geting back into music after a long time

[Onceler]

I dug out the old guitar and I let my daughter pick out some strings and picks at the music store. I am playing to compose(for money I hope) as well as for pleasure. I use to be really good but have not touched it for at least seven years. Yesturday I poped a tendon in my finger and will have to wait until it is healed to begin practicing again.
Any tips?

 

[oynaz]

Popped a tendon? Sounds serious. Have you had a doctor look at it?

 

[biggestmuff]

Generally I like to be seated while waiting for things as it's less tiresome than standing. Hope that helps!

 

[Fritzo]

Not good to practice with a bad finger. You'll learn to stop using it and then it will be a handicap later.

 

[lxskllr]

Get a penny whistle. They're easy to play, and make great music. You can play them while sitting in a chair, and it shouldn't be too hard on your fingers.

 

[rasczak]

i've always loved playing. i've been on the clarinet and the trombone. however, the one instrument that gave me the most trouble (to this day i might add) is the guitar. I get chords, but i can never understand how a scale works and how it works with chords. it drives me nuts.

 

[Fritzo]

i've always loved playing. i've been on the clarinet and the trombone. however, the one instrument that gave me the most trouble (to this day i might add) is the guitar. I get chords, but i can never understand how a scale works and how it works with chords. it drives me nuts.

It's because the layout doesn't apply to any other instrument. With guitar, it's better to learn notes of the scale as numbers instead of letters. For insance, the pattern for a minor pentatonic scale is:

1,3,4,5,7

Knowing this pattern is much easier than trying to remember the notes of 24 different scale positions.

Major chords are always 1,3,5
Minor chords are always 1,b3,5

Then you can spice them up with 7ths, 9ths, 13ths, 6ths...whatever you want. The "8th" note in the scale will be the same as the 1st at one higher octave.

Maybe this will help?

 

[Onceler]

My dad is a doctor, we went and bought a splint. He told me that I would have to quit playing for six weeks at least! Otherwise if I don't let it heal it will turn into a handicap later on. And I just got the damn thing(guitar) out of storage.

 

[nanette1985]

Play with your opposite hand and use the splint as a pick. Great way to expand your skill set.

Hope you heal quickly!

 

[Fritzo]

My dad is a doctor, we went and bought a splint. He told me that I would have to quit playing for six weeks at least! Otherwise if I don't let it heal it will turn into a handicap later on. And I just got the damn thing(guitar) out of storage.

Not good to practice with a bad finger. You'll learn to stop using it and then it will be a handicap later.

I'm a freakin' psychic!

 

[lxskllr]

Here ya go. You can thank me later ;^)

 

[Onceler]

Play with your opposite hand and use the splint as a pick. Great way to expand your skill set.

Hope you heal quickly!

I don't want calouses to develop on my right fingers, thy are what I use to play the ladies with.

 

[Fritzo]

Here ya go. You can thank me later ;^)

LOL- turn your guitar into Guitar Hero!! Cause learning to play an instrument is HARD!!!

 

[Onceler]

Play with your opposite hand and use the splint as a pick. Great way to expand your skill set.

Hope you heal quickly!

I tried restringing a guitar when I hurt some finger before. It broke the locking nut on the little e string(used a big e sting). I don't think that I wil try that again.

 

[lxskllr]

I tried restringing a guitar when I hurt some finger before. It broke the locking nut on the little e string(used a big e sting). I don't think that I wil try that again.

Flip it upside down. Albert King played a right hand guitar left handed without restringing.

 

[cherrytwist]

i've always loved playing. i've been on the clarinet and the trombone. however, the one instrument that gave me the most trouble (to this day i might add) is the guitar. I get chords, but i can never understand how a scale works and how it works with chords. it drives me nuts.

I picked up a used trombone today off eBay. I had looked at a few at local pawn shops and their condition/prices were ridiculous.

I haven't picked one up in about 20 years, looking forward to it.

I have played acoustic guitar and electric bass in the past but never excelled the way I did with the trombone.

 

[lxskllr]

I picked up a used trombone today off eBay. I had looked at a few at local pawn shops and their condition/prices were ridiculous.

I haven't picked one up in about 20 years, looking forward to it.

I have played acoustic guitar and electric bass in the past but never excelled the way I did with the trombone.

How much does instrument quality affect brass? With woodwinds there's a huge gap between decent and junk, but brass seems simpler, and less parts to screw up.

 

[spacelord]

Flip it upside down. Albert King played a right hand guitar left handed without restringing.

well that explains a cigarette add I saw in a recent magazine with a tele upside down. hahah.. no wait.. the ad company is just stupid. I'm sure they didn't think of Albert King.