Loraine
Forum Replies Created
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Thanks @Skyman911 and @petelanger
Hi Shaw, I understand the frustration of playing chords with deficits in the hand and wrist. The first thing I want to point out as you said this is only your second week playing. I don’t know too many newer players that can make the C chord in the second week. We hear a lot of frustration over that in the forums, andI myself had a frustration when I first started playing trying to get a clear C. The best advice that I have is be gentle because you are fairly new do the best you can and if you give it a good effort 10 minutes or so you can mark it complete the lesson and you can move on. You will have plenty of practice on these chords as you move through the program. You should gain more dexterity in your hand, even with some type of neuropathy or neurologic disorder, just through repetition, practice, and stretch stretching so that brings me to my next suggestion.
Always stretch before and after playing specially if you have hand wrist, forearm fingers any type of issue with them everyone should be stretching before and after, but especially if you have issues, this will help get the tendons and muscle stretched and will help you have more dexterity in your hands in order to play there’s the stretching course it’s in the skill section. I suggest checking it out and seeing if you can incorporate something into your daily routine and throughout the day you can even do these.Try to keep your hands warm so you can buy those hand warmers that might help loosen them up a little bit before playing and after playing.
The more you play the more the muscles and tendons get stretched out, and there are stretching exercises that you can do on the guitar. The best one that I can think of is go up to like the fifth or 7th frets, because they are much closer together. Using just your fretting hand, place tour index finger on the 7th fret. Keep it down throughout the first go around, then you’ll switch to the middle finger being the anchored finger. See the video.
In the video, I misspoke about only needing 2 notes to be a chord. A chord always needs 3 distinct note, but people forget about open strings. Many open strings are a part of a note, and you can therefore find 2 notes to fret, and still have an open string be the 3rd note. That being said, 2 notes are referred to as an interval. They are often used in 2 note power chords, etc
In addition to the broken wrists and hands, I have essential tremors that can make it quite interesting to play sometimes. I tend to stick to strumming and rhythm guitar as my workaround to not being able to do finger style well or often. The fingers just won’t cooperate sometimes. I simply laugh and move on when it happens.
Hang in there, and keep on plunking.
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I agree Pete! Being able to search a multitude of ways (first name, last name, user name, city, state, current members, versus no longer have subscription, expanded keyword(s) along with another search function, lessons, instruments, challenges, skills, song names, dates, years. Open to jams, open to meet ups in other cities, interests, genres, etc.
Hint, hint @VictoriaTACTeam lol
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Happy 2 year TACiversary @Bayvu2 !! I too loved your story, and having only missed 2 days is a feat many can’t brag about, so shout it from the roof top (Woohoo!!). Wishing you nothing but the best in your guitar journey.
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Hey Brandon. I’m not really sure what you’re asking. Many of us have taken the Fretboard Wizard course; some multiple times. I know I pick up on something new every time I’ve gone through it, but I definitely wouldn’t say I’m an expert. Give me a finance, math or economic issue, and yeah, I might say I verge on being pretty good and knowledgeable. It took me years to get there. BUT there are others that would share my love of those topics, but the fretboard comes easily to them. My opinion, It is something similar to muscle memory, in my opinion. The more you study and practice, the easier it gets.
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Hey @Bayvu2 How did you make out with your surgery? Rotator cuff is a tough one, but I can say from experience, your best friend will be the physical therapy exercises. It is really important to do them religiously. I had a complete tear, and I couldn’t get a doctor to take me seriously (talking late 90’s- early 2000’s. I didn’t play guitar then, but I golfed and did other things for 2 years, before I was forced to the ER from the pain, and only then did they realize how bad it was. It was a long recovery, but like anything else, it gets better over time and as you work at it.
Hang in there, and keep on plunking, even if only with your strumming hand. Buy a slide and do some lap playing. Take the Fretboard Wizard course. Answer questions in the forums. There is so much you can do to keep a foot in and your hand touching your guitar.
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Maeve, you get 10 gold stars for your big win. Showing up and trying are what will make you a guitarist. Those who quit, because it is too challenging, are the ones who never progress. It’s about making a concerted effort, and continuing to move forward. Believe it or not, you are getting better, and it will get easier. Way to go!
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I envy anyone who can fingerpick an entire song, and I especially envy anyone that can use a metal o4 plastic fingerpick.
I don’t have nails either, because my nails aren’t as healthy as they used to be, and because of playing the guitar. . In highschool, I had nails over an inch long. My typing teacher (showing my age) got angry with me, grabbed my hands and cut all my nails off. I was shell shocked, but it was too funny not to laugh. Can you imagine something like that happening nowadays?! They grew back, and it didn’t slow my 110+ wp typing on a manual typewriter.
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You have a good plan and set up. Cracked up over you doing your daily in the guitar center with a high end Martin. Looks like the little lady in the window enjoys hearing you play.
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Hey Dave! I had not heard of that. I’ll look them up. Hope you and Rose are well!
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Whoops, posted under wrong person. Hey, Steve, I’m back at JMP Friday VOM. Stop in sometime. Would love to see you.
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Haha. Actually, I also wrote a song, and I used AI to put it to music and have it performed. Really awesome sounding. Better than I could ever do. lol
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Have to wholly agree. Don’t give up before the magic happens. I almost gave up after year 2. The magic for me happened 4 months after my 2 year anniversary. Everything clicked, and I’ve been getting better ever since, and I have so much fun. I would have missed out if I quit too soon. It is difficult in the beginning. But it will start making sense and with practice and sort term goals, dedication, and focus, you can get better and play.
Question is, what made you want to play? What do you absolutely love about guitar, or the acoustic guitar. What is your end goal? Then break it down into baby steps. Make sure you participate in the 3 month check ins. Make note of where you were at the beginning of that 3 month period, and then where you are at the end of it. Have you improved. Did you work towards your 3 month, short term goal? Why or why not What is the driver within to keep going?
All these questions and more. Write out why you wanted to learn guitar. Write down what drives you the most to keep playing. The best is to make sure you share all your small wins, regardless of how big or small. These are what you will build upon.
People don’t just pick up the guitar and begin playing. It is a process, and one where you never master it. You will always be learning. Bring your expectations down to a realistic goal.
Tell us where you’re at right now.
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Thanks Albert. Good to be posting again. Havn’t had a lot of time for the site lately, but hoping that will change. 🙂
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Thanks Phil. Good to be seen. I’ve just been so bogged down with recoveries, work, life, but I always find time for some guitar every day still 🙂
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Hey
skyman! Good to hear from you. It is one of my favs that John performs. Can’t wait to hear you play it.