M. Alexander was a Shakespearean actor and recitalist who began to lose his voice on stage. Alexander discovered that it was the way he was using his voice, his head, his neck and his back that caused his problems. Alexander found that his discoveries had wide application. Most of us interfere with our functioning in the same way that Alexander had interfered. The role of the Alexander teacher is to help the musician identify and pinpoint the causes of strain in singing or playing and to help in undoing that strain.

Alexander lessons usually consist of two parts. First the student works with the teacher on simple, everyday movements like sitting, standing, walking, and, eventually playing or singing. The final part of the lesson is given with the student lying down on his or her back on a massage table. The Alexander teacher helps students improve the connection between their thoughts and the way they carry out daily activities while the teacher's hands guide the student's movements.

Students often leave their lessons with a feeling of well-being. Over a series of Alexander lessons, students learn skills that help them feel better and perform better. During and following a lesson, the musician is usually able to notice an improvement in the sound produced.

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