I’ve been playing guitar for over 25 years. Last year, I found out that I have osteoarthritis in the finger joints of my left (fretting) hand. I’m writing about it to help other guitarists out there who are struggling with the same problem and are having trouble figuring out what’s wrong (as I was) & how to live with it.
Posts under ‘Tips’
Teaching My Son to Play Guitar
Me and James About Ten Years Ago
It’s hard for me to believe sometimes but my oldest, James, is now 11 years old. A few years ago, I bought him a guitar with the full intention of starting weekly lessons, but he wasn’t ready for it. He was eager to learn, but quickly got too frustrated to focus. Rather than push him, I backed off (one of my better decisions).
So here we are a few years later, giving this another go. Except that it’s different this time. Dramatically different. He is eager, patient, more mature, and has a healthy dose of determination. Plus his fingers are a little longer. As a matter of fact, I can’t seem to teach him quickly enough this time around! The first night we sat down, I had the intention of teaching him 2 or 3 open chords. He ended up learning 5. He has practiced every day, and I’ve sat with him almost as much, at his request.
We’ve had 5 lessons now, and every time we go over everything from last time, and I try (if he’s ready) to introduce a new concept or chord. Here are the things I’m teaching him. After going over open chords I introduced him to power chords. Then barre chords–mostly for the concept that the shapes can move up the neck, but also to get some practice trying to finger them. I also introduced him to the pentatonic scale, and at his request taught him how to play part of the intro to Boston’s More Than A Feeling. I also showed him how to pull off, hammer on, and bend (in response to questions usually triggered by songs on Guitar Hero–I wonder if this has had a benefit for him in terms of finger dexterity…).
So, based on my experience, here’s my advice if you’re trying to teach your son/daughter guitar:
Blog Housekeeping
I made a few tweaks to the blog this weekend. On the right menu I added a list of Good Reads (fueled by the slick Google Reader Shared Items plugin). I also added (finally) my list of Daily Favorite blogs (using Jon Dyer’s Better Blogroll). These are blogs I read every day, and I highly recommend them.
I cleaned up the top menu by putting my bands under the Projects heading. I also created a new category for Tips. I’ll be writing more practical tips for practicing, songwriting, and performing.
Practice: Guitar Hand Stretches
Stretching is part of every exercise routine, and should also be part of a healthy guitar routine. Warming up the muscles in your hands and arms before a practice session or a gig keeps them from tightening and cramping up. It also helps prevent Repetitive Stress Injuries (RSIs).
I’ve tried various things over the years, but I’ve found this stretch routine illustrated by Mark Wein to be very effective. It’s quick, easy, and can be performed anywhere:
