Our understanding of the complex muscle control of rapid hand and finger movements is still in infancy. The forearm and hand region houses a complex network of thirty-nine muscles, and during technically demanding instrumental playing, these muscles are activated repeatedly and at high frequency. The enormity of the nervous system's computational problem underscores the importance of motor-system psychologists' quest for a hierarchical control theory. This theory should be able to elucidate the precision and stability of performance in trained musicians, thereby underlining the crucial role of our research in this field.
Acknowledging the formidable challenge we face in studying muscle activity during performances of complex hand and finger movements is crucial. During these performances, details of muscle activity in the human arm and hand are not easily observable. Similarly, the brain's control over these movements remains a mystery. This challenge in direct observation is a rich field for research, but it also underscores the complexity of our task in gaining a profound understanding of the precise mechanisms underlying the control of such complex motor actions.
Even when music is composed with the musician's physical limitations in mind, these limitations can render particular pieces unplayable for a significant percentage of skilled musicians. Only a select few pianists can perform every piece written for the piano. Human biomechanics play a pivotal role in the performance of professional musicians. The general lack of recognition of this fact and the neglect of ergonomic factors, except at a fundamental level during musical training, is a pressing issue that is mainly responsible for the injuries musicians sustain early in their careers, underscoring the urgency of addressing these issues.
For a pianist whose hand or arm is physically unsuited to the instrument or whose individual technique does not consider the limitations or unique characteristics of his movement patterns, there is virtually no prospect of a pain-free career and usually little chance of a successful musical career.
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