A straight back?

[mahmudfasihulazam]

They all say that people should play with their backs as straight as possible. My back starts hurting after a while if I keep it straight. Is it all that necessary to keep your back straight? (I have noticed plenty of amazing pianists playing without a straight back) If, however, it is necessary, what can I do to fix my problem? Or am I totally on my own? (As its "my" back after all, hahaha).

Cheers and thanks in advance.

[starlady]

If your back hurts after a while (and you are not old and arthritic like I am) you may be keeping it rigid, rather than straight.  Your back can be straight but still fluid and free to move.  Also, notice how you hold your head: if you lift the chin and throw the head back, which most people do, it will tire the back very quickly.  I like the Alexander Technique image of  'the head moves forward and 'up', but there are lots of ways to think about it and you need to find the one that works for you.

--s.

[mahmudfasihulazam]

Thank you very much.

[lilla]

Back pain often involves stomach muscles.  You might also consider strengthening your stomach muscles with applicable exercises. So when you sit tall with a straight back, you are also relaxed and balanced on the bench (on your "sit bones").

[cabbynum]

Back pain often involves stomach muscles.  You might also consider strengthening your stomach muscles with applicable exercises. So when you sit tall with a straight back, you are also relaxed and balanced on the bench (on your "sit bones").

Sit ups
Crunches
Lay down on your back keep your legs straight and lift both feet to a right angle and back down again


Also sit bones on most people, you will be leaning forward ever so slightly, you'll be able to feel it. I don't play with a perfectly straight back but it is upright most of the time. It is comfortable and well balanced and no one has commented on it yet, and I've had many high level teachers look at my playing.
Don't sniff the keys either, they don't smell that great, I promise!!

[indianajo]

My piano teacher never said this, but my band director insisted we sit straight, march straight, and hold our horns out straight (trumpets & trombones particularly).  Heads straight up.  This was reinforced by marching in the US Army where that is the proper posture. I'm 63 years old and have no back pain, so I would say it is good advice.
A general exercise program of the back neck and abdomen muscles is required to build these to the needed strength.  Carrying a pair of cymbals while marching (and spinning them over my head), and carrying my books and instrument home from band practice (1.5 miles) was enough for me in my teens, but now I go the the gym and cycle around the arm upper body machines.  If you have floor space you can do Pilates exercises like Margeret Richards demonstrates on PBS every morning.  Piano is semi-atheletic exercise, and being in shape helps.  Being in shape also helps with the aches and pains of daily life, and keeps one from being a couch potato.  
Notice there is a difference between muscle pain, which is normal when you are building up strength, and numbness in limbs or sharp spinal pain.  If you have the latter see a physician.  Muscle pain is more a problem for personal exercise trainers or an exercise program from a book or video. 
I've noticed the gym with the machines doesn't teach stretching to new people, so look up the US Army Daily Dozen or some similar program, as tight muscles need to be stretched every day before exercise.  These exercises came from a program of exercise records and book sold in the 1920's I found out by watching PBS history detectives.
Use it or lose it.  A neighbor bought one of those electric wheel chairs to get around in, and after 3 years of retirement died.  I'm going into my fifth year after stopping working and am in better shape than in years, my heart and metabolic numbers are lower, and I'm playing harder piano pieces than I ever played before.  

[faulty_damper]

They all say that people should play with their backs as straight as possible. My back starts hurting after a while if I keep it straight. Is it all that necessary to keep your back straight? (I have noticed plenty of amazing pianists playing without a straight back) If, however, it is necessary, what can I do to fix my problem? Or am I totally on my own? (As its "my" back after all, hahaha).

No, do not maintain a straight back. (You mean arched back.) This reduces the range of motion for many pieces beyond the most simple ones.  Relax it by slumping over a bit.  You'll notice that the moment you do this, your spine becomes incredibly supple and the range of movement drastically increases.

[pianoplunker]

They all say that people should play with their backs as straight as possible. My back starts hurting after a while if I keep it straight. Is it all that necessary to keep your back straight?

straight as possible for you to be at ease while at the piano. But dont slouch. Stay in control

[mahmudfasihulazam]

I would be lost without this web site and the wonderful people on it. I thank everyone yet again.

[faulty_damper]

straight as possible for you to be at ease while at the piano. But dont slouch. Stay in control

This may be true if you were playing something very finger-oriented like a Mozart sonata, but if it's Liszt's Sonata, this would NOT work.  A straight back will be detrimental considering how much motion it requires to play this piece.

[gregh]

Backs are not straight--the spine is naturally curved in an "S" shape. Shoulders too far "back" is no better than slouching. "Sit straight" should mean a balanced and natural-feeling posture. Good posture should not hurt.

[pianosfun]

If you are truly relaxed, all of that stuff should take care of itself. Musicality takes care of most of the physical issues associated with the piano. No joke. For instance, if you watch Daniil Trifonov or Benjamin Grosvenor play, they have all sorts of positions that they put their back in during a performance...

The physical things take time and patience to learn just like the musical and technical things...
If you play the instrument with a "NOBLE" and endeared approach, most everything should go well. My carpal went away after I started doing this. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EDIT: My carpal tunnel has not completely gone away. I have only been playing for 3 weeks since quitting the instrument for some time. It has gotten significantly better, though. I used to not be able to use my 2nd and 3rd fingers of the RH. Now they play the keys very well. But yeah, don't mess around with carpal tunnel. If you think you have it take it easy and seek help.

[faulty_damper]

Backs are not straight--the spine is naturally curved in an "S" shape. Shoulders too far "back" is no better than slouching. "Sit straight" should mean a balanced and natural-feeling posture. Good posture should not hurt.

It's assumed people already know this fact.  But when most people say "straight back" it means sit up straight, but this does NOT mean a balanced and natural-feeling posture.  People think unnaturally uptight.

[gregh]

It's assumed people already know this fact.  But when most people say "straight back" it means sit up straight, but this does NOT mean a balanced and natural-feeling posture.  People think unnaturally uptight.

Some people need to be told that-- they're told to sit or stand straight and they push the chest out, shoulders back, and suck that gut in... and they're tense and can't hold it long.