Day 3 – Playing with severed ulnar nerve

[albert_d]

You are super innovative and obviously love music. Thanks for sharing and motivating us with your post.

[LutherKnotts]

It is said that “You gotta slow to go fast”. That being said, fast is not always better in music. Accuracy is more important, getting the right note at the right time. Something you might try, is just using the back of your index finger as the pick, brushing the strings with the finger nail as the pick. I often use this technique if I find myself without a pick, or also try a thinner gauge pick.

[John_Bolling_Hall]

Shawn – are you a member of Guitars for Vets – https://guitars4vets.org/ and/or CAVARTS – https://www.cavarts.org/about

Both great organizations for Vets, many of whom also have similar challenges.

guitars4vets.org

Guitars 4 Vets

Helping Veterans Cope With PTSD Through Music

[Loraine]

@shawn-c-seeleyicloud-com Man, I have so much respect for you, not only for your service, but for your wear withal, creative fortitude to learn the guitar. It’s not an easy instrument, but it is possible, and you’re proving it. Keep at it. It will be challenging, but if you keep at it, you will improve and it will get easier.

There are many disabled players on TAC that have overcome their disabilities.

Also, check out these artists

Keith Xander – Missing arm. Plays with a prosthetic hook hand

Les Paul – shattered right arm. Had set at permanent set position to avoid amputation

Django Reinhardt – missing fingers

Tony Iommi – missing fingertips

Jerry Garcia – missing finger

I like what Xander said, “Playing with only one arm taught me a lot of patience, because in the beginning I couldn’t even hit the strings,” says Keith Xander, singer and guitarist of Xander and the Peace Pirates. “If I can do it, anyone can.”

“Everything comes down to inspiration,” says Xander. “The guitarists I listened to made me want to keep going and not give up. I learned not to be so hard on “

myself. All artists and musicians can be very impatient with themselves. It takes a lot of time to learn an instrument – maybe even more so in my case.”

“Naturally, the Xander and the Peace Pirates frontman has had to adjust certain elements of his technique accordingly and forge his own path as a player. He prefers to be more legato-led, partly because he likes the slippery sound it yields, but also because that’s simply what feels most comfortable with his setup.

“I keep my wrist quite still and move the forearm, because I’ve got no choice in the matter, really. I’ve got no wrist!” he continues. “I don’t really use much alternate picking. It’s a lot of downstrokes, and then I compensate with my fretting hand to get speed and fluidity through legato techniques. I worked on that stuff a lot through the years, using one hand to play leads and get melodies flowing.”

I follow Xander and the Peace Pirates. He’s so inspirational.

https://youtu.be/E0tZCbAPuHg?si=UP_urMrVFM5B9QuJ

[Braden]

Way to go Shawn and nice job both fretting and picking. Im very impressed with your perseverance and determination to figure it out. Keep at it with the flat pic but as Luther says practice with your fingers also and it will pay off….. you can hit the base notes with your index nail on a down stroke….and if you havent already grow out your nails on your picking hand…thanks for the post and keep on rocking brother…youre doing great for just having started playing:)

[petelanger]

Tony Melendez – Missing both arms, plays with his feet:

Tony Melendez Never Be The Same (youtube.com)

• This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by  petelanger. Reason: added video