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slackkeymike
Lokahi
440 Posts |
 Posted - 07/18/2005 : 1:17:31 PM
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This is the strangest thing...but when I play Punahele (several times during practice) my left index finger (fret hand) goes numb. I know why, I can see it is in the way I hold the guitar neck (thumb wraps over top of fret board) combined with the low notes on the upper strings press my index finger into the neck. Wierd.
Anybody else ever had that happen?
Mike
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Aloha, Mike |
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RJS
Ha`aha`a
1635 Posts |
Posted - 07/18/2005 : 2:09:30 PM
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| Sure, when I used poor hand placement I ended up hurting myself. Didn't matter what song I played |
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slackkeymike
Lokahi
440 Posts |
Posted - 07/19/2005 : 02:40:45 AM
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OK, I know that...but knowing and doing are different. Did it take you long to break the habit?
Mike |
Aloha, Mike |
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cmdrpiffle
`Olu`olu
USA
553 Posts |
Posted - 07/19/2005 : 08:16:03 AM
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Mike, I'd suggest just moving your hand around frequently. Don't 'adopt' any single way of holding the guitar. Some songs just make your hands cramp more than others. For me, it's 'easy' songs with lots of barre chords. (Think 90's rock music). My hands and forearms cramp doing lots of barres.
SUR
Cheers,
Mike |
my Poodle is smarter than your honor student |
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RJS
Ha`aha`a
1635 Posts |
Posted - 07/19/2005 : 10:30:54 AM
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Mike,
Ozzie started me playing with close to classical type of hand positions.
Every now and then, usually when I get tired, I play in a sloppy position, and inevitably pay for it - at that point it just takes some awareness (of the pain) to change. |
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RJS
Ha`aha`a
1635 Posts |
Posted - 07/20/2005 : 07:58:52 AM
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Mike,
I was think about your question ---
The way you play your guitar, or rather the habits you engage in while playing your guitar, is(are) not "hard wired" into your brain the same way that addiction to a substance would be, so....
breaking these habits amounts to 2 things ... motivation and awareness.
Do you feel that the way you are laying is harming your body? Do you feel that holding the guitar a different way would be less harmful enough to justify the slight discomfort in the change over?
- If you can't answer "yes" to the above with some honest feeling about it, you probably won't have much success in changing. If you do answer "yes" then you need to make an act of the will to change. Just decide to do it.
- If you decide to do it .... make sure you start out each session with the guitar and your hand in the position you want to play from. Then set up some way of reminding you to check in every so often to become aware of how you are actually holding the guitar. Something like a kitchen timer. At first set it for a short time, say 5 minutes. As you notice your new position is becoming more of a habit, extend the time on the timer.
While this may seem to be a lot of trouble, I've used this system myself and with many other people to break much more difficult habits to break than how you hold your guitar.
It comes down to motivation -- do you want to change or not.
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slackkeymike
Lokahi
440 Posts |
Posted - 07/21/2005 : 02:04:41 AM
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Raymond,
Do you have any links or pictures of what you consider to be the correct position(s)?
Mike |
Aloha, Mike |
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cmdrpiffle
`Olu`olu
USA
553 Posts |
Posted - 07/21/2005 : 06:21:51 AM
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Mike,
This is what Raymond is referring to:
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my Poodle is smarter than your honor student |
Edited by - cmdrpiffle on 07/21/2005 06:25:40 AM |
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slackkeymike
Lokahi
440 Posts |
Posted - 07/22/2005 : 02:29:55 AM
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Hmmm...don't think my hair will do that!
So, is that correct or incorrect?
Mike |
Aloha, Mike |
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RJS
Ha`aha`a
1635 Posts |
Posted - 07/22/2005 : 07:19:21 AM
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Interesting picture - does he play slack key, too?
Mike -
That's probably as close as you can get standing The angl of the neck is very close -- I tried to take a picture of myself in good position sitting down, as well as standing, but my camera isn't cooperative.
If you use my link and send me your snail mail add, I'll copy some stuff about positioning and send it to you. |
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Peter Medeiros
`Olu`olu
546 Posts |
Posted - 07/22/2005 : 08:56:21 AM
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Hi Raymond,
Actually, he does. Keith Richards does play in open G as well as drop C. See you next week.
Peter Medeiros |
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slkho
`Olu`olu
740 Posts |
Posted - 08/01/2005 : 1:48:05 PM
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Mike,
I've had similar problems with my index finger while doing an F chord in standard tuning, (I am now modifying my finger placement at a flatter angle of attack) I am now also learning barre chords to compensate that F.
As to Punahele, (my new favorite song) my index finger typically leads on the begining of that 3rd or 4th measure where there's that quick hammer-on sequence on the 1st & 2nd fret. In a pinch I've used my middle finger as a "replacement"...that seems to help but you have to re-learn the movement which seems to impede on the song. I don't think guitar placement is the culprit, as I am a living example on how play a guitar with real crappy placement. When I first began guitaring, no one showed me the right way, so now my unorthodox way seems right to me. There's just some finger placements that are easier than others.
You could try placing your thumb in an upright angle, (along the neck towards the headstock) this will lesson wrist angle and allow you index finger less twiking.
See what other songs you play in similar chords, or positions where you don't experience this and break it down from there, I'm sure its a minor fix.
The other choice is to put you down like a horse with a bad leg...sorry dude, it must be done.
BANG!!
-slkho |
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slackkeymike
Lokahi
440 Posts |
Posted - 08/02/2005 : 4:41:02 PM
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slkho,
Good to hear from you. Put me down???
I have discovered the thumb pointing to the headstock already...that has helped big time. You look at that picture of KR and, well, nobody trained him classicaly either.
Finished Punahele...finished Radio H, moving on to Ray Kane's Nanea Kou Maka I Ka Le'ale'a (long title, what does it mean?)
Mike |
Aloha, Mike |
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slkho
`Olu`olu
740 Posts |
Posted - 08/03/2005 : 12:24:18 PM
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Not sure the translation, I'm sure someone out there knows. I think I have it somewhere at the house, got to look for it.
Put you down...race horse humor. Nanea Kou Maka I Ka Le'ale'a (say that 3 times real fast) is on to-do list of songs.
-slkho |
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slackkeymike
Lokahi
440 Posts |
Posted - 08/03/2005 : 12:45:19 PM
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Actually, I got the jist...
If you figure it out...let me know. Let me tell you, it is not just the title that is tough
Mike |
Aloha, Mike |
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thumbstruck
Ahonui
USA
2165 Posts |
Posted - 08/04/2005 : 04:12:39 AM
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| I've always used my thumb on the bass string for barres. Never any problem. I've learned "closed" positions--even better. As my "kumu" told me, "Always play relax', nevah 'come tense. Nahenahe." |
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