Well, I live in the country so I peed on a few trees today... I'm in my mid-30s and generally feel my joints are okay. A few of my bandmates have had carpal tunnel so they've shown me some of their stretches. Their doctor's advice is to pop a few advil a few hours before the show. I may or may not take that one, I plan on haveing a beer or two too and mixing even OTC painkillers and beer seems like a poor choice to me.
I'm more concerned about muscle fatigue than anything else. Rehearsal went pretty good on Saturday, btw, though the backpacker mandolin is not designed for the way I play, that's for sure. Instruments should be in my hands tomorrow. erik On Jul 19, 5:29 pm, The Holstein Kid <st...@senatorgroup.com.au> wrote: > ...."watch the dog and do what the dog does".... > > Tater, I hope that doesn't include peeing on a tree and drinking out > of the toilet! > > (-; Holstein > > On Jul 19, 3:48 pm, mistertaterbug <taterbugmu...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > > > 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 > > ... > > read more »- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ 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 -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
