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finger disaster
Please keep me in thoughts and prayers. I had a table saw accident and cut off 1/2 of my middle finger and index finger. Index finger was sad but middle finger could not be put back together. Unfortunately it is on fretting hand. not sure what next steps on guitar but it is looking like i will be forced to do some adjusting. I am not sure an handle not being able to play guitar!!
Any help or advice and direction would be greatly appreciated
Thank you
Randy
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16 Replies
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Good morning Randy, OMG I’m so sorry to hear that. I too have that nightmare being as though I work with my hands on a daily basis, with power tools etc. First and foremost I hope you recover well, Have you considered the option of trying to learn left handed, again speedy recovery and hand in there.
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So sorry to hear of your accident. As a carpenter who also works with power tools all day every day, I too think about these things. With all the advances in prosthetics these days maybe there is one that could work for guitar playing? I don’t really know their full stories, but guitarists like Django Reinhardt and Tony Iommi have had great success despite not having full use of all their fingers, hopefully they can be an inspiration. Wishing you all the best in your recovery.
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Sorry for the typo “hang” not hand my apologies.
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@rdf1967 so sorry to hear about your terrible accident and situation. Sending my thoughts and prayers to you. One idea to consider is alternative guitar tunings. For example using an open G, D or E tuning allows chords shapes using fewer fingers.
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Hey Randy @rdf1967 ;
I’m having trouble responding to your post. I have a very vivid imagination and I have also been a carpenter all my life until my retirement. I am literally trying not to be sick to my stomach. This is highly upsetting. I’m so sorry you have had this terrible accident and are going to have to deal with the consequences.
Guitar is not the only thing this accident is going to impact. The first thing is to heal and accept whatever help is offered in the way of learning how to live with this situation. If ’67 is your birth year, you are still relatively young. There’s going to be trials ahead.
When you can come back to guitar, there are a number of solutions. If you continue to play right handed, you can use open chords and a slide and play pretty much anything. You can also play in standard tuning and learn to make partial shapes using your thumb over the fretboard to fret the 6th and even 5th string. Of course, that leaves your little finger and ring to fret the higher strings. This won’t be easy.
Then there is the suggestion that @GerryB56 made. You could play almost normal if you learned to play left handed. This won’t be easy and you’re not 15 or 25 anymore, so it may be too much. But you have options when it comes to guitar.
Please keep us informed so we can help as you move along this new and difficult phase of your life.
MG 😀
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Oh man. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
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Randy–
This is truly awful stuff you are going thru. I don’t have any advice for you- “life-wise” except we’re ALL hoping you get back in the groove of things and recover as much as possible- as soon as possible.
Guitar-wise the only words I can offer that guitar is still in your heart.
It sounds like it’s “a part of you”. Remember– you still have all of your guitar knowledge, experience, and desire to improve.
You still love playing!
I don’t even know you at all- but reading your post makes me think you are going to get thru this fine- you will learn to adapt and make it work.
You’ll deserve the pats-on-the-back you will give yourself— and those quiet smiles to yourself for a skill learned or a job well done— because you will have earned them.
We are ALL here for you.
theoldcoach
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Sorry to hear about your accident! I was trying to think of so positive words of engagement to help, but I guess that’s the last thing you want to hear right now. There are plenty of guitar players that have overcome similar problems and can still enjoy their guitar playing and you will too! Have courage and be patient, and don’t beat yourself up if you’re feeling down, you will find a way! Bless you and rest assured that I will be thinking about you!
If you can, try and look at this as an Opportunity to learn a different way!
Keith
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Randy
This is heartbreaking news and I will absolutely keep you in my thoughts and send healing vibes your way. You mentioned “I am not sure I can handle not being able to play guitar”. My only advice ….. So dont. Dont imagine not playing, dont visualize not playing. Do the opposite. You want to play the guitar so you will. It might be different. You might develop skills you never “needed” until now. Heal those fingers and begin the next phase of your guitar journey. The Guitar Geek Community is united with you and your recovery!
Take care.
Terry
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@rdf1967 Oh dear, Randy my prayers are going out for a speedy recovery!!
There has already been some really great ideas suggested here… I’m not sure what style of guitar you enjoy (flatpicking, fingerpicking, strumming, etc) but I think once your hand is healed and you are ready to pick up a guitar again, maybe consider learning to fret with your other hand? Also I agree, the alternate tunings typically offer less complex chord formations that might be good to try.
I can’t say that I know what you are going through. But if you look through some of the old TAC lessons you may notice a splint on Tony’s fretting hand (broken pinky a few years back). He just kept on playing and making video lessons… Way different than losing a finger but point being that he kept playing and adjusted his style to work with what he had. I’d say that’s a great lesson to follow. Don’t think about what is no longer present/functional but rather focus on what you still do have and find a way to make it work. I am hoping you might be pleasantly suprised at what you can still do with a guitar.
Take care, Buddy!!
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Randy, @<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; color: var(–bb-body-text-color);”>rdf1967<b style=”background-color: var(–bb-content-background-color); font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; color: var(–bb-body-text-color);”> obviously this is most unfortunate. Resolve to keep playing one way or another. I too play with a partial amputation that happened way before I took up guitar. There a some things I am unable to accomplish but I keep playing. You too can do this.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 5 months ago by JeffM.22.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 5 months ago by
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For the good news, the surgery went well and no more of finger needed to be taken which means I only lost about 3/8 inch of finger. Afr first visit after surgery it is healing as expected except for a bit of infection. I am still experiencing much pain though and major l of movement of the 2 fingers involved. I have tried a couple times to play with slide on guitar but with much disappointment. Also tried open g and open d with much the same result. I then tried slowly to chord the “g”, “d”, and “c” slowly without using middle finger with a better result except for the pain. I am thankfulI have a no quit attitude though and will continue to press! As I said before…it could have been much worse.
Thanks for all the support.
rdf1967
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This reply was modified 3 years, 4 months ago by rdf1967.
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Determination is key, sounds like you have it. Sending musical juju your way. Your attitude is an inspiration.
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Hey @rdf1967 ;
I’m very happy to hear the surgery went well. I hope your recovery is speedy and successful. It’s great that you have a can do attitude. Keep us informed. We are with you in spirit.
MG 😀
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This reply was modified 3 years, 4 months ago by
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I am really sorry to hear this happened to you. We are all behind you 100% with this. Learning guitar left handed is an option. You could work in alternate tunings like Joni Mitchell does. She had polio as a youngster and it weakened her fretting hand considerably.
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Wow, you’ve been out through the gambit @rdf1967 . I’m so happy the surgery went well and you’re on the mend. There is another current or former member (not sure if he’s still a member – I’ll see if I can find him in the member list and get back with you if I find him) of TAC that is missing a finger or two, and he plays beautifully. He has compensated so well – I couldn’t tell you exactly how, but he definitely overcame the disability and succeeded, and you can too. Just keep persevering , looking for information online from others that have overcome similar situations and been able to conquer the guitar.
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