Technique building, loss of fingertip

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odinz

Posts: 407
Joined: May 26 2010
From: Sarpsborg,Norway

Technique building, loss of fingertip

Hey I have a slight, or maybe bigger problem?

On my right hand ring finger i have lost the fingertip, so i cant pick strings with it, and tremolo is a pain i guess, especially on strings other than the high e string.

The nail is shaped like a hook, so it goes inwards, and i cant file it down and pick because flesh and nerves are in air contact so it hurts.

Anyone have some experience with this? i can use it for rasgeado.

It seems impossible to traing the pinky to accuracy and strenght too.

Does anyone also lack fingers or their tips?

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 25 2010 23:53:23

Ramon Amira

Posts: 1025
Joined: Oct. 14 2009
From: New York City

RE: Technique building, loss of fing... (in reply to odinz)

You can play tremolo without the A finger. Practice PMIMI or PIMIM, whichever feels better to you. Use a metronome, one click per NOTE, not per BEAT. Start slowly, and whenever you get the tempo up a bit, then switch to one click per beat. If you take your time with this, you will end up with a very good tremolo.

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Classical and flamenco guitars from Spain Ramon Amira Guitars

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 26 2010 0:07:10

odinz

Posts: 407
Joined: May 26 2010
From: Sarpsborg,Norway

RE: Technique building, loss of fing... (in reply to Ramon Amira)

So a sort of 2 finger tremolo? that is cool thank you!

Ive been using the pinky in the high e but it doesnt work wel on the other strings.

but does it sound as good compared to PIMAI?

Sometimes i just hate it when you are locking your fence and suddenly the lock catches your finger and you fall on the other side of the fence and lose your fingertip in the lock!

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 26 2010 1:05:06

HemeolaMan

Posts: 1514
Joined: Jul. 13 2007
From: Chicago

RE: Technique building, loss of fing... (in reply to odinz)

use your pinky.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 26 2010 2:42:43

at_leo_87

Posts: 3055
Joined: Aug. 30 2008
From: Boston, MA, U.S.A

RE: Technique building, loss of fing... (in reply to odinz)

hey odinz,
sorry about your injury. i can somewhat relate. i severed a nerve in my ring and pinky finger. fortunately, they were able to fix that. but what they couldn't fix was the severed tendon in my pinky. now i cant move the last joint in my pinky.

anyways, you will find a way to adapt.

i'd focus on getting a killer thumb, picado, rasgueado, etc. if i were you.

you can EASILY live without tremolo.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 26 2010 3:27:12

Ramon Amira

Posts: 1025
Joined: Oct. 14 2009
From: New York City

RE: Technique building, loss of fing... (in reply to odinz)

I don't think you mean PIMAI. Probably you mean PIAMI. But in any case, the answer is yes, PMIMI sounds every bit as good as any other tremolo.

Since you say you can use A for rasgueado, then rasgueado is no problem. And there are some things you can try for the rest. As I mentioned, no necessary need for A with tremolo, and you can just play picado with I and M. That leaves arpeggios as your real problem.

Well, for one, you can play perfectly good flamenco without arpeggios. But if you can't live without them, there are some things you could try.

It wouldn't be easy, and would take a lot of practice, but you could possibly try playing a four note ascending arpeggio with PPIM, and descending with PMIP. The ascending would be a little more difficult if the two P strokes are not on adjacent strings. Descending PMIP is easier in those cases. If you can work up enough speed on those you might try the circular arpeggio with PPIMIP.

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Classical and flamenco guitars from Spain Ramon Amira Guitars

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 26 2010 4:00:45

odinz

Posts: 407
Joined: May 26 2010
From: Sarpsborg,Norway

RE: Technique building, loss of fing... (in reply to at_leo_87)

Wow that sounds painfull leo, ive snapped 2 tendons in my right hand(but its not problematic now)

Yeah i guess i will, i just wanted to check here if anyone had some advice for this, i guess i sorta panicked a bit.

I wasnt just talking about tremolo it was more of an example, but it seems to be the only really problematic area now that i thing about it(luckily)

Thanks !

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 26 2010 4:08:13

odinz

Posts: 407
Joined: May 26 2010
From: Sarpsborg,Norway

RE: Technique building, loss of fing... (in reply to Ramon Amira)

Yeah i thought of it wrongly(not used to adress fingers)

I didnt even think of arpeggios...

what you wrote, thanks, it seems to be working, also i think i can doublestroke with M upwards.

Maybe you should start writing instructionals for damaged guitar players?

I guess now i will start working on accuracy.

Thanks for the answer and help PC, i am really thankfull!

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 26 2010 4:16:16

kozz

Posts: 1766
Joined: Feb. 26 2009
From: Eindhoven NL

RE: Technique building, loss of fing... (in reply to odinz)

Good luck Odinz,
nothing worse than keeping you away from playing. But at least you now have the chance to add some new technique, which could only improve your playing!

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 26 2010 4:45:41

at_leo_87

Posts: 3055
Joined: Aug. 30 2008
From: Boston, MA, U.S.A

RE: Technique building, loss of fing... (in reply to odinz)

did this happen recently odinz? wow, it sounds like your right hand has been through a lot.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 26 2010 4:50:58

Pgh_flamenco

Posts: 1506
Joined: Dec. 5 2007
From: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

RE: Technique building, loss of fing... (in reply to odinz)

I use PQAMI for quintuplet tremolo. Since the movement consists of the fingers folding into the palm starting with the pinky (Q) it was easier for me. I've noticed that I do better with this technique when my pinky nail is longer than my other nails. When I did tremolo a lot I didn't have any problems with it on the g and b strings. IMO any tremolo would be easier on the high e string--it just takes a lot of practice to do it on other strings. I think Todd did a different variation when he held a pick with his thumb and index finger. Mel Bay has a book called "The Art of Tremolo" that teaches about 18 different variations of this technique. If you do what Prom is suggesting you'll probably end up with really good picado. I'm pretty sure Gerardo teaches/has demonstrated what Prom mentioned above.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 26 2010 5:56:02

Doitsujin

Posts: 5078
Joined: Apr. 10 2005

RE: Technique building, loss of fing... (in reply to odinz)

quote:

On my right hand ring finger i have lost the fingertip,

Is it on break.com ?

Looing fingers, especially in flamenco really sucks. The nailbending should be no problem if you play enough rasguados. When the nail got thinner it probaply bends upwards after a while. Than you need protection.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 26 2010 6:26:21

odinz

Posts: 407
Joined: May 26 2010
From: Sarpsborg,Norway

RE: Technique building, loss of fing... (in reply to at_leo_87)

The tendons were not more recent, actually its been caused by completely stupid things... i almost entirely cut my indexfinger tendon with a knife at art school in woodwoorking class.

And then my pinky too on the same hand wich i sort of a defence wound from a drunken night(it was a butterknife in fact, but when i tell people my warstories i keep the butterknife part out usually, it just does not make me look cool

.

Oh btw i just noticed, i wrote right but that with the tendons is actually left hand, sorry about that!

Oh and for Doit: the nail is starting to grow exactly over my flesh, if it did bend the other way it would fall off, it does not have much ground to support so it grows sort of "around" my current fingertip

It does sort of spice the rasgeado up a bit i guess since it makes a different sound on just that finger, so i guess it can be my sort of trait though

i guess my I,M fingers is gonna become really strong and fast, hoping for killer picado!

Thanks Pgh, btw are there any books that are considered must buys? not only Technique but collections of pieces that are accurate and such?

Thanks guys

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 26 2010 7:29:18

at_leo_87

Posts: 3055
Joined: Aug. 30 2008
From: Boston, MA, U.S.A

RE: Technique building, loss of fing... (in reply to Pgh_flamenco)

quote:

I think Todd did a different variation when he held a pick with his thumb and index finger.

i forgot todd used to play with a pick. he would use p and i to hold the pick and then m, a, and e like others would use i, m, and a, making a lot of use with the pinky.
so that just goes to show you, you can make anything work if you work hard enough.

and if you think you got it bad, look at django reindhart. you've got no excuses, boy. get back to practice.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 26 2010 12:03:19

odinz

Posts: 407
Joined: May 26 2010
From: Sarpsborg,Norway

RE: Technique building, loss of fing... (in reply to at_leo_87)

Hah yeah, going to practice even harder now, oh and thats right django only had 2 functional fingers on his left hand or something right? doesnt sound like it!
I remember when i was little, my grandpa would play djange music while cooking(hes a chef). when i visited them it was my favourite times

Todd is a really good player, im guessing he started with some rock/blues music or something right?

I know were you all live, and im wathcing you