Barbara Lister-Sink's Freeing the Caged Bird: Potentially Harmful Technical Habits Part 1

[@clevelandpianostudio]

I took the one week course with Ms. Lister-Sink in 1998 and it changed my playing for life! I have been playing for over 40 years, and by my 20s and early 30s I was constantly getting injured. I now in every lesson incorporate what I learned with Ms. Sink. And yes, the Alexander Technique is incorporated into her retraining.

[@lucidviolin1298]

man oh man am I glad to come across this gem of a video. Gonna use this for my students

[@UUpianoman]

I am going to restart piano lessons this fall, 2012. The main part of my focus will be learning to play without tension. I'm so grateful for this submission!

[@BarbaraListerSink]

You are most welcome--although I did not make the video/DVD back in 1996 to be instructional--only educational and informational. This type of training really takes a teacher to guide the student in the appropriate muscle states and coordination. But thank you anyway for your kind comment.

[@man0sticks]

Raising the shoulders is sometimes caused by sitting too low. Flying elbows can result from a mistaken attempt to produce finger legato when playing arpeggios.

[@BarbaraListerSink]

The Alexander Technique principles of balance, optimal alignment and efficient muscle use are interwoven throughout the instruction, but the further it gets into the very specifics of training increasingly complex kinetic patterns, the more specific the training has to become. And that takes the guidance of someone who can play those coordinations well.

[@ONeirda]

I am no pianist at all, and I don't understand anything about pianos (although I have one standing in my room on which I sometimes improvise a little bit). But I reckon that this is a very fine and nice instruction, very decent. Thank you.

[@kevinquinn2160]

"🎹❤Facinating Pedagogy So interesting. Thank you Barbara for sharing your journey with us. A miracle for so many" Kevin Quinn

[@PIANOPHUNGUY]

I should get that DVD. I have many of those bad habits.

[@SpiritualRiot]

Dear Mrs. Lister-Sink I really want to thank you for publishing this information, My teacher used to teach me all these things but unfortunately she passed away. I don't know if she learned this from you but that's exactly what we did in class and I felt a little frustrated because I wanted to know more about it and watching this video is like breathing fresh air. I'll definetely buy this DVD, I hope it's still available. Greetings! =)

[@Erdos777]

Wonderful instruction, thank you.

[@suantuosuo4519]

My 4th and 2nd finger collapse when 3rd press. This is right hand. Left hand does not. I had play piano for 10 years. I feel something wrong in my right hand middle finger. Can anybody help me.. .

[@Erdos777]

Piano TaiChi

[@ravelian]

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