hand freeze on stage!

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Stu

Posts: 2556
Joined: Jan. 30 2007
From: London (the South of it), England

hand freeze on stage!

hi folks,

I was playing a gig the other evening as part of an awards ceremony (at which I was later to recieve an award....(this may be an important detail)) when during a caracoles escobilla my fingers, which i was to play some arp triplets with, completely froze! !!!... the harder i tried to tell them to work the harder they stuck.... i had to play the whole section with just thumb and index finger!...I managed to do this and even the dancers said they didnt notice but its rattled me!! and im conerned it may happen again....

Im guessing its a nerves thing, plus id had a very late night the evening before so maybe my nerves were a bit shot....however i didnt feel majorly nervous backstage etc.

anyone wanna share some similar experiences to assure me this kind of thing happens once in a while? or perhaps some prevention tips? or maybe just pat me on the head assure me it will be fine for the next gig!

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 29 2011 9:47:28

rombsix

Posts: 7826
Joined: Jan. 11 2006
From: Beirut, Lebanon

RE: hand freeze on stage! (in reply to Stu)

quote:

anyone wanna share some similar experiences to assure me this kind of thing happens once in a while? or perhaps some prevention tips? or maybe just pat me on the head assure me it will be fine for the next gig!

Focal dystonia. You're DOOMED!

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http://www.youtube.com/rombsix

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 29 2011 10:53:21

orsonw

Posts: 1942
Joined: Jul. 4 2009
From: London

RE: hand freeze on stage! (in reply to rombsix)

I have experienced similar temporary problems when feeling stressed performing. I have learnt to be less stressed performing. Still I play better at home than in public when there are distractions of bad sound, audience, adrenaline etc.. Tonight I am accompanying a singer and I know I will have to concentrate to follow him and I'm sure my arpeggios will not be so great, so frustratingly I will have to choose to play simpler things.

For me unwanted tension is mainly a technique issue. So it has really helped me to work alot on relaxing fingers between strokes. Thinking of 'emptying' the finger helps me. Practicing relaxation after the movement of fingers as much as the movement itself. Training my hand for the whole pattern not just the movement is improving technique and speed all round.

I have had to learn when I plant to just touch the string with minimum force, I have a tendancy to push it and have too much tension. Hand position is also important so that gravity is working to take the finger towards the string not away from it.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 29 2011 13:06:22

Yojimbo

Posts: 176
Joined: Feb. 7 2011
From: Toronto, Canada

RE: hand freeze on stage! (in reply to Stu)

The Yips.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yips

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 30 2011 12:14:34

keith

Posts: 1108
Joined: Sep. 29 2009
From: Back in Boston

RE: hand freeze on stage! (in reply to Stu)

i wonder if the problem might be related to a combination of the arm resting on the edge (binding) of the guitar and tension (more pressure being applied down onto the binding) resulting in temporary neurological and/or vascular impingement.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 30 2011 21:00:46

Stu

Posts: 2556
Joined: Jan. 30 2007
From: London (the South of it), England

RE: hand freeze on stage! (in reply to keith)

thanks for the input fellas!

sorry i havent been able to reply as my internet has been awful! i think im also trying to ignore what happened so im not thinking about it anmd it happens again! just gonna read "the yips" link now.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jun. 6 2011 12:47:31

Pimientito

Posts: 2481
Joined: Jul. 30 2007
From: Marbella

RE: hand freeze on stage! (in reply to Stu)

It sounds like you simply got cramp in your forearm muscles.
This has happened to me several times when I have tried to play something without warming up enough. Tremelos can cause it and so can arpeggio sections. If the muscles are not warmed up and you demand they suddenly do a lot of activity then they cant get enough oxygen and they go into a cramp. You definately play harder with dancers than as a solo and that extra effort caused the cramp.
This is a problem that gets worse as you get older so you MUST have at least a half hour warm up routine, playing some simple pieces and scales etc before performance.
Another thing is not to play 2 pieces with lots of tremelo next to each other, that will also cause cramp.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jun. 6 2011 13:34:35