Hand Care....

[MrGongGong]

"All together now"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSNMTa7Yd3E

[vinteuil]

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?

... the late great Scott Ross was a wonderful harpsichordist ["I started the Goldbergs 'cause I quit smoking and, to keep one's fingers busy, it's better than knitting".. ] He was also a manic motorbike man - not just going in for the scariest of motorbike rides, but also very much a hands-on mechanic, very happy with an adjustable wrench and getting his hands dirty and imperilled. His friends and admirers quailed when they saw what he did in the way of putting his hands at risk - but nothing would stop him. Nothing would stop him. The same delight in taking risk which led to him being one of the most exciting performers; the same delight in taking risk which probably killed him.

https://www.bach-cantatas.com/Bio/Ross-Scott.htm

[Richard Tarleton]

Dame Peggy Ashcroft on Julian Bream:

...he's extremely careful, yet he will take the most appalling risks, especially with his hands. He loves playing cricket, yet he knows his hands are his fortune. He broke a finger nail mending my car, which absolutely terrified me. And he even slipped in the lane outside my house once and broke a finger...

Bream smashed his right arm in 1984 driving his jaunty sports car. John Amis also told a scary anecdote about Bream's driving.

[Dave2002]

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 ...

... and, staying a bit more slightly off topic, I recently came across some thoughts on banjo plucking/twanging - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scruggs_style This was prompted by the poster who put up details of a Bach piece played on a banjo, after which I found, to my amazement, that there are several different ways of playing such instruments. I don't know what brands of nail strengtheners or hand cream any of these people used.