Exposition

Blow Free: Avoid resistance, tension and inefficiency in your playing. (2020)

Rafael Afonso
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About this exposition

My goal with this research is to find a solution to my playing problems, which are most of the times related to tensions and stress. For many years, and still today, there are questions related to something I do physically while playing that I couldn’t change, not even with the help of my teachers. It was so deep in my system that I couldn’t control it, I didn’t know what the reason was and I even didn’t realize when I was doing it. This was the starting point and the motivation to write this paper. I firstly looked at the symptoms and investigated them in order to understand whether it was a medical problem or just bad habits on using my body. Then I realized that the problem was not always there and that is was worse when I was under pressure. So I chose two main topics to research: Alexander technique, to help me reducing tension and use my body more efficiently; and Arnold Jacobs approach of “Song and Wind” to improve my playing by directing my focus and avoiding stress. In this paper I also add some observations I made about some lessons I followed and interviews I have done with people who helped and/or inspired me during this process. Finally, I close this research with the description of some exercises that I implemented in my own daily routine. I can feel the improvement in my playing since I started this research so I really hope I will accomplish my goal and who knows one day be able to help other people with similar issues.
typeresearch exposition
keywordsMusical Training Performance & Cognition, stress
date11/11/2019
published20/08/2020
last modified20/08/2020
statuslimited publication
share statusprivate
copyrightRafael Afonso
licenseAll rights reserved
languageEnglish
urlhttps://www.researchcatalogue.net/view/729980/729981
published inKC Research Portal
portal issue3. Internal publication


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803108 softpalate copyright holder All rights reserved
805853 Frederick copyright holder All rights reserved
805854 Child copyright holder All rights reserved
805856 Directions copyright holder All rights reserved
805860 AlexanderLesson copyright holder All rights reserved
805861 RespiratorySystem copyright holder All rights reserved
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comments: 1 (last entry by Timothy Dowling (KC) - 23/02/2020 at 22:08)