see the camera (which is in wide, landscape format), a lot of people have had to crouch down so that there was also enough harp in the picture to be helpful (and to move the lesson along).  And, a lesson or workshop is a social interaction, so we want to see each other which also requires getting your face in the frame, even if you have to contort your back to do so.  The lighting is bad and often becomes variable (due to digitization), so you may be squinting at the display. 

    After two years of this, you might not even notice you’re doing it!  What can you do? Let’s work on fixing all that!

    First, you can get out the same way you came in – use your computer camera!  You can do this in real time by starting a meeting in your app (just don’t invite anyone else) and watch yourself.  If you’re having trouble watching yourself and monitoring your posture while you play, then record and review later – use your app or the video on your computer.  I like doing this in real time because then I can fix it as soon as I see it and I can see when it starts (do you slouch when you’re working to learn or remember, or do you slouch all the time?).  But recording and reviewing later also frees you up to focus on playing and seeing more things while you’re focused on reviewing.

    If you’re not a techie (or you just don’t want to do the above), use an egg timer and a mirror – diddle with the timer so it goes off randomly. When it dings, freeze, and look in the mirror – do you like what you see, or do you need to straighten up?

    Second, when I start students, I often give them a “starting checklist” to run through before they start playing.  Playing the harp is challenging and remembering all that stuff (head up, back straight, “puppy paws”, “baby waves”, breathe, oh, and play) can be a lot to remember.  Hence the checklist – I suggest that you make the checklist you need and run through it before you start to play.  Just make sure that don’t slouch/back straight is prominently placed in the list!

    Have you noticed that your posture has taken a hit lately – do you have the Pandemic Slump? Or have you had other problems crop up like overuse injuries developing, trouble with playing stamina, or reduced accuracy and speed?  Want to learn more?  I’ll be giving two workshops at the Somerset Folk Harp Festival – Ergonomics 101 (in person, Friday, 22 July 3 – 4:30pm) and Selecting the right harp for you (in person, Saturday, 23 July 10 – m 11:30am) – come learn with me!  And if I can help you, we can make that happen! **

    Have you noticed the Pandemic Slump in your zoom window?  Let me know about it in the comments! 

     

    * Why yes, I did just make up that name but it is also a real thing.

    ** Ok, this is a shameless commerce plug, but it is a real thing – don’t play in pain, work with me.