A couple of questions

[sapdoog]

I have noticed that a lot of people on their submitted videos for review play in the classical position. I've read somewhere that Jamie said this is the preferred way of playing as there is not as much muscle tension to worry about. I was just wondering if it would be okay to the play in the casual position? That's the way i'd most likely desire to play in. I'm sure both ways would be good to learn though. But if I had a choice... casual, for sure. It's the only way i've played in so that's where most of my muscle tension is too. I fear playing in classical and learning to be relaxed, then when I switch to casual, all my old past tendencies will pop back up from familiarity. Also, is there a difference between muscle tension and muscle contraction? As in, let's say my right arm while strumming or picking gets sore up in the deltoid and triceps area from all that work. Is that considered muscle tension? Or the left forearm and also right forearm. With the right arm, are you supposed to do everything from the forearm/wrist rather than the upper arm?

I kind of look at muscle tension more as like my muscles becoming tight unwillingly or as like a "crutch" or support for doing something else. Exactly what Jamie calls "Sympathetic Muscle Tension". I just try to make sure my back muscles and upper shoulder/neck/trapezius area stays relaxed most importantly, and that is where I focus most of my attention and awareness on.

Any help is greatly appreciated and hope to hear from someone soon!

Thanks,
Chayne

[Jamie]

Hi Chayne,

Well, that's a lot of questions!

I fear playing in classical and learning to be relaxed, then when I switch to casual, all my old past tendencies will pop back up from familiarity.

No, practicing in "classical" position will have no bad effects, nothing will "pop up", in fact, things will all quiet down, no matter what position you play in. You have a misconception regarding how muscles work and learn.

Also, is there a difference between muscle tension and muscle contraction?

From the muscles point of view, no. All they can do is contract, or shorten, and pull on bones. Can they pull on the wrong bones for our purposes, or pull too much or too little to create the mechanical action and leverage we eed, yes. The only thing muscles can do is tense, it is how we use that tension. It is life electricity, it only works one way in and of itself. If you plug in a light, or a finger, the electricity will do what it does....to the light bulb or to you. You will call one "good', and the other...."a bad idea".