September 10 What the heck are ergonomics?

"Music should strike from the heart of man, and bring tears from the eyes of women" - Ludwig van Beethoven

I was reading an excerpt from the book Performing Matters by Barry Gibson where he talks about the ergonomics of knowing an instrument, the developed familiarity that leads someone to name it, the acute knowledge of where each finger should go on this specific instrument and the size and weight that feel at home nestled in my lap...

Caulton and Dickson (2007) describe ergonomics as the ability to  “constantly make slight invisible adjustments to an activity to adapt to the needs of those taking part and ensure that it continues to work for its intended purpose”.

To me ergonomics include the size of the body of my guitar, the thickness of the neck, nylon vs steel strings, having a pick or a capo, how I'm sitting when I play and all those other things that allow me to close my eyes and play with confidence, not having to look but having what seems to be an innate knowledge of the piece of equipment I'm holding. All that really remains is for me to find the appropriate name for my dear guitar.

I became acutely aware of these factors following a fight between myself, a kinfe and a potato during dinner preparation that led to a nice cut on the tip of the middle finger on my left hand (you should see the other two...). Anyway this incident has impacted on my ability to play the guitar comfortably. Until now I had not been this aware of how important my middle finger is (and not in the sense of a single finger salute). Chords previously played with ease are now played with irritation as my short term memory steps up in all its GLORY and I repeatedly cause myself pain by forgetting to not play with my injured finger!

On the other hand time out from playing allows me time to write without the distraction of trying to fit a tune. Composition of lyrics and composition of melody are two very separate items. The environment surrounding me provides me with inspiration; someone unexpected walking past my window, rain when the sun is still shining bright, clouds lazily drifting by, blank walls, a poster I've had all my life, seeing a friend, receiving a txt or even checking up on facebook are all things that dare me to put them onto paper. Triggers for a physiological or emotional response just waiting to be translated to the language that is music. 

"Music, even in situations of the greatest horror, should never be painful to the ear but should flatter and charm it, and thereby always remain music." - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart