Erik, I don't know how old a man you are, but if you're 50-ish, you might think about getting yourself some glucosamine/chondroitin/msm tablets and take them every day. My hands, fingers, wrists, elbows, etc all hurt from time to time, especially after a lot of playing, say at a camp like I'm at now, or doing road gigs for a week or two, like I'm doing next week. <G> Used to, my joints hurt like hell, but after getting these tablets into my system, the effects of being 50 and overusing my joints and muscles are minimal and I bounce back a lot faster. You might think about it. I think you'd see some positive results. Stretching helps too, doing simple yoga stretches. Paul Duff put me on to some good ones and they do make a difference in muscle stiffness and in just being able to relax more. Paul said that his yoga teacher told him to watch the dog and do what the dog does...stretch after everything. Not bad advice.
Hope this helps. Tater On Jul 16, 11:14 pm, erik berry <eberr...@gmail.com> wrote: > The book is a great idea. Thank you. I also love the phrase "whipper > snipper." I call it a string trimmer, impeccable accuracy and zero > flair. Whipper Snipper. > > From an earlier suggestion from Nelson, not skimping on the sleep > seems like very good, albeit unexpected, advice. I must put for the > effort for decent bedtimes. I admit, the days of being able to > practice/play for hours seem long gone, what with family, house, > chickens, garden, chores, chores, chores. I think it's because I'm > lucky enough to be able to tour and gig, so when I'm home, I'm > reluctant to place that mandolin between me and my other > responsibilities, even for 30 minutes. Now lookit where that attitude > has gotten me. > > There is a mando in the house, my son's beat-up Martin Backpacker, > which I've strung mosquito style. It's a make-do situtation fo sho, > but it's working. > > thanks for the thoughtful replies, everyone. > > erik > > On Jul 16, 7:49 pm, ljt <lj...@intas.net.au> wrote: > > > Yard jobs and hands ...yes...I think so too, I am reluctant to get my > > hands into cold winter soil to weed, because of fingers stiffening up > > to the point of lost dexterity and ...then the pain...but the weeds > > are steadily growing...... > > > I like the practice book idea.... > > > On Jul 17, 9:00 am, The Holstein Kid <st...@senatorgroup.com.au> > > wrote: > > > > I think performing is a bit like tennis and you need to be match fit > > > to last the distance. The only way to increase your stamina / > > > durability is to practice exactly what you want to build up. I find > > > this to be very true especially when it comes to singing. If I haven't > > > sung in a while due to instrumental practice, I get quite hoarse if I > > > attempt a 3 hour gig. Although it might seem dorky, try keeping a > > > practice page where you record how much time you practice each day. It > > > keeps you honest and very conscious of how much time you actually hit > > > the strings. This helped me throughout all of last year when I began > > > this crazy journey, now practice is like having breakfast and dinner > > > (tea), it is a must and part of the daily routine. Even the family > > > knows that 'dad' has to play some music before we go out :-) Now I can > > > look back and see how much practice I did in each week / month, and I > > > can also see where I achieved milestones from my notes. > > > > Since I purchased my beloved Duff F5, the Eastman has been "resting". > > > My intention was to sell it as the sound and feel just don't compare > > > and I have my baby now, but then I think it might come in handy as a > > > reserve for an unplanned situation. And there's my 3 year old who is > > > nuts over playing, perhaps he'll take it up one day. Anyhow, now that > > > I have it I think I'll hold onto it just in case! My best mate Dave > > > moved to Saskatchewan a few years ago and he tells me that he rents > > > fiddles and mandolins for the kids a month at a time so they can try > > > before he buys, and the price is ridiculously cheap. I haven't seen > > > that here in Sydney but perhaps they do where you are. > > > > Lastly, I find that the weekends can present a problem for my > > > practice / playing because the yard jobs affect my hands & fingers. > > > Using the lawn mower and whipper snipper (edger/trimmer) really give > > > my hands a buzz and I find that it affects my playing. So if I have a > > > gig, no lawns that day. > > > > Good luck for next weekend Erik, you've got time to sort this out. > > > > Hol-shtein > > > > On Jul 16, 12:38 am, Nelson <nelsonpeddyco...@knology.net> wrote: > > > > > Erik, > > > > > I don't know if this is related to your situation or not, but I'll add > > > > it. I have a fibromyalgia sort of thing that causes muscle fatigue. > > > > Sometimes, I can't play because my arms just don't want to work. > > > > > I find that the best way to take care of it is regular practice and > > > > not cheating myself on the sleep. For me, marathon practice sessions > > > > don't seem to help me much at all. I pick up my mandolin every night > > > > for at least 30 minutes. Some of that is spent playing a tune I am > > > > trying to learn, but most of it is spent just fiddlin' around on the > > > > thing. Sometimes, the time gets away from me and I end up playing for > > > > a couple of hours. That is my version of transcendtal meditation - > > > > when I seem to lose my consciousness of everything around me but what > > > > I an doing with the instrument. (Then again, it could be the sour > > > > mash working its magic.) Those are the only times when my daily > > > > stress really goes away for a while. > > > > > It seems to me like the best advice is pointless at this time: keep at > > > > least one mandolin at home at all times. I have an MK that lives in > > > > my office. I can play it during lunch, which I try to do every day. > > > > > Does your music store lease or loan instruments? Maybe they would let > > > > you borrow a floor model since they are doing a good bit of work for > > > > you. > > > > > Nelson > > > > > On Jul 15, 9:15 am, Don Grieser <adobeinthepi...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > > > > It takes a lot less muscle strength to fret a note than we all > > > > > normally use. Remember that and you'll be fine. > > > > > > On Wed, Jul 15, 2009 at 8:04 AM, erik berry<eberr...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > > > > > New pickups and bridges. Broke 30 strings on the last tour, > > > > > > including > > > > > > 8 in one night. Needed new gear to arrive in mail, I spent 5 minutes > > > > > > taking a look and then said "a professional's gonna have to help me > > > > > > here." It's sort of one of those things where every little bit > > > > > > that's > > > > > > pushed me here seemed like it had to happen at the time. Now I'm > > > > > > here > > > > > > and I'm scared. > > > > > > > I'm not too nervous about a crowd saying to itself, "that mandolin > > > > > > player's fatigued, I can tell. Looks like he got some sun though." > > > > > > I'm > > > > > > nervous about being so fatigued that the other guys in the band > > > > > > (who've been gigging with side projects this summer) will have to > > > > > > cover me. It's a big gig for them too and I don't want to let them > > > > > > down. > > > > > > > THanks for the elastic band advice. I don't plan on running scales > > > > > > so > > > > > > much as playing the hell out of my band's tunes in the garage. And > > > > > > thanks for the reminder that I'm my own biggest critic. > > > > > > > erik > > > > > > > On Jul 15, 8:29 am, mistertaterbug <taterbugmu...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > > > >> Nothing substitutes for regular practice/playing. Nothing. I have a > > > > > >> pub gig tonight which will consist of a lot of fast-moving > > > > > >> bluegrass > > > > > >> songs and usually some songs I don't know or don't play regularly > > > > > >> enough to be on top of. I'm not ready for it, but it's a bar > > > > > >> crowd, so > > > > > >> who's going to know if I screw up or my confidence level is down? > > > > > >> Me, > > > > > >> that's who. Won't matter otherwise. I already know I'm not going > > > > > >> to be > > > > > >> on top of it, but it doesn't matter. I'll enjoy it, get paid, have > > > > > >> a > > > > > >> beer and go home. > > > > > > >> It's been my experience that doing anything makes one better at it > > > > > >> and > > > > > >> keeps your "chops" up(sorry), and the reverse is certainly true. I > > > > > >> can't say that I agree with Topher in the least except for the > > > > > >> rubber > > > > > >> bands advice. I know of a few fellows here in Tennyshoe that have > > > > > >> used > > > > > >> that treatment to great benefit. But onward to protest...How would > > > > > >> playing a nylon-stringed instrument with a different scale length > > > > > >> prepare one for a gig using a mandolin with metal strings? Nylon > > > > > >> does > > > > > >> not play like bronze/brass/steel strings. Hell, even plain steel > > > > > >> plays > > > > > >> differently than wound steel, so how does this help? I suppose > > > > > >> Topher > > > > > >> should have told you which ukelele you are supposed to warm up > > > > > >> with, > > > > > >> as they are different. Also, are you going to be playing scales on > > > > > >> your gig? How about warming up with minimal amount of > > > > > >> scales/exercises > > > > > >> and go right to the meat? > > > > > > >> So you've got the "biggest gig of your life" coming up and you've > > > > > >> got > > > > > >> your mandolins off someplace else getting an oil change and front > > > > > >> end > > > > > >> alignment? Why? > > > > > > >> Tatuh > > > > > > >> On Jul 15, 3:11 am, Topher Gayle <surfns...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > > > > >> > Wow - That really does seem like a conundrum. > > > > > > >> > Both hanging on to a paint scraper, and shoveling will tire your > > > > > >> > grip, and > > > > > >> > also maybe overuse your clenching muscles. I am not a doctor or > > > > > >> > anything, > > > > > >> > but I bet it would be a good thing to work the reverse muscles > > > > > >> > to keep some > > > > > >> > sort of muscular balance. So maybe take a heavy elastic band and > > > > > >> > open your > > > > > >> > hand against the resistance for a few minutes before and after > > > > > >> > each hour of > > > > > >> > shoveling or scraping? > > > > > > >> > Aside from that, I dunno - pick up a ukulele and tune it like a > > > > > >> > low-pitched > > > > > >> > mando and run scales? > > > > > > >> > Topher > > > > > > >> > On Tue, Jul 14, 2009 at 9:59 PM, MinnesotaMandolin > > > > > >> > <eberr...@gmail.com>wrote: > > > > > > >> > > Anyone ever run into this? My personal situation (just bought > > > > > >> > > a house, > > > > > >> > > getting married in a few weeks, new garage, garden, etc) has > > > > > >> > > resulted > > > > > >> > > in my being unable to play mandolin for several weeks due to > > > > > >> > > the > > > > > >> > > physical work I've been doing. It's normally tricky at home > > > > > >> > > anyway > > > > > >> > > because the house is little and my 2 year old is a big fan of > > > > > >> > > dad's > > > > > >> > > instrument, but not necessarily of dad's efforts at practicing > > > > > >> > > said > > > > > >> > > instrument. > > > > > > >> > > In about 10 days I have a huge gig. I won't go into the > > > > > >> > > details, but > > > > > >> > > suffice to say it's going to be the biggest show of my life > > > > > >> > > (thus > > > > > >> > > far). > > > > > > >> > > My mandolins > > ... > > read more » --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Taterbugmando" group. To post to this group, send email to taterbugmando@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to taterbugmando+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/taterbugmando?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
