Posted by some ideas... on August 12, 2003 at 14:46:01:
In Reply to: Shoulder Tension posted by Wil on August 12, 2003 at 11:03:47:
One thing I find is that I always get some shoulder tension if I do too much playing standing up. There are lots of different opinions on this subject, but I generally think its a good idea to do most practicing seated, keeping in mind that it is important to practice standing up also, particularly as a performance draws near.
As regards seated playing, I find that because the euph. is a bit awkward in general, many people hold it in a way that promotes tension. Personally, I like to try and find a good seated posture w/o the horn, and then find a way to make the horn conform to the posture, not the other way around. For many people this means a towel or pillow or stand of some sort. I see a lot of players who bring their horn into playing position and then "make the chops meet the mpc." I think it's better to make the horn meet the chops. As far as the "too much right hand" another poster mentioned, this happens a lot also. I agree that it's better for the right hand just to balance, rather than support. Good luck!