Unintentionally move my jaw while playing

[budafeet57]

I was just told by my family that I open my mouth like I am counting or mumbling when I play guitar. I just tried to record myself with a camera. It turned out to be very interesting, for that I only do it when I come across difficult part. Most important is that it's very unappealing. Never knew I had this bad habit... And I have to perform in two weeks in a student recital. How horrible I just found this out at this very moment.

[lagartija]

Do not worry about changing this before the recital. What you do right now is what you do and will probably do at the recital. If you try to retrain yourself this close to the performance, you will only fixate on this and mess yourself up by being self conscious. So try to let that go for this performance and promise yourself you will fix it before the next.

Whenever I become aware of doing some thing while playing like tensing or clenching my jaw at a difficult part, I practice a thing I learned at a Zen monastery; I relax my jaw enough so that my molars do not meet, but my lips are closed, and place my tongue so that it lightly touches the roof of my mouth with the tip on the ridge just behind the front teeth. This is a cue to the rest of my body to relax anything that is tensed and not needed for me to play. I do this every time I become aware of something I am doing with my body as I play that I would rather not do. If you find something like this to use as a cue during practice, you will be able to call it up whenever needed, even in the stress of performance.
It sounds like you were not at all aware of this. If you are not aware during practice when you do this, see if you can become aware as you play slowly through the pieces you perform. If in the beginning you are unable to do that as you play, a mirror might help, or just a video camera. But really, you want to "catch" yourself when you do it, correct it and that means becoming aware of what you are doing and what state your body is in when you play during practice. Once you have awareness of what you are doing, you will be able to fix it with proper behavioral training.

[robin loops]

I started chewing gum (and sometimes a cut treble string end) while practicing to avoid clenching my jaw/teeth. It only took a couple of days before I started relaxing my mouth considerably. Still use this trick from time to time if I notice the habit returning.

[Tarbaby]

Do not worry about changing this before the recital.

Excellent advice from lagartija! Try not to even think about it until after that's over. Remember, the camera exaggerates movements and you will be far enough away from the audience that they won't notice it much.

Many of us have the same issue. There was even a thread here about it some time ago called something like "What do you have in your mouth?"

I've been working on it for a long time. It takes forever to break a habit, but the first step is awareness.

Good luck on your recital!

Alan

[robin loops]

Besides, have you ever watched a singer up close... They get away with crazy exaggerated stuff that no one ever notices. People aren't only far away, they get caught up in the music/the moment and don't pay as much attention to individual details like we do when analyzing video footage, etc.

[montana]

Do not worry about changing this before the recital. What you do right now is what you do and will probably do at the recital. If you try to retrain yourself this close to the performance, you will only fixate on this and mess yourself up by being self conscious. So try to let that go for this performance and promise yourself you will fix it before the next.

Whenever I become aware of doing some thing while playing like tensing or clenching my jaw at a difficult part, I practice a thing I learned at a Zen monastery; I relax my jaw enough so that my molars do not meet, but my lips are closed, and place my tongue so that it lightly touches the roof of my mouth with the tip on the ridge just behind the front teeth. This is a cue to the rest of my body to relax anything that is tensed and not needed for me to play. I do this every time I become aware of something I am doing with my body as I play that I would rather not do. If you find something like this to use as a cue during practice, you will be able to call it up whenever needed, even in the stress of performance.
It sounds like you were not at all aware of this. If you are not aware during practice when you do this, see if you can become aware as you play slowly through the pieces you perform. If in the beginning you are unable to do that as you play, a mirror might help, or just a video camera. But really, you want to "catch" yourself when you do it, correct it and that means becoming aware of what you are doing and what state your body is in when you play during practice. Once you have awareness of what you are doing, you will be able to fix it with proper behavioral training.

thankyou im going to try this when i get home( i have tension in my jaw which migrates thruogh my body, I think this will help)..........facial expressions are unique to the performer and i feel that is not necessarily something to focus on or get rid of. Take a look a Bream, he grimaces during his performance and i find it very acceptable. In fact if he didnt, i would feel like something was missing. Ive seen cg concerts with no facial expression whatsoever, it leaves me with a feeling that i did not get full performance that the guitarist could have offered.

[coot]

I used to get the same thing as well, in fact it was so bad I used to dribble, and small blobs of spit would land on the strings and get catapulted through the air... Not sure exactly what I did to stop, I think I just got more disciplined in general with posture, practise routines and so on.
nick

[wedge]

An instructor told me to put a mini marshmallow between my front teeth

[irfan]

I had the same habit about ten years ago, but after i stop playing guitar many years, it is gone now, maybe i starting to relax while playing guitar..
I do three thing that help me,
1. Chewing gum...
2. Huming the music while playing guitar..
3. Practise guitar front of mirror..
Hope this will help you too..

[nerdz1]

Oh my god! I have the exact habit too. My family members just noticed it and I tried out some of the advice. Chewing gum seems to work well.

[budafeet57]

Do not worry about changing this before the recital. What you do right now is what you do and will probably do at the recital. If you try to retrain yourself this close to the performance, you will only fixate on this and mess yourself up by being self conscious. So try to let that go for this performance and promise yourself you will fix it before the next.

Whenever I become aware of doing some thing while playing like tensing or clenching my jaw at a difficult part, I practice a thing I learned at a Zen monastery; I relax my jaw enough so that my molars do not meet, but my lips are closed, and place my tongue so that it lightly touches the roof of my mouth with the tip on the ridge just behind the front teeth. This is a cue to the rest of my body to relax anything that is tensed and not needed for me to play. I do this every time I become aware of something I am doing with my body as I play that I would rather not do. If you find something like this to use as a cue during practice, you will be able to call it up whenever needed, even in the stress of performance.
It sounds like you were not at all aware of this. If you are not aware during practice when you do this, see if you can become aware as you play slowly through the pieces you perform. If in the beginning you are unable to do that as you play, a mirror might help, or just a video camera. But really, you want to "catch" yourself when you do it, correct it and that means becoming aware of what you are doing and what state your body is in when you play during practice. Once you have awareness of what you are doing, you will be able to fix it with proper behavioral training.

Thank you very much. I place my tongue on roof of my mouth. It's a very good technique. Now I don't open my mouth as much.Still need much time and practice to change this habit just as you suggested.

[Neptune]

I am reminded here that Julian Bream makes some wicked faces while he's playing and he doesn't do a damn thing to change it.
I've even seen him jump out of his seat when he's excited. Love it, live it, who cares!

[John D]

Bream was famous for his facial expressions. Marcin Dylla has a good range too and I think he's one of the most exciting guitarists around. Only change if it effects your sound, if not I wouldn't worry.

[Neptune]

I've seen some chattering movements out of Oscar Ghiglia mouth too when he plays. Parkening hums while he plays. It's sort of distracting if you are close to him on stage. Segovia sat like a gently swaying rock. Then again, Miss Vidovic is incredibly distracting when she dresses so provocatively in concert. There's always some distraction, unless you're blind.