Proper PostureB Y B E N J A M I N V E R D E R Y

There can be no disputing the impor-tance of proper posture when playingthe guitar. So many difficulties that

people encounter with playing stem fromimproper posture. In this column, lets out-line some of the most critical points.

To begin with, choose a chair that has aflat surface-a piano bench is good and anadjustable concert piano bench is ideal. Theimportance of a flat-surfaced chair is to sitproperly on your sit bones-essential forproper balance and spinal cord alignment.Your spinal cord must be straight when youplay, Constantly hunching over the guitar re-sults in backaches and a smaller sound.Many sit with their backs slightly bent orcurved and think they are sitting straight up,but they are not. The main area that canstraighten is your spinal cord in your pelvis.If you straighten your pelvis (schwing style,to use Waynes terminology), your back willstraighten and your posture will be much im-proved. By moving from your pelvis out, youwill be sitting on your sit bones and be bettergrounded.

Example 1 is a beautiful excerpt of theopening six lines of Turegano from G&Z-20s de Espufia by Moreno-Torroba. Note thecrescendo at the end of measure 21 going tothe Fat the downbeat of measure 22. This isan example of a place where many would beinclined to hunch over, because our backstend to shrink when the going gets tough. Asyou make the crescendo, move your upperbody forward as a conductor would when heor she wants more sound or emotion out of asection of the orchestra. Try playing thechord with your shoulders down and back

straight, and think of filling the entire roomwith sound. Often by hunching over the gui-tar, people direct the sound into the floor.Think instead of the sound going in a semi-circle from your shoulders and out throughthe guitar. You want your sound directed outinto the hall, not down to the floor.

These six lines of Torroba express a fewdifferent moods. Consider the graceful char-acter of the melody and notice what yourshoulders, neck, and back are doing as youplay it. If you are hunching over the guitarduring certain places in the melody, it willdefinitely affect the sound and projection.Ultimately we want our bodies to work withthe music, not against it.

Example 2 is an excerpt from the wonder-ful Canarios by the great Baroque Spanishcomposer Gaspar Sanz. This is a completelydifferent style from the Torroba, and thecharacter is different as well. The tempo ismuch faster, and it would be interesting tosee if you are able to play the first phrase at afast tempo with your spinal cord straight,neck loose, and shoulders down. See how faryou can get in the piece before you begin toget tense. At the beginning of line 3 when themelody ascends to a high D at the beginningof the third measure, notice if you can playthis passage without hunching over the gui-tar. Try playing without fixating on the lefthand. It is fine to look at your left hand aslong as you are not locking your neck andupper body towards the left, which will nega-tively affect the sound and rhythm. Noticewhat your right arm does as you play faster.Let it be at ease and concentrate on playingfrom the proper knuckle joints. Avoid bear-

ing down on the guitar. You will know by lift-ing your right arm and seeing if there is anindentation.

Many ask about the necessity of using anA-frame rather than a footstool. I can nameseveral outstanding guitar virtuosi that use afootstool despite the fact that it can promotepoor posture. I use an A-frame and noticethat many benefit greatly from them. (GuitarSolo in San Francisco is a good source.) It fa-cilitates keeping the guitar in a more playableposition, but you still have to pay close atten-tion to your back, neck, and shoulders.

When youre practicing intensely, I highlyrecommend that you get up and walk aroundthe room every 20 minutes. I know it soundssilly, but your back and neck get easily lockedinto a position that can be detrimental. Bysimply standing up and sitting down again,you will be helping your body and savingyourself from locking into bad posture.

As we grow older, our bodies change, andwe must constantly analyze how we sit withthe instrument. Unfortunately, posture is of.ten not stressed early enough in ones playing, and serious negative habits can takeyears to undo. Consult your teacher and anygood players you know. Videotape yourself irperformance and observe from your head tcyour feet. I recommend having your leg!somewhat spread and feet flat on the floorPractice occasionally in front of a mirror, antdont forget that proper posture means a bigger and freer sound. R

ne ofAmericas most talentedclassicalguitarists, Benjamin

i

Verdery teaches at Yale Vni-versity and the WisconsinConservatory, and has per-

rformed with John Williams.

His latest album is SomeCit ies And Towns [Newport

Lx. 1

"Turegano"BY FREDERIC0 MORENO-TORROBA

122 GUITAR PLAYER M a r c h 1 9 9 3

CanariosBY GASPAR SAN2

P r . -. c cr r iv