I am designing a chair for a musician for a school project and have a few questions about the ergonomics of the chairs that musicians sit it while performing and practicing. a. How often (on average) do you practice/play per week? b. What is the proper posture for playing your instrument while sitting? c. Do you prefer to stand or sit when performing/practicing? Why? d. Do you have any physical ailments associated with sitting while playing your instrument? e. How does your seat position within an orchestral setting affect your playing? f. Do you have a favorite chair when practicing/playing? If so, what do you like about it? g. What do you like/not like about the chairs you are typically required to use? h. Would you consider buying a purposely-designed chair for playing if you knew it would help your performance and/or health? i. What characteristics would define an ideal musician’s seat for you and your instrument?
I play the flute, a. I play Monday through Friday for an hour with my school band, and about 30 minutes to an hour most evenings. b. Proper posture is to have both feet flat on the floor while sitting on the edge of the seat with a straight back. c. I prefer to stand when I'm playing by myself, because it makes breathing easier. d. If I have to hold my instrument up for a while, my arms ache, but it's nothing too major. e. The worst part about being a flute player is having to adjust for space and trying to hold the instrument around the chair. So we're constantly shifting, trying to get comfortable. f. The chair I like to use if I have to sit is a little taller and has a lower back. g. The chairs I have to use are generally hard plastic, which is uncomfortable, and they have high backs that are difficult to maneuver around. h. Yes I would. i. One with a lower back, so I could hold my instrument over it, and a little more suited to sitting for longer periods of time.
