How to Relieve Tension and Pain While Playing Your Instrument
July 15th, 2025
Are you a musician experiencing pain while playing your instrument? Do you notice tension in your shoulders, back, or hands during practice or performance? Small moments of tension can build up over time and for many musicians, they can lead to pain, frustration, or even injury. Learning to recognize and address these habits early is key to playing with more comfort and ease.
We spoke with AmSAT-certified Alexander Technique teacher Amanda Blair MacDonald to explore practical ways musicians can reduce tension, prevent pain, and play more freely.
How to Relieve Tension and Pain While Playing Your Instrument
Why Musicians Experience Pain While Playing
Even with proper technique, musicians can develop physical habits that lead to discomfort or even injury. Amanda, our certified Alexander Technique instructor at MIC, explains that “most pain in musicians stems from using too much effort when playing.”
This can lead to:
- Muscle tension in the neck, shoulders, or back
- Gripping or clenching the hands or jaw
- Holding the breath unconsciously
- Repetitive strain injuries from overuse
Easy Exercise to Reduce Pain and Tension While Playing
Amanda suggests this practical starting point: “Pick up your instrument and then pause to undo any unnecessary gripping before you play your first note.”
This brief pause can bring awareness to your physical state and help you release tension before you even begin to play. By consistently checking in with your body in this way, you can begin to undo harmful habits that contribute to discomfort. While simple, this exercise is rooted in a broader method that helps musicians move more efficiently and play without pain—the Alexander Technique.
What Is the Alexander Technique and How Does It Help Musicians?
The Alexander Technique is an educational technique designed to alleviate stress and strain from your body. Learn to move more comfortably, relieve tension and pain, improve posture, avoid injury, and ease anxiety. It’s used by instrumentalists, vocalists, and performers worldwide to improve physical coordination and ease.
“Alexander Technique does not cause strain, pain, or harm,” Amanda explains. “It does not interfere with the technique you are working on with your teacher. Rather, it is a non-judgmental approach to learning about yourself that supports you in your music and in your life.”
In practice, this means you’re not relearning how to play your instrument, but you’re learning how to use your body more efficiently while playing. “Alexander Technique starts by increasing awareness of these patterns,” Amanda adds. “Then it helps resisting the old pattern and replacing it with a new habit of moving with freedom and appropriate effort.”
Benefits of the Alexander Technique for Musicians
For musicians dealing with pain or discomfort, the Alexander Technique offers several important benefits:
- Improves posture and body alignment
- Reduces unnecessary muscle tension
- Enhances breath control and freedom of movement
- Prevents overuse and repetitive strain injuries
- Increases body awareness and mental focus
Whether you’re practicing, performing, or simply carrying your instrument, these skills can help you play more comfortably and avoid injury over time.
How to Prevent Musician Injuries and Play Without Pain Long-Term
Ignoring early signs of discomfort can lead to more serious issues over time, such as tendonitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, back and neck pain, or general fatigue. Long hours of practice combined with small, unnoticed habits can take a toll on your body.
“Musicians practice for many hours, and our instruments require movements that are not common in everyday life,” Amanda notes. “Any habit of squeezing or pushing can lead to repetitive strain injuries and even take the joy out of playing music.”
Addressing tension and developing healthier movement habits early is essential for musicians who want to play comfortably for years to come.
Take Alexander Technique Classes at the Music Institute of Chicago
At MIC, we offer Alexander Technique classes for musicians of all ages, instruments, and experience levels as a valuable complement to your regular instrument lessons. Developing healthy movement habits through Alexander Technique supports long-term pain-free practice and better performance.
