What if my teacher does not agree with this technical approach or my new way of playing?

Before retraining any keyboardist, I either consult with the teacher or require that the teacher be informed and supportive of the training. Quite often, the teacher will accompany a younger student and observe or go through the Lister-Sink Method herself. Furthermore, the Lister-Sink Method is based on principles of informed pedagogy and sound biomechanics—optimal skeletal alignment, efficient muscle use and the non-accumulation of tension. It would be difficult to disagree with sound biomechanics. The actual steps I use for arriving at well-coordinated, injury-preventive technique—the Lister-Sink Method—are already outlined in detail in the video/DVD Freeing the Caged Bird. Although they are based on principles of neuromuscular programming, some teachers might consider the steps radical or unusually fundamental. Few, however, dislike the resulting freedom and good coordination they observe in their retrained student.

However, a teacher might ultimately advocate using more arm and hand gestures or torso movement than I do. You can adapt your new-found muscle control and principles of sound biomechanics to movement patterns your teacher might want. However, in the rare case where you are actually required to play in a potentially injurious way, or are pushed to progress at a rate more rapid than you can safely accomplish, then you might have to decide on a change. In my experience of retraining hundreds of keyboardists, this happens infrequently.

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