The Importance of Good Posture
Playing well takes focus, energy, and — above everything else — free airflow from your lungs to your lips. Good posture is what makes that possible. Poor posture makes all of it harder.
Sitting
Sit up straight, but relaxed — not rigid, not at attention.
- Sit on the front half of your chair. Leaning back on the chair restricts your breathing, and slouching does the same.
- Feet flat on the floor, facing forward, knees slightly apart.
- Knees should sit below your hips.
- Keep your head level and your neck straight — don’t tilt it.
- Basically, look like you’re ready for action.
Try this: face your head straight ahead, and without moving it, bring the instrument up to your lips — don’t lean your head down to meet the instrument, since that wrecks your posture.
Keeping an upright posture with your head facing forward keeps your airway open and lets you place the mouthpiece correctly every time.
Standing
Stand tall and relaxed, legs slightly apart. Don’t slouch, but don’t lock up like a soldier either — you want to feel loose while still keeping your airflow free.
Where to put your music stand
Position your stand so you can see the music without twisting into bad posture, and line it up with the conductor so you can see both at once — rotate your chair if you need to.
Tip: where possible, set the stand so the bell of your instrument isn’t blocking your view of the music.
- Trombonists: keep the stand on your right.
- Euphonium and tuba players: keep it on your left.
- Trumpet players: don’t play straight into the stand — angle yourself so you’re playing to the side of it if you can’t see over the top.
Don’t play over the top of a stand if it forces you to hold your instrument too high — that puts the mouthpiece at an awkward angle on your lips.
Rest the mouthpiece on your lips at an angle that follows the line of your teeth, so the pressure is even and gentle on both lips — just enough to stop air leaking out at the seal. Never jam it in hard to try to reach higher notes.
Once your posture’s sorted, it’s time to think about breathing.