Postural adaptations of saxophone players during music performance

Music performance is one of the most refined forms of skilled human behaviour, combining high-level motor and cognitive demands with expressive intentions. We examined how musical features and movement expression affect postural sway in expert saxophone players. Twenty participants (nine female) performed excerpts varying in tempo, rhythmical density, articulation, and technical demands, in standing position, under movement-restricted and expressive-movement conditions. Generalised linear mixed models were used to assess the effects of these factors on centre-of-mass measurements. Results showed that participants swayed faster and travelled longer distances in music with faster tempo and increased rhythmical density, but slower and with reduced mediolateral range when performing tonguing technique (staccato). When limited to technical motion, participants still showed increased mediolateral sway during staccato passages, suggesting compensatory postural adjustments. Sway frequency was unaffected by movement condition, possibly reflecting an unconscious, task-related motor response. Performances were longer when movement was constrained, highlighting the role of body motion in temporal regulation. Our findings help understand how saxophone players accommodate technical and expressive goals, offering new insights into motor control and multisensory integration during performance.