Do you move about when you play? Either your whole body or just your head?

My teacher said that I do 'typical string player' head movements when I'm playing (I think when playing my violin, and I think the piano too, it's part of what helps make my playing musical. Difficult as I never watch myself play). I do seem to have a tendency to shift my weight from one foot to the other whilst playing clarinet.

Anyway she said that I should try to keep my head/neck/shoulders constant relative to each other. Watching videos on youtube, Julian Bliss seems to do this, looks a bit odd hopping round with stiff shoulders/neck/head. Whereas watching some Sharon Kam videos, she's wobbling her head all over the place.

Is this an important issue?

My teacher has stopped me moving to classical music, at least until I'm able to use it more judiciously. Jazz tunes might be a bit different though. There's one well-known clarinettist who I can't bear watching because he's all over the place and it's very distracting. I wasn't aware that I was doing it and I think my teacher was right to stop me.

I move quite a bit when I play the oboe, but I only notice because sometimes I move the instrument into a position where I can no longer read the music But oboists seem to move a fair amount generally, which my teacher reckons is because everyone fakes dynamics and I think it's because we're all following each other in a sheep-like fashion.

I like to sometimes take a jog round the block, whilst practicing.

I think moving is fine, but it shouldnt be a huge movement, people will get sea-sick watching you. For piano, its different as you need to move about to get a different tone, and different volumes.

i move quite alot when playing the saxophone, both classically, and more so in jazz
i dont think its an issue unless it is taking AWAY from the music
the whole point of performance is to give the audience an audio and visual experience
obviusly as it is msuci, the audio is more important than the visual, however if you watch someone perform and cant listen becuase you are so distracted by the ilogical movements, then it detracts from the purpose. however, i have seen many performances where the performer will stand rigidly still and they look totally uninvolved with the music, just like they are playing it for themselves and are not feeling it.

i know thats mostly rambles sorry, but i hope it helps!

I move a lot, particularly in orchestra when I'm sitting down. In fact, so does another oboist at orchestra, and we move in synch

In relation to your question though, I think it's fine to move, because it shows you're engaging in your piece, but not excessively. My teacher always tells me that I apparently "walk the marathon" in my lessons, but that's different because it's only during my scales

I think it's quite natural to want to move a bit. It's better than being rooted to the spot and getting cramp in your calves.

I was however, told by my first teacher to avoid something in particular. That is moving the head independently of the oboe or vice versa - because you must maintain the embouchure.

I can believe that excess motion is distracting. I do remember watching a cellist play the Edgar concerto (the one all cellists seem to go gooey about) and thinking that it looked like he was doing rather more than just playing his instrument! That was one cellist who I could believe might suffer from cellists scrotum!

Guitarists can be just as bad. I guess at least with woodwind instruments its a bit hard to rub yourself all over them...

I move loads when I'm playing, It's shocking!!

But, and this may be just me, for long held notes if you move about, and if they're ment to be steady, the note can sound wavery... I'm forever getting told to calm down when I play something slow!

I think I just move my legs especially my knees when I play my clarinet. I must remember to look at myself in the mirror. IT must look hilarious- but who cares, the whole point of music is to enjoy yourself!!!!!

I agree with everything that's been said here, about movement not taking away from the music. It's also really important not to restrict your movement though. If you concentrate on keeping still and start to prevent yourself from relaxing it can lead to tension which in turn can lead to a lot of pain! Believe me....... Alo if you stand completely stock still you could look like a robot, and no-one wants that!

Another no-no is conducting your music with the instrument - can look rather comical...

I used to move a great deal, first when playing my oboe - until my teacher protested - and then again with the recorder. My first recorder teacher managed to calm the semaphore down a bit, but it was still rather over the top at times: my second recorder teacher really did comment particularly on the movement, so I made a concerted effort to redirect my energy - first stiffening up totally and trying not to move much at all, then letting more movement through as I got used to being more still. It has helped my playing develop more musically, because my efforts now go into the music instead of into flagging down the audience, and I think is going to be very useful next week, when I'm due to go on my first ever recorder course - I'll have to sit down to play, something I avoid if at all possible, and too much dancing would probably just make me knock out me teeth .

I move a bit with my clarinet but it tends to be to Baroque music, I blame my teacher as she's an oboist. I just copy her Also, I tend to sway to 3/4 time and to swing quavers.

Talk about moving, this woman will never make it as a clarinettist. She needs a broom down her back.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xr3aB4v8hXI

Actually it really inspires me stuff like this.

I don't move that much when playing the flute, i bend my knees a fair bit though with the phrases which i've been told looks rather funny, but i dont care!

Jacob.

I do more facial movements than physical movements In lessons and stuff i have to physically take care to not do the face thing... which i guess is quite bad, my teacher told me not to stop myself but it looks funny I do tend to sway though... from one foot to the other... and sometimes, whilst playing violin, i'll sway in the direction of my bow - on a downbow i'll sway to my right and on an upbow to my left I also have tendencies to stand on one foot... on my toes... or do ballet things...

i am imagining all sorts piroettes, arabesque penchée grand jeté whilst holding and bowing a violin

i'm always told that i play without moving and how peculiar it is by other flutey friends. My teacher is very, flexible shall we say, forever going completely over the top when he's in a good mood...

i did go through a phase of standing on changing legs, so only one at a time, but it made my playing worse, so i took special effort to glue feet to the floor and now i don't do it anymore.

I do however, screw up my face if i make a mistake- not a good move, but it was a natural reflex of mine...i'm getting better at controlling it, but every now and again i find myself doing it.

My flute teacher moves around a lot while playing. My piano teacher sort of sways back and forth. For myself, it depends on the instrument, I try to stay still with flute, but with sax and i'm playing a jazzy piece it's impossible to resist bouncing along with it.

I think movement's fine if it adds to the performance but not so much that it becomes distracting,but standing poker straight might cause tension which isn't good for breathing.

This lady's posture is appalling - my son's clarinet teacher spent years telling him not to move his left elbow in the way she does - but if the music produced is so lovely, does it really matter? I forget which tennis player it is/was who does everything wrong except that his shots always work anyway!

The point is, unless you are obviously producing a beautiful sound whatever, it's probably better to follow the received wisdom on movement and not overdo it. I believe the standard advice for clarinet is to stand squarely on two feet, and only move from the waist up; but many good clarinettists don't stick to this at all and still produce a great sound.

I agree with all the above. We sometimes have to accept that the norm is not everybody’s way of doing things