Play Life Loudly

Abby talks about her own experience with chronic pain and flare-ups due to mold exposure.
Main points:
1. You deserve care from someone who listens, does not interrupt, believes you, and makes a plan with you.
2. Our brains say a lot of conflicting things when we hurt.
3. You are not alone in your pain experience.

Abby is the owner of Forte Performance & Physical Therapy, where she works with musicians, artists, and performers to help them feel and sound their best.
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Disclaimer: This podcast episode is for educational purposes only and is not to be taken as medical advice.

Abby talks about the concept of "good posture" for pianists, a review of the workshop she led for the Vermont Music Teachers Association last weekend.
Major takeaways:

1. There is no such thing as good or bad posture. Instilling that idea only makes a musician have to choose a body position and stick with it all the time in order to be good.
2. Problems arise from a lack of variety more than the actual body position itself.
3. Muscles are happiest when they are in their middle range, so whatever feels easiest, is probably right.
4. Whenever talking about posture, use sensation cues rather than action cues whenever possible to avoid a rigid strategy
5. Encourage the use of body position as a means of communication. It will allow for the variety the body needs to stay healthy at the piano for longer.

Abby is the owner of Forte Performance & Physical Therapy, where she works with musicians, artists, and performers to help them feel and sound their best.
Website
Instagram
Facebook
Disclaimer: This podcast episode is for educational purposes only and is not to be taken as medical advice.

Abby talks about simple strategies piano teachers can use to reduce discomfort while teaching students from an article she wrote for the Vermont Music Teachers Association's newsletter.
Major takeaways:

1. Over 42% of pianists report pain, discomfort, and injury.
2. Increased time spent playing piano, years of experience, and regularity contribute to higher reports of pain.
3. Make your teaching set-up (aka ergonomics) do more work for you.
4. Change up what you're asking of your body while you teach.
5. Individualize your day of teaching based on your body's (and brain's) needs.

Abby is the owner of Forte Performance & Physical Therapy, where she works with musicians, artists, and performers to help them feel and sound their best.
Website
Instagram
Facebook
Disclaimer: This podcast episode is for educational purposes only and is not to be taken as medical advice.

Abby talks about what to do if you're stuck in a state of over-inflation. She talks about the impacts of breathing patterns on musicianship and singing and how to train your exhalation to change patterns.
Key Points:
1. Quick review of hyperinflation, but make sure you listen to Episode 10 first!
2. The reasons for training exhalation for musicians
3. Three example exercises to improve exhalation range of motion for singing and playing music.
4. Practice your instrument or vocalize in those positions
5. Reach out with questions!

Abby is the owner of Forte Performance & Physical Therapy, where she works with musicians, artists, and performers to help them feel and sound their best.
Website
Instagram
Facebook
Disclaimer: This podcast episode is for educational purposes only and is not to be taken as medical advice.

Just wanted to update you on what's coming up. Abby is attending the 57th National Conference for the National Association of Teachers and Singing (NATS). She and her dear friend and colleague Liz Frazer, aka The Salty Voice Teacher, will be leading a demonstration and discussion about how Physical therapists and voice teachers can partner up and break all the posture and breathing rules.
Abby is also looking forward to chatting with Christine Schneider on her podcast, The Visceral Voice, about in-network vs. out-of-network care for singers.

Abby is the owner of Forte Performance & Physical Therapy, where she works with musicians, artists, and performers to help them feel and sound their best.
Website
Instagram
Facebook
Disclaimer: This podcast episode is for educational purposes only and is not to be taken as medical advice.