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Post by Admin on Apr 13, 2014 6:19:30 GMT -5
How many hours do you practice each week?
Even if you're a pro, you still need to practice. I still try to pick up my guitar at least daily for an hour...even though I can't play chords any more with the arthritis, I still mess around with slide in open tunings. It may not sound like anything but it's still relaxing to just play a bit. I do have a routine -
Play a couple of scales to warm up. (Using what good fingers I have) laughing
Try to play at least one lead using slide now...use to do both flatpicking and fingerstyle
Play some original riff using a backing track or to my old "karaoke" machine.
Practice on keyboard for an hour.
Scales (at least 5 major scales, 4 minor scales and 2 chromatic scales. Metronome increasing...
sight read at least one new piece
Play one standard.
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Post by steve on Apr 23, 2014 15:32:51 GMT -5
It is sad to hear the restrictions you have to work with Jim- I dread the same thing though I don't think I have any symptons so far and bearing in mind the damp English climate I am rather saurprised that I have got to 55 and my hands are fine. I can't always find an hour to play but I generally get about 20 minutes at least. I go through scales to warm up and then noodle away. If I have something I have to learn then I have to fit it in but with my current schedule being so crammed I don't always get to play as much as I'd like. But then again I gig most weeks at least one night and ofetn two so I suppose that does help make up for it.
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Post by Admin on Apr 23, 2014 15:39:49 GMT -5
Let's just be positive Steve...maybe you'll be blessed and not face arthritis. The hardest thing is trying to write a song. I get this idea, pick up my guitar out of habit and find I can't do a chord progression. Thank goodness I have my old Keyboard. At least I can play a few chords there even if it's not the same.
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Post by steve on Apr 23, 2014 16:01:39 GMT -5
Thanks Jim yes lets hope so. I know of some stuff called Cortaflex that helps some people with arthritis. My Dad had it bad towards the end of his life but then again he used to smoke (I don't) and drank a lot more than I do plus he ate a lot of meat ( he was a butcher) whereas I rarely eat meat. I don't know if there is a link except that my Missus says that I need to eat an alkaline diet and obey her.
Keyboard is a good option for chords though.
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Post by Admin on Apr 29, 2014 10:20:07 GMT -5
Thanks Jim yes lets hope so. I know of some stuff called Cortaflex that helps some people with arthritis. My Dad had it bad towards the end of his life but then again he used to smoke (I don't) and drank a lot more than I do plus he ate a lot of meat ( he was a butcher) whereas I rarely eat meat. I don't know if there is a link except that my Missus says that I need to eat an alkaline diet and obey her. Keyboard is a good option for chords though. Thanks Steve. But when your joints in your left hand fuse, it's hard to make chords on the guitar...and keyboard for that matter. As a question, does it work better to focus on one instrument when you practice or multiple instruments?
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Post by steve on Apr 30, 2014 15:29:39 GMT -5
I don't have any other instruments but I have been considering getting a keyboard of some description. My son plays and when he was growing up, he had keyboards all the time and I used to mess around. I know a few songs on piano but all very simple. I do think, in my feeble attempt at an answwer to your question that it does help playing multiple instruments. The chords you can create on a keyboard can lead you somewhere that perhaps you wouldn't go if you stuck to one instrument. At least in my experience.
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Post by Admin on Apr 30, 2014 15:48:10 GMT -5
Excellent observation Steve.
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