Guitar question for any players here

[Fenrir13]

Well, I got a bit of advice from one good buddy of mine; I was wondering what else someone might know about this. I figure ask as many as possible.

As you know I drum; but I did start on guitar and played a hella lot for a few years; getting severely out of practice when I went away to college. REAL rusty.(I moonlighted on a lot of instruments; I actually started on guitar and picked up drums later.) It should be easy to get back into it, as you never really forget; but the one problem is the tendonitis setting into my left arm. I can hold a drumstick no trouble(it's not a hard grip), but frets are a big problem; my ring finger doesn't press down all that well anymore; and my pinky is literally useless to me; so I play with two and a half fingers. The nerve simply doesn't let my fingers of my left hand behave anymore.

Needless to say, this makes playing very, very difficult. And when I was playing some guitar tonight to try to warm back into it; pain settles into the hand. I can't quit my job, as I need to work(job is causing said tendonitis. I've been to the doc, etc.)

Ok, so after the sob story(I apologize for that but I figured I'd tell why I am attempting something rather difficult), here's my thing; I considered just laying it down and just drumming when I can and sticking to photojournalism. But damnit I miss the guitar so bad. Every time I pick it up I have the memories come back of when I did leads in bands back in high school and taught others how to play, even. So I know I can't just lay down my first real instrument. So I decided to attempt to play switched.

Basically having to relearn all over again by the sound of it; if anyone has advice here, what is the best way to basically, well, switch hands? Picking with the left(I can hold a pick no problem), and fretting with the right? Learning to write with your other hand is one thing, and drumming gave me a fair amount of ambidexterity. My one friend suggested picking up keyboards as well; though it'd be a little hard on my nerve he said it'd probably give me even more ability to switch off easier. And yeah, I know that constant picking with the left hand will inflame the nerve up higher a bit but i'll be able to hold the pick at least. And when it comes down to it, I'd rather play and hurt a little but have a lot of fun than sit here staring at the damn thing.

Anyone else ever attempt this or know anyone who has? I tried to see what it'd be like and fairly ambidexterous or not, it's a BITCH holding the ol' boy backward!


Thanks for your time in advance. I figure heading to a board with a large amount of guitarists would be a good shot at some advice here.

Oh, I forgot to add; I am not reversing a normal guitar; i'd get a lefty, basically. I'm not spinning my guitar upside down.

 

[AlexiFollower]

geez, bad situation,(sort of like dave mustaines problem, kind of). is there any chance of it getting any better, if so, just wait it out to start playing again. if not i'd try to see if you can play left handed, but dont over do it, cause you dont wanna permanantly messing up your hand. and also taking up keys might be a good idea, since you can use all of your right hand and you'll still have 3 fingers on your left to play. cause janne mainly uses his right hand and i occasionally i see him use his left

 

[Sinergy]

hmm dude, that's a really bad thing. I'm sorry. So it's a disease in your arm, isn't it...hmm, If it was just tha thing that you dont have enough practising, it would get better with time, but this is a really fucked up thing
Well if you just change hands I think it won't be the right resolution for the problem. Because It's a totally different feeling and a big transposition, so you'll have to practise nearly like you would have never played before...Sorry, I don't klnow something useful I guess...

 

[xenophobe]

geez, bad situation,(sort of like dave mustaines problem, kind of).

Well, underground word was Dave used a dirty needle and got an infection that nearly destroyed his tendons Either way that doesn't really matter.

The only way that you can do this is with practice, and getting used to it.

Get a lefty guitar and start playing... everything will seem backwards for... well probably a while, but I'm sure if you work at it for a half hour to hour a day, in a few months it should seem more natural.

 

[-Gavin-]

Well, numerous players who are left handed play right handed (Ritchie Blackmore, and others) so i see absolutly NO reason why playing elft handed should be a problem.

all i can say is, work on your picking hand just that tiny bit more as getti9ng that co-ordinated with the right will be a bastard of a thing to do.


anyway, best of luck.

Remember
ALWAYS warm up before you play.

 

[Fenrir13]

thanks a lot so far, guys!

Well, i wouldn't call it a disease; it's the fact the nerve in my arm is trapped in a little space. It's sort of like carpal tunnel, but the nerve pain can run up and down the arm; but it is mainly in the wrist and elbow...but the fingers are what takes the brunt of the damage it seems. Being trapped the nerve wears away. The doc sort of explained it to me, that's all I can relaly remember, as I am bad with medical terms. Surgery is an option, but sometimes surgery holds more risks than not.

Yeah, i think i might start shopping around for a lefty. It's learning all over again but what the hell. Like I said, every time i look at the Jackson sitting upstairs it comes flooding back and I pick it up even if I do play on two and a half fingers right now. I guess I am a stubborn enough bitch to learn lefty. Sounds frustrating at first but we'll see what happens. Lefty guitars are not seen everywhere, tho!

 

[Stun]

What caused the problem, exactly (what job, doing what)?

Learning left-handed after playing right-handed is going to be a lot of work... just keep at it and don't get discouraged (but don't overdo it, like you said). Good luck...

 

[K of London]

you'd be suprised how quickly you;ll pick up the guitar left handed if you already have right handed abilities apparently. I know a few people who can play both left and right handed guitar, and they say learning to play with their left handed time was very quick, and that it was possible to learn at a quicker rate, something like one years work for what took you 2 years to master when you learnt on your right hand

hope that made sense :s

 

[Fenrir13]

it makes sense, K! Sort of like when I taught myself writing with my left hand; it took awhile but it wasn't too bad.

@Stun: I am a recieving clerk. For awhile now I have lifted heavy boxes all day long; it stresses the nerve. I think to this day the source of the ORIGINAL injury was when I fractured my left arm and dislocated the wrist. That was when I was only 10, but I guess the work since then(a lot of my jobs have had a lot of motion in my arms), stressed the left arm more; I think I may have messed up the nerve then and it took work to really bring it out. Right now there aren't a lot of jobs in Philly(or in the US for that matter all the available jobs are either gruntwork(what i'm doing now), or office work(when it boils down to it, it's no better on your arms). I even type a certain way as to not affect the arm; I have a brace that freezes the movement if I need it and pads to wear at work if it acts up so I don't bang it. I am pretty well set as can be there, but it doesn't take away what already happened. If I could finally nab a music photojournalist job, then that would help; no arm damage there. I've been trying to build up my portfolio at live shows to show to bands/magazines(the latter if necessary as I don't agree with a lot of the 'mag politics of playing favorites), to see if I can get my work out there.

But yeah, I am always up for a challenge; and this seems like it. thanks again for your help and support; it's really appreciated. Shows me that there are indeed other metalheads/musicians out there that stick up for/help out their own. You guys rule.

 

[Yngvai X]

Hey man, I had tendonitis problems in my shoulder, but I went to this place that really helped clear it up. Its called Active Release Technique, I read about it in a Modern Drummer magazine. If you go to their website www.activerelease.com you can search to see if theres someone in your area that practices it. What they basically do is deep tissue massage that helps to clear away scar tissue thats trapping/impinging the nerves.

 

[Fenrir13]

wow...I didn't know something like this existed. I am looking at the site now; and there appears to be practitioners not too far from me!!!
This might be just what I need. Regular physical therapy for some reason wasn't doing it totally. I had a good therapist but it didn't cure it; it basically made it less painful and easier to deal with; but it didn't totally help my fingers out.

thanks so much for that link. I added it to my favorites; and now I have to look into this more. Signed up for the news letter too!

 

[xOrdinary_Storyx]

my father is a left handed player who plays righty. he started on a lefty, but decided he would relearn righty so he could play all the guitars at the stores ...it dosent take as long as one might think to relearn. its jsut coordinating the hands, so i say gofor it!

 

[Sinergy]

thanks a lot so far, guys!

Well, i wouldn't call it a disease; it's the fact the nerve in my arm is trapped in a little space. It's sort of like carpal tunnel, but the nerve pain can run up and down the arm; but it is mainly in the wrist and elbow...but the fingers are what takes the brunt of the damage it seems. Being trapped the nerve wears away. The doc sort of explained it to me, that's all I can relaly remember, as I am bad with medical terms. Surgery is an option, but sometimes surgery holds more risks than not.

Yeah, i think i might start shopping around for a lefty. It's learning all over again but what the hell. Like I said, every time i look at the Jackson sitting upstairs it comes flooding back and I pick it up even if I do play on two and a half fingers right now. I guess I am a stubborn enough bitch to learn lefty. Sounds frustrating at first but we'll see what happens. Lefty guitars are not seen everywhere, tho!

Hmm well, I would just say, If it's not really a disease, you should just try to practise and practise and practise...Your arm just needs to get the feeling again, to get the power again, well maybe it's not all of the problem, but it will help to improve it i think. I wish you best luck man!