[Carol-3M-Stillhand]

@Bill_S, Hoping your surgery goes well and you recover quickly!!

You didn’t say which shoulder, your fretting arm or your picking arm? For simplicity sake, I am assuming you play right handed as well…

Either way, it will likely be a few days before you are up to playing… And of course whatever restrictions the doctors/physical therapists place on you, is the gold standard. I would definately tell your physical therapist that you want to get back to playing guitar as they can direct your exercises accordingly to some extent.

Meantime, I would try out different guitars. Smaller travel or parlor sizes (or even a uke at first) will likely be more comfortable to play. Placing the lower bout on your left knee and angling the neck up (more like classical) will help out your strumming shoulder, but this might aggrevate your fretting shoulder. Also depending on which shoulder, you could use this time to try out some open tunings to rest your fretting hand/arm and still allow some beautiful right hand arpeggio practicing.

And… don’t forget you can use this time to brush up on your music theory. I’d also agree 100% with @Cadgirl and say that yes, it’s a perfect time to take/review the Fretboard Wizard course if you haven’t already.

Best wishes tomorrow Bill!! Let us know how you’re doing 🙂

• This reply was modified 4 years, 3 months ago by  Carol-3M-Stillhand.