Body Lessons

My body is reminding me that I need to relax when I play by causing me annoying pain. I've had a problem with my upper back/neck for years now, and I think I finally know what is causing it. Actually it started about 10 years ago when I joyfully hopped down the last couple of steps with a fully loaded shoulder bag and I felt something rip when I landed and I was in so much pain I had to lie down on the floor to sleep. Now it comes back every now and then, sometimes caused by a strange turn to reach for something or doing something normal like making the bed. I just feel a warmth and sudden tightening and I know the next 2 or 3 days will be excruciating. Or sometimes it just comes on gradually. Just a tight spot that needs stretching but ends up leaving me back on the floor. Once it was solved when I was driving and made a turn that pulled my body one way while my hands held on to the steering wheel and I felt something tug and free itself. I have a theory that this may be caused by my extra rib, but that's just a theory. I've thought about seeing a chiropractor or something, but I know no chiropractors, and how would I get an appointment to see one anyway? Help??

Anyhow, since I've been working on my do ro tsu ku's so much, I think that I've been tensioning up my shoulders, which is bad. You should always play relaxed. Relaxation comes after you've cranked up the bpm on your metronome and have played for a long time so that the pattern comes naturally. Yes, natural happens, but then I crank up the bpm again, repeating the cycle. This whole back thing is just a reminder that I need to play relaxed.

Tonight I was do ro tsu ku-ing with Janet and it was a lot of fun. Just easy noodling and whatnot. She's fun to play with. I think maybe we have a similar sensibility. I have a better idea on what we're going to be playing for the show, but until we rehearse with the bassist, it's still up in the air. Which is good. Because I'll practice. Relaxed. But I feel more confident now and I think my bpm's are up to speed, but wouldn't mind cranking it up a bit more. Plus I need to build up endurance, since the do ro tsu kus' are still for a yet undetermined length. It was funny because Janet asked if I would get tired and if we would need to come up with a cue so one of us could rest, and I was like, Huh? Rest?? How long are we playing them for? 20 minutes? I don't think I'll need a rest. And that's because of my metronome training, yo. But now my next goal is playing without tensioning up my shoulders, which is important, as I am just now finding out. Usually someone else tells you these things, but I think my body is catching on and letting me know before hand. Until then, playing relaxed. Yep.