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Beat VM

@beatvm

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If VM makes you dread practicing… same.
For brass & wind players ready to play freely again 💛
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Throwback Wednesday??? 😂

Found this old practice video of baby Steph in college. 🥹

This was about a year before I really started losing my ability to play.

Looking back now… there were signs. There were SIGNS. 👀

We definitely snowballed from here. 😅

If you’re struggling with blocked attacks, stuck notes, tongue tension, or feeling like you’re fighting your instrument, I’ve got resources for you. ❤️

You don’t have to figure it out alone.

Valsalva Maneuver · brass players · wind players · horn player · French horn · brass technique · articulation · tongue tension · air support · horn practice · music education · musician wellness · brass pedagogy · performance anxiety · horn tips · music student by @beatvm

I thought I had focal dystonia.

In college, my tongue suddenly started getting “stuck” whenever I tried to articulate. I went to a neurologist, and they weren’t sure either because it didn’t quite make sense.

If I breath-attacked the first note, I could suddenly articulate just fine.

Turns out, it wasn’t focal dystonia at all.

I was struggling with the Valsalva maneuver reflex, a reflex associated with effort that was getting triggered when I tried to articulate.

At the time, there was hardly any information about it. Honestly, hardly anyone even knew what I was talking about.

But after years of figuring out what was happening in my own body, I learned that this is a much more common experience among wind players than I ever realized.

If you’re dealing with stuck, hesitant, delayed, or unpredictable articulations, you’re not alone.

I’ve put together resources to help you understand what may be happening and start working toward freer articulation.

Check out the link in my bio. 🤍

Valsalva maneuver • wind players • brass articulation • articulation problems • hesitant attacks • tongue tension • horn playing • brass pedagogy by @beatvm

I was struggling with the Valsalva maneuver, a reflex associated with effort.

I had beliefs about support, breathing, and articulation that were creating tension points throughout my body, and those tension points were triggering the reflex when I tried to articulate.

I had to figure out WHERE I was holding tension and, more importantly, learn how to let those areas relax so I could articulate freely.

And I tried A LOT.

Speech therapy. Craniosacral therapy. Alexander Technique. Massage therapy. Even surgery.

Oi vey. 😂

It took years of experimenting, learning, and rewiring, but I eventually figured out what was happening in my body and how to get out of that cycle.

If this is something you struggle with, you don't have to figure it all out on your own. I've put together resources to help you understand what might be happening and start working toward more freedom in your playing.

Check out the resources through the link in my bio. ❤️

Valsalva maneuver · French horn · horn player · articulation · brass articulation · wind player · breathing · support · tension · nervous system · horn pedagogy · music performance · performance anxiety · brass pedagogy · articulation problems · musician wellness · professional musician · horn practice · playing freely · tension release by @beatvm

I was struggling with the Valsalva Maneuver reflex.

The Valsalva Maneuver is a reflex that’s part of the autonomic nervous system. My body was sensing that I was using too much effort to play, and it sent my nervous system into a tizzy.

What followed was a 5+ year journey of rewiring my beliefs about playing, changing the way I approached effort and tension, and slowly untangling my VM web.

If you’ve been struggling with articulation, attacks, or playing freely for a long time, you are NOT alone.

Follow me for tips on how to overcome this, and check out my resources at beatvm.com if you’re tired of struggling.

Valsalva Maneuver · brass playing · French horn · horn playing · articulation · breath attacks · tongue tension · brass pedagogy · performance anxiety · nervous system · wind players by @beatvm

As a girly with a strong Valsalva Maneuver reflex… only ONE of these breaths is going to help me articulate freely.

Back in the day, TWO of those would’ve locked me up completely. 😅

Which breath do you think it is?

• Valsalva Maneuver • French Horn • Brass Playing • Articulation • Breathing • Tongue Tension • Horn Player • Brass Player • Wind Player • Musician • Performance Anxiety • Audition Prep by @beatvm

I had to rely solely on breath attacks to fool everyone into thinking I could play my instrument normally.

But they didn’t actually fix anything.

Why?

Because I was struggling with the Valsalva maneuver reflex.

This reflex can be triggered by tension or perceived effort. Just because I took the tongue away didn’t mean that effort or tension magically disappeared!

I WISH IT DID. 😂

And the second I added the tongue back in?

Back to square one.

I wasn’t fixing the problem. I was just working around it.

Anyone else enjoy playing out side when it's 91° no? Just me? 🌞 🌞 🌞

frenchhorn . hornplayer . trumpet . trombone . tuba . euphonium . brassplayers . valsalvamaneuver . articulation . tonguetension . brassplaying . musicperformance by @beatvm

What finally fixed it was understanding the Valsalva maneuver reflex.

I realized my tongue wasn’t totally jacked up like I thought it was. I wasn't crazy or just over thinking. My body was triggering a reflex that could interfere with the tongue’s ability to release and articulate freely.

Once I understood what was actually happening, I could stop fighting my tongue and start working on the reflex itself.

That changed everything.

Valsalva Maneuver · Tongue Tension · Articulation · Brass Players · Wind Players · Horn Player · Musician Rehab · Performance Anxiety by @beatvm

I was actually struggling with the Valsalva Maneuver reflex.

It’s a reflex that can interfere with articulation, causing hesitation, stuttering, and even blocking the tongue.

I had no idea what was happening at the time and it completely changed the way I played.

French Horn • Horn Player • Brass Player • Articulation • Valsalva Maneuver • Tongue Tension • Brass Technique • Wind Player • Music Performance • Horn Tips by @beatvm

Who can tell the difference between these two articulations? 👀

One tiny change can completely change how your tongue, air, and body respond. I'm curious... can you hear it or see it?

Drop your answer in the comments!

musicians • brass players • wind players • french horn • articulation • tonguing • music education • music practice • performance • band • orchestra • beatvm • valsalva maneuver • breathing • musician health • practice tips by @beatvm

Can you flutter tongue in all three registers?

Low.

Middle.

High.

If it suddenly stops working somewhere, don't panic.

Flutter tonguing is one of my favorite ways to expose tongue tension because if something is off... it tells on you REAL fast. 😂

Give it a try and let me know which register is the hardest for you!

• Flutter.Tongue • French.Horn • Trumpet • Trombone • Euphonium • Tuba • Brass.Players • Woodwinds • Wind.Players • Articulation • Tongue.Tension • High.Register • Low.Register • Airflow • Valsalva.Maneuver • Performance.Anxiety • Musician.Health • Practice.Tips • BeatVM by @beatvm

Very unsatisfying incomplete phrase for attention. 😂

I genuinely thought I was going to have to give up playing French horn.

If you've never heard of the Valsalva maneuver before, try this with me.

Take a breath, pull your hands apart as hard as you can, and at the same time try to blow out or articulate.

Feels awful, doesn't it? 😅

That's what it feels like for me—and a lot of other musicians—when the Valsalva maneuver reflex gets triggered.

If that felt familiar... there's a reason. Follow along for more BeatVM tips, or send this to a musician who's been dealing with the same thing.

• French.Horn • Trumpet • Trombone • Euphonium • Tuba • Brass.Players • Woodwinds • Wind.Players • Articulation • Delayed.Attack • Tongue.Block • Breath.Attack • Valsalva.Maneuver • Performance.Anxiety • Musician.Health • Practice.Tips • BeatVM by @beatvm

The weirdest trigger point I found during my VM journey...

My nose. 👃😂

The more I learned about the Valsalva maneuver, the more I realized the body is connected in ways I never expected.

The body is wild.

Also if your wondering what's going on with my face the heat index is 105. 🥵

But I LOVE playing outside. Glutton for punishment.

• French Horn • Trumpet • Trombone • Euphonium • Tuba • Brass • Woodwinds • Wind Players • Articulation • Valsalva Maneuver • Performance Anxiety • Breath Control • Musician Health • BeatVM by @beatvm