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  • Down for the count, but hopefully not out.

    Posted by Bob57 on July 24, 2021 at 7:12 am

    In about 3 weeks I’m going in for shoulder surgery and will not be able to practice or play my guitar for 4 – 6 months.

    Is there something I can do to do to keep my guitar journey continuing?

    NW7 replied 3 years, 6 months ago 7 Members · 11 Replies
  • 11 Replies
  • jumpinjeff

    Member
    July 24, 2021 at 7:57 am

    Hi @Bob57 is it your strum arm or your fretting arm?

    • Bob57

      Member
      August 9, 2021 at 5:04 pm

      Strumming arm

  • Bill_Brown

    Member
    July 24, 2021 at 7:58 am

    Hi @Bob57 , sorry to hear about your situation😱. Hope you have a quick and successful recovery👍. If I was in your shoes, I would do a couple of things. First, I would stay involved by logging into TAC every day and pay attention to the Daily Challenges to get/keep an understanding of the techniques, theory, scales etc. that are being presented. (I would also stay involved with the Community by reading the comments and checking the Forums for information – assuming you’ll be able to use a keyboard – and sit in on some of the VOMs.) The other thing I would do – depending on which shoulder will be out of action – would be to do some kind of exercise with the guitar using the good limb – perhaps while laying the guitar on your lap you could practice fretting some chords or picking at some strings. Bottom line, stay involved!

    Good luck with your surgery and may you have a speedy recovery😎

    • Bob57

      Member
      August 9, 2021 at 5:08 pm

      Thanks for the suggestions, it is my strumming arm so maybe I’ll continue to practice more on hammering and pull offs, keep the calluses built up.

      Thanks again

      • Bill_Brown

        Member
        August 10, 2021 at 5:02 am

        That’s exactly the kind of thing I’m talking about @Bob57 👍 Keep the fretting hand working – making chord shapes – chord transitions – some of the warm-up exercises – anything to keep one of your hands/fingers (and mind) involved with guitar🤩

        Again, best of luck and good wishes for a speedy recovery😎

  • Guy_H

    Member
    July 24, 2021 at 9:11 am

    Hi @Bob57 as @jumpinjeff asked options depend on what arm is immobilized. In either case I bet there are ways to continue although with a change of technique. For strumming picking an electric guitar maybe best as it doesn’t extend the joint much. You can try practicing strumming now using only your wrist – no shoulder movement same with finger picking. For the fretting hand it may help to stabilize the guitar so you don’t have to support the neck and go easy with the fretting. If playing is not possible it might be a great time to really work on listening and visualizing how different sounds are made.

    Anyway stay engaged the break maybe a way to reignite your passion for guitar! 👍

    • Bob57

      Member
      August 9, 2021 at 5:11 pm

      Thanks, by the time I’m back to close to 100% I should be chomping at the bit to get back to playing.

  • Cadgirl

    Member
    August 9, 2021 at 6:30 pm

    Since I don’t know what shoulder surgery requires in rest….. would it be possible to play around with using a slide? I know I saw a slide course in the skill section.

  • Marty73

    Member
    August 10, 2021 at 11:30 am

    You’ve got this @Bob57. If you can’t play, do the lessons in your mind and fretting hand. The important thing is to get better after the surgery is done. 🧐👍😎

    • Bill_Brown

      Member
      August 10, 2021 at 6:19 pm

      👍

  • NW7

    Member
    August 12, 2021 at 4:21 pm

    In addition to what has been said, visualize yourself playing the guitar just as if you were really doing it! I’m brad new to guitar but I know it works for other skills.

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