Playing the Cello in a Healthy, Pain-Free Way
Music is supposed to be an outlet for the expression of emotion, whether you are playing it yourself or listening to the sounds coming from your stereo. Unfortunately, there is a high rate of martyrdom among musicians who believe that they must suffer pain and sacrifice their bodies while playing the cello. This notion has been perpetuated by players such as Pablo Casals who advocate playing with much emotion—and translate this emotion into exaggerated and overly physical movements and positions. Showing emotion and letting your feelings come through is very important. A passion for playing the cello is always desired in a musician, but if you are in pain while playing then something is wrong and you could be permanently damaging your body.
Posture is an important part of playing the cello. You should be sitting upright to approximately your shoulder level. After this point you should bend in a natural way so that you are leaning over the top of the body and around the neck of the cello. This position will take some getting used to, but if it is painful for you even after several practice sessions you might need to reconsider playing the cello. This is not something an aspiring cellist would like to hear, but it is far better to pursue a different path than to forge ahead along one that causes you great pain. If you are determined to continue playing the cello through the pain, research physical therapists for musicians; these therapists often practice at sports clinics. You also need to make sure to have at least a session or two with a private instructor who will be able to diagnose any incorrect form or techniques. They should be able to let you know if there are any changes you can make to alleviate your pain.
Beyond posture issues, another aspect of playing the cello that can cause discomfort is drawing the bow across the strings incorrectly. Often those who are new to playing will grip the bow very tightly which can cause their hand to cramp and be very sore. It is vital to be as relaxed as possible to avoid pain and discomfort during and after playing the cello.
One way to effectively eliminate pain while playing the cello is to use the peg and stand on the bottom of the instrument to raise or lower it to a more comfortable position. Another option is to choose a place to sit that will help you maintain good posture and keep your back relatively straight while playing. Playing the cello does not have to be painful and you can be an amazing cellist without suffering pain in pursuit of perfection.