Welcome to the Acoustic Guitar Community.
So... What Goes First?
A growing number of us are in or are entering our advanced years, at least regarding guitar playing. I am interested in hearing your comments on any, or all, of the following:
1. If you are an older player who has been playing for a while, what seems to go first? For me it's my left hand. I have a difficult time fretting accurately, I take a long time to
warm up, and I'm sure someone snuck in and cut off my little finger, exchanging
their useless little finger for my wonderfully trained little finger.
2. What do you have to do differently now as opposed to when you were younger? As I said, longer warm up time. Usually around 45 minutes or so. And I stretch before and after I play. My stretching includes my fingers, wrists, back, arms, as well as some
fretboard stretching exercises.
3. At what age did you notice "difficulties" creeping up on your playing? That could be
losing some ability or abilities, aches, pains, etc. For me it was around age 54. I first noticed I could not play as long. Some days I can only go about 20 seconds before burning pain in my left arm forces me to drop my arm to my side and shake my hand to relax. I'm 57 now. The pain is akin to any heavy exercise pain; that is, a burning muscle sensation mostly in the top of my forearm. You'd think it would go away after years of playing every day, but it doesn't. My M.D. says there is nothing wrong with me. Also, I cannot sit on a couch or on the porch and play guitar with my left arm elevated (blood traveling uphill). I get the same pain in just a few seconds. Maybe this is from poor
circulation but, again, my doctor says I'm OK. I think I'll start running again. This problem is not severe when playing blues and other music; it's most prominent with classical.
4. What one thing could you never do, no matter how much you practiced? Or, what one thing could you never understand, whether or not you could do it? For me it is the classical guitar concept of letting your left arm hang down so you can use its gravity to fret instead of hand and finger muscles. Maybe this is why I get the pain in my left arm. Of course, a good classical teacher would probably cure me of this, but there are none in my area (within 600 miles). While searching to see if someone had already posted this subject, I read a post that said to think of the classical guitar as a teeter-totter. That is, the right side needs to balance the left side. If not, the gravity of your left elbow will outweigh the right side and you will compensate by gripping too hard. That not only causes pain but also poor fretting. I will try this today... perhaps it will clear up not only the pain but also the fretting and little finger difficulties. I'm not sure I totally understand what is meant by letting gravity, not clamping force, do the work but perhaps I'll figure it out.
5. What seems to last the longest? That is, what is still working really good? For me it's my right hand and appreciation for music. Perhaps it's because I have been playing 5-string banjo for 30 years and I also spent almost one year doing nothing on the guitar
except the classical guitar 120 studies for right hand, but I don't worry about my right hand at all. It does whatever I want with very little correction or mistakes. Also, my
timing is more accurate and easier to keep accurate as I age. And my relative pitch is fantastic and perfect pitch is becoming a close realization. As for music appreciation, well, 'nuff said. I can improvise a lot better and I can figure out how something is played quite easily. I think this comes with fret board familiarity and a huge catalogue of music in my head. Finally, I can afford better guitars and I have learned a few luthier skills to set them up and keep them playing well.
6. What advice do you have for younger players? Beginners? Aged beginners? I hope to see a lot of comments on this one because we can learn from those who went before. One thing is do not fear getting older, but plan for it! There are advantages and disadvantages, as you can see. I would advise to find a good teacher, even if you can sit with them only once in a while. You need to learn to do it correctly as opposed to ingraining mistakes. Listen to a lot of music and learn the fretboard. Play a lot with others. Get the nicest guitar you can afford and learn to set it up and maintain it. Set aside a regular practice schedule and stick to it. Learn several types of music, not just one. Watch your timing. Even though you might not think you need to, get in the habit now of warming up with stretching exercises. I'm also fearful of Alzheimer's and other memory problems. To help stave this off, I keep learning new guitar stuff and I am also learning French - besides keeping my brain active, it's interesting and a lot of fun. And finally, if you feel like giving up, get more involved and if this doesn't work and you really want to give up, send you guitar to me - she'll have a very good home.
Thanks for your time and attention! As always, you folks are the best!
Tags: age, memory, old, pain, posture
Views: 165
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Janice Hamilton on -
I'm a 52 yr. old female who started on guitar 3 months ago after playing numerous other stringed instruments. For me, it is pain in the fingers and hands. Just can't get these old arthritic fingers to stretch to do a "G" chord. Why do guitar makers put the heaviest strings on the side that is farthest away-and to complicate it, they radius the danged fretboard requiring even more pressure to get the string down!
Mentally-I love keeping active, learning new things musically on all my instruments, as well as the physical part of applying what I have just learned on the fretboards (I play banjo, mandolin, mt. dulcimer and autoharp in addition to just learning guitar). I agree that by keeping our minds fresh with new stuff may stave off Alzhimers but even that is uncertain, as some of the most mentally active people I have ever known have gotten the disease. Guess it is like cancer-some people who smoke all their lives never get it and others who have never smoked at all die from it.
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Permalink Reply by Jeff Rose on -
I recently turned 50 and fingers are just fine -- just have to keep practicing! ;)
Janice, what mountain dulcimer(s) do you have and would you mind sharing about this instrument in your life? Joni Mitchell and a now deceased Rich Mullins played dulcimers and sounds like a nice additional instrument (not including the harmonica :)
~ Jeff
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Permalink Reply by Michael S. Jackson on -
Janice - Yeah, Alzheimer's is as unpredictable as it is insidious. I trust you have your guitar set up correctly with the right action and strings. That always helps. Also, if your fretboard has a radius to it so should your saddle. As a matter of fact, I put a radius on my saddle for my classical guitars as well (with the D string being the apex). I also play banjo, mandolin, mountain dulcimer, autoharp as well as submitting myself to the tortures of violin. There is just so much good music out there! Keep on pickin'
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Permalink Reply by Janice Hamilton on
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Hey Mike:
I am just about to order a new saddle and ebony bridge pins for the beastie. I will try radiusing the saddle. I know after I cut a bone nut for the guitar the sound improved dramatically and instantly. so I am hoping by getting rid of the last of the infernal plastic on this thing that (saddle and bridge pins) that it will bring out all the sound in the spruce top and mahogony sides.
And I agree there is a lot of good music to be had and to be shared out there. I still have a perpensity toward collecting unual instruments-hurdy gurdy, mandolin-banjos, mandolin harps, piano harps. If it looks strange and makes noise I wanna try it-thats my motto.
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Permalink Reply by Jeff Rose on
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Again, reminds me of Joni Mitchell when she was in her earliest 20s. I hear she has nerve damage (especially in her left/fret hand) in her hands since she had Polio when she was near 10 years old in Saskatchewan. Alternative tuning and capos seemed to help her.
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Permalink Reply by Jason Tryon on -
Saw B. B. King in concert last January. Cat's 84 years old and can still rock the house. Had the whole room in the palm of his hand.
I think that pretty well sums it up.
J.
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Permalink Reply by Coe Franklin on -
Michael,
I`ve been playing /practicing pretty dilligently for quite some time, and I find that the sitting while playing puts a "kink" in my neck on the right side. I can`t look over my right shoulder when this happens.
Staring at the nut end? I don`t really see how that happens.
Posture? I try my best to keep this in shape (Former military discipline).
Sitting on a nice soft, comfy couch is oh so nice, but I think that is the cause of my individual pain.
Stand is grand!
And besides, In my opinion, people wanna see you on your feet to keep thier attention.
Then there`s the short-term memory problem. It used to work like a short-set trap. Something happened after 1979.(?)
On a side note,
Shortly after my high school graduation, my Dad said that he was really dissappointed that the school prinipal leaned on the podium the whole time he was giving the congratulations speech. At the time, I really didn`t notice, because he was the cool Mr Mulligan, which was good for me.
But...
After the Army and other roles in life, I`ve found that if you stand rather than sit, all, not just some of the people will take note to your presence.
I`m 46 and still slim and reasonably fit, though the body is feeling the years (hard work for as long as I can remember).
Did I mention the short-term memory?
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Permalink Reply by Charles on -
I have a couple years on you Michael. I first noted age catching up with me in my tennis game! Knees started to go, balance was no longer as good...and the eyes could no longer read the spin on the ball.
I have been playing guitar since I was 10 years old. Now that I am retired...I play much more frequently. And really love it!
Just recently my hands have started to show signs of arthritis, especially the thumbs.
I play guitar daily and like you have picked up a few other stringed instruments (Banjo, Mandolin, Tenor Guitar, and recently a square neck resonator). I like the challenge of learning something new.
About a year ago I started attending jams (Bluegrass and Blues). Lately the jams are so well attended there is no place to park! I think acoustic music is making a comeback. And I think that is great.
Congrats on taking up the violin (fiddle?). I have often thought about doing the same. Some of the excellent fiddle players in our bluegrass jam have intimidated me I'm afraid.
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Permalink Reply by Mark Werner on
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I'm 63, and find I have no problems with facility in the hands as yet. They do tend to get fatigued a bit more quickly, however, especially the left if I'm playing a lot of fast single notes.
I did have trouble with my shoulder which required some cortisone injections....Made playing my dreadnaught-sized instrument very uncomfortable. Even after the shoulder calmed down, wrapping my arm around that big box caused pain.
So, I bought a smaller "OM" sized instrument and no problems. I find the light strings on this little Yamaha (APX 500) are easier on the fingers as well.
It's a bit on the quiet side...But being acoustic electric you just plug in....
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Permalink Reply by Michael S. Jackson on
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What do they say? Growing old is not for the faint of heart? I guess we can summarize that warm ups are important, eat and sleep well, exercise your body and your mind, and if your shoulder hurts buy a new guitar! Cool. I think my shoulder is hurting as I write this...
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Permalink Reply by Ray on
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Uh, well, my right shoulder has been hurting ever since I started playing more and I am (always) looking to get another guitar, but what really limits my playing is using a lot of barre chords. My left hand just gives out after about 5 minutes of steady playing.
My dreadnaught is pretty well setup and I hesitate to sand the saddle down anymore. (Right now it's at 5/64" on the high E and 3/32" on the low E and using 12 gauge strings.)
I am thinking of picking up a hollow-bodied electric. Of course I may change my mind again.
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Permalink Reply by Jason Tryon on
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If barre chords are giving your hands pain, drop out some of the notes and only play the essential notes of the chord. It's not written anywhere that you have to hit all six strings every time.
J.
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