You are your primary instrument! How you are will affect how you play. Imagine what happens if you drive your car with the emergency brake still on: the brake gets worn out, there’s more wear and tear on the car, and you get terrible gas mileage! When we play, sing, or create music with a lot of unnecessary effort or habits that aren’t helpful, we’re creating similar conditions within ourselves. The Alexander Technique teaches us to become more aware of how we do what we do. By becoming aware of how we think and how our thinking affects us, we can make choices that truly improve our playing from the inside out. Better instrumental or vocal technique, practice habits, listening and attention, more creativity and authenticity in music-making, and more ease and comfort in playing are just some of the possible benefits. Personally, without working on it specifically, or expecting it to happen, I became a much better sight reader through a better quality of attention!