CELLO PLAYING-POSITION QUESTION #1
WHEN SEATED TO PLAY, AM I SITTING WITH PERFECT BODY ALIGNMENT?
When something is in Alignment, it means that everything is lining up. While sitting to play, your body alignment always needs to line up.
Always support your body with a balanced and poised stature! Your spine remains straight and flexible. Slouching makes performing all playing tasks harder, and even makes it difficult to breathe freely.
Your chin remains parallel to the ground and your back muscles remain relaxed. Never strain or stiffen your spine. Allow for the spine’s natural flexibility and curves to work as designed. Keep your neck loose and never thrust or extend your head forward. Your head remains balanced, directly over your spine.
Your hips remain slightly above the height of your knees, which gives you leverage. This helps you to be well-balanced over your feet. Your feet remain flat on the ground in the Leverage-V position. Remember to always – Ground Your Roots! (Review the Ground Your Roots Exercise)
Never play on a chair that is too low. Adjust your sitting position and location to make certain that all of the references work for you. Pay attention to your body alignment when sitting to play. Perfecting your poise and balance unlocks ease in your playing motions.
When in cello playing-position, be relaxed, flexible, balanced, and sit properly.
