Hand Care....

[eighthobstruction]

As a person who is/has been a manual worker mostly through my life and played a lot of sport. I was wondering to what extent/lengths you musicians have gone to preserve your hands and digits. What have you given up? What have you wanted to try but have avoided lest you damage said parts?

[Richard Tarleton]

As a person who is/has been a manual worker mostly through my life and played a lot of sport. I was wondering to what extent you musicans have done to preserve your hands and digits. What have you given up? What have you wanted to try but have avoided lest you damage said parts?

Nails (right hand only) a problem for classical guitarists [amateur in my case] - a serious broken nail can take 6-8 weeks to get back to full length and shape. I used to try the usual things with superglue, brown paper, tissue paper etc. (some use cut-up ping pong balls) but nowadays I just try to be more careful. Being left handed means I use kitchen knives left handed - I tape up right hand nails with sticking plaster, Alfred Brendel-style, before serious sessions in the kitchen. Too much washing-up is bad as it softens the nails.

My job did include a lot of outdoor manual work for many years, but this coincided with the period when I wasn't playing. Latterly my job was office-based.

[salymap]

Is a plectrum used for a guitar,? I still have one somewhere that my late mother used as a young woman when playing a guitar or similar instrument.

[Richard Tarleton]

Is a plectrum used for a guitar,? I still have one somewhere that my late mother used as a young woman when playing a guitar or similar instrument.

In rock, pop, jazz or folk but not classical - a plectrum can play notes consecutively from bottom to top (strumming) or pick a note at a time (many a virtuoso rock guitarist) but not play polyphonically on non-adjacent strings. You would use a plectrum to play the cittern. Plectrums are favourite on steel-strung (folk/jazz/pop) guitars where the steel strings would rip your nails to pieces.....

[Thropplenoggin]

In rock, pop, jazz or folk but not classical - a plectrum can play notes consecutively from bottom to top (strumming) or pick a note at a time (many a virtuoso rock guitarist) but not play polyphonically on non-adjacent strings. You would use a plectrum to play the cittern. Plectrums are favourite on steel-strung (folk/jazz/pop) guitars where the steel strings would rip your nails to pieces.....

What about finger-picking without the nails as most folk and many rock musicians do with acoustic guiaras? One only has to think of Richard Thompson or Mark Knopfler - the latter even eschews a plectrum when playing his electric guitar.

[Richard Tarleton]

What about finger-picking without the nails as most folk and many rock musicians do with acoustic guiaras? One only has to think of Richard Thompson or Mark Knopfler - the latter even eschews a plectrum when playing his electric guitar.

Depends very much on the quality and shape of your nails and fingertips.

Plectrum-less folkies of my acquaintance tend to grow their RH nails....Whatever you do it affects the quality of the sound. Here's a useful page on guitarists' nails.

Are you a plucker by any chance Throppers?

Sorry this is veering off handcare a bit....

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

may i be permitted one more somewhat off topic ...Mr M Knopfler subject of re-run BBC4 prog last night described himself [and Chet Atkins} as a 'finger picker' .... thought i saw him wearing a little plectrum on each of his fingers not one between index and thumb ...

[Thropplenoggin]

Depends very much on the quality and shape of your nails and fingertips.

Plectrum-less folkies of my acquaintance tend to grow their RH nails....Whatever you do it affects the quality of the sound. Here's a useful page on guitarists' nails.

Are you a plucker by any chance Throppers?

A lucky plucker? A pheasant plucker?

I was. From my early teens to my late twenties, but I haven't picked up my guitar(s) in years. I always finger-picked with fingertips on both electric and acoustic guitars. Rock (various)/alt.country (Bonnie'Prince'Billy, Neko Case)/folk (John Fahey)/blues (Robert Johnson) was my thing. Guitar tablature meant my inability to read music mattered not one jot. Then, of course, I learned to pick out tunes by ear and jam along.

[Richard Tarleton]

may i be permitted one more somewhat off topic ...Mr M Knopfler subject of re-run BBC4 prog last night described himself [and Chet Atkins} as a 'finger picker' .... thought i saw him wearing a little plectrum on each of his fingers not one between index and thumb ...

Yes - and individual finger picks needed for steel guitars, dobros.....

[Thropplenoggin]

may i be permitted one more somewhat off topic ...Mr M Knopfler subject of re-run BBC4 prog last night described himself [and Chet Atkins} as a 'finger picker' .... thought i saw him wearing a little plectrum on each of his fingers not one between index and thumb ...

Mark Knopfler discusses and demonstrates his finger-picking technique: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_7feGF9TA8&NR=1

Interestingly, MK doesn't sound like a Geordie here. He sounds like the lead singer from Half Man Half Biscuit (i.e. a Liverpudlian).

--

Apologies to 8th0 for this digression.

[MrGongGong]

Guitar tablature meant my inability to read music mattered not one jot. .

Sorry to be pedantic
but
Tab IS music notation ........... (i'll stop there )

[Thropplenoggin]

Sorry to be pedantic
but
Tab IS music notation ........... (i'll stop there )

'Pedantry is the last refuge of the scoundrel' is what Dr. Johnson should have said.

[MrGongGong]

He sounds like the lead singer from Half Man Half Biscuit (i.e. a Liverpudlian).

Half Man Half Biscuit are NOT from Liverpool
and he doesn't sound like he is from Liverpool or Birkenhead (which are different places all together !)

[Thropplenoggin]

Half Man Half Biscuit are NOT from Liverpool
and he doesn't sound like he is from Liverpool or Birkenhead (which are different places all together !)

or even altogether. File under 'hoist with his own petard'

Unless, of course, you're inviting us to join in and sing à la Police Squad, Airplane et al.

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

whale blubber in Norwegian Branded jars ets