Anthony, You might want to look at Greg Irwin's finger control exercises on YouTube. I have found them very helpful and really should do them more regularly. They begin with this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWmDbbYH1OQ&feature=PlayList&p=85E9D05280DCD668&playnext_from=PL&index=0&playnext=1, and there are quite a few of them.
Good luck, Stephen Arndt -----Original Message----- >From: Anthony Hind <agno3ph...@yahoo.com> >Sent: Jun 29, 2010 4:09 AM >To: lute@cs.dartmouth.edu >Subject: [LUTE] incompatibility gardening/lute playing? > > > Dear lutenists > Recently, I have found myself having to do some rather heavy > gardening, which appears to be almost incompatible with lute playing. > the simple fact of being physically tired is part of it, but also the > fingers seem less supple after clenching a spade or a pick-axe. > One lute player told me that even carrying suit-cases to a performance, > can make their fingers stiff; and certain lute makers told me that > using a lute maker's tools can make lute playing more difficult; > although there are some excellent lute maker-players, even among us. > % > Do others have similar impressions, and if so, are there any ideas on > how to get round this, (apart, of course simply from getting someone > else to carry your lutes, and do the gardening, or play your lutes): > some exercise between activities to help prepare for playing, perhaps? > % > At present, I am back in my flat in Paris, and so playing as much as I > can, in spite of the hot weather, which also makes things more > difficult, and I have regained the suppleness, but I will soon have to > go back to gardening. > Thanks for any advice, > Anthony > > -- > > >To get on or off this list see list information at >http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
