What Seating Are You Using When Teaching? (All Teachers)

[Matthew Rusk]

Hi Matt,

It is great question, I used to get a sore back from teaching from a guitar stool (probably just my posture when playing guitar to be honest) but started using the base of my office chair (http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/products/chairs-stools-benches/office-chairs/markus-swivel-chair-glose-black-art-20103101/) and that seemed to really help as it was much softer. I didn’t have the arms or back on it – so just the base, the wheels were useful as well to move around if needed. Guess it looked a bit odd but worked really well for sitting on for hours.

More of a concern for me what that I have developed low level, but sometimes painful, tinnitus. Something that was really effected by teaching 30+ hours per week, as once it was aggravated it was very hard for me to allow it the time to recover. So I guess another questions might be around suitable ear protection for full time music teachers – interesting to get your thoughts.

[Beckie Tunnicliffe]

I found I was getting a bad back from sitting badly at the piano everyday – my posture wasn’t great even though I was aware of it!

When I moved into my new teaching studio earlier this year I made a point of buying a proper office chair with back support (as I was just sitting on a piano stool previously) and my back has been so much better!

[Dave Rutherford]

Hey Matt

I have had back problems for a long time now due to leaning over teaching. I have been to physio before, one said keep your hips higher than your waist – this is a myth dont do that.

The latest physio i went to, for a while actually, made it very clear its just occupational, and you are going to get it from time to time.

He recommended:

1- Getting up from time to time to move around
2- Putting your palms on the wall and pushing backwards to arch your back and stretching regularly.
3- swimming. He said it will loosen it all brilliantly.
4-hugging your legs when laid on your back

Re seating for you, an office chair that you can drop the arms down on is best, and you can lean back when you do not need to play

Re seating ofr students, fold away plastic ikea chairs do the job fine, its just a simple chair with no arms.

i have a drum stool and students always swop it for a chair.

Hiope that helps Im happy to talk further.

[Phil Schneider]

Hi

I’m the same as Matt an office chair or typist chair with hydraulic lift to adjust the height no arms and or no back For the students chair i take off the wheels as I have limited space and students would move the chair. you need to check the min max height too

[Guest Teacher]

Thanks for the responses guys. I’m a firm believer in your hips being higher than your knees when playing, so I’m not keen on having students sitting on sofas and am trying to encourage the use of stools. One in particular that I’ve been looking at is a ‘standing support’ (stool) from Ikea that can be raised pretty high (http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/products/chairs-stools-benches/office-chairs/nilserik-standing-support-white-flackarp-green-art-00279568/). I’ll let you know how it goes!

[Alan Richardson]

Hi Matt. I do most of the lessons in other peoples houses but I always encourage students to use a proper upright chair and similar for myself. A settee is very uncomfortable. The worst case was a lesson in South Shields where they didnt have a chair for me. I used to bring a small Marshall amp in to sit on.

[Jonathan Draper]

While a better chair can certainly help, tackling fundamental problems with posture is the most effective method. Alexander Technique is really good for this – it helped me ever so much with cello-related pain.

Here is a video from my old AT teacher. It’s all about guitar posture. Guitarists should watch it.

https://youtu.be/r6IHPrT7sgg

Also see http://alexandertechnique.co.uk/benefits/performing

I hope this helps.

[Phil Schneider]

Worst guitar position: classical foot stool One leg up creates uneven forces on the lower back.