Relaxation Misconceptions in Piano Playing

One salient feature of modern piano pedagogy is the stress placed upon relaxation. As a result of the wide-spread use of this term, a few discrepancies and misconceptions have arisen. For this reason, a detailed analysis for these property of muscles becomes necessary. For the sake of clearness, I shall exclude the muscles as physiological entities. This is not the condition under which they operate in real life, but it at least will permit a clear exposition of the state of relaxation. The effect of the nerve impulses upon this state will be discussed in the section under "Coordination and Incoordination".

The property of muscle-tone exerts a force at each joint which is relatively constant for each muscle or group of muscles. Accordingly, a completely relaxed joint does not exist anywhere in the human body. I use the term relaxed here in the sense of zero resistance. No two bones normally rest loosely upon each other at a joint and there is always pressure of one articulating surface upon the other. Since this process, in a degree varying with the growth of the organism, has been present in all joints from birth, we are not aware of this force or of its effects on keyboard technique. What the mind considers complete relaxation, in the absence of any sensation to the contrary, is not complete 1) physical or 2) physiological relaxation.

This normal joint-resistance, instead of zero-point, must form the basis of an analysis of relaxation. We begin, not with a flabby muscle, but with muscles possessing a certain pull and firmness so that joints which serve as fulcrums are able to provide their basis from which to work. For the sake of simplicity, a hinge-joint with two antagonistic muscles may serve as the first illustration. Suppose the normal muscle-tone at the joint to be 100 force-units, the actual force value in ounces or pounds being of no consequence is an exposition of the principle involved.
Such a joint will be relaxed so long as this norm is not exceeded. If either muscle, or both muscles should relax to a point where their summated pull is below this norm, a condition of looseness at the joint results. Another way of describing this state, is that the fulcrums are no longer firm.The bones are now being held in place by atmospheric pressure, by the fleshy parts surrounding the joint, and by the formation of the bony surfaces. In such a condition, for example, the head of the humerus^[1] can be pulled out (by external force) over an inch from its socket in the shoulder .

These conditions or variations in resistance are adequately studied by the action of the apparatus This consists of three scales, one opposed to the other two, in order to register the pressure upon them as the pull of the other forces increases or diminishes. The levers represent the bones, m , the joint, the balances B and C represent the muscles, and the strings leading from the scales to the points of insertion represent the inelastic tendons. The upper extremity consists of a rounded head, a narrow neck, and two short processes (tubercles vs.tuberosities^[2]). Its body is cylindrical in its upper portion, and more prismatic below. The lower extremity consists of 2 epicondyles, 2 processes (trochlea & capitulum), and 3 fossae (radial fossa, coronoid fossa, and olecranon fossa). As well as its true anatomical neck, the constriction below the greater and lesser tubercles of the humerus is referred to as its surgical neck due to its tendency to commonly get fractured, thus often becoming the focus of surgeons.

[1] humerus: The humerus is a long bone in the arm or forelimb that runs from the shoulder to the elbow. It connects the scapula and the two bones of the lower arm, the radius and ulna, and consists of three sections.

[2] tubercles vs.tuberosities: Tubercles and tuberosities are very similar bony structures, but there is a subtle difference between them. Tubercles are small, rounded bony prominences. They are often found at the sites of muscle and ligament attachment. Examples of tubercles include the adductor tubercle of the femur and the tibial tubercle. Tuberosities are larger, more prominent bony prominences than tubercles. They may have a variety of shapes, but they are often rough in texture. Examples of tuberosities include the ulnar tuberosity and the ischial tuberosity.