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Posts: 3532
Joined: Oct. 20 2003
From: Phoenix, AZ
picado and tired fingers
Yesterday, I was practicing and was having a horrible time doing any picado. My fingers kept catching. I started to get upset and started to really work it and overwork it ...then tried to think about why it wasn't working.
I think it was because on Monday, I practiced all day then had this tough 4 hour gig. My hands were slightly swollen and tired on Tuesday. And then they didn't want to do picado.
It seems the two things are related. Has anyone else here noticed their picado deteriorates with tired hands?
I think it´s very clear when you try to play the "mediteranien sundance" thing. the first time the short but very fast runns comes i can do them in an fairly good temp but at the end after soloing for 2 min i have to do them legato.
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This is hard stuff! Don't give up... And don't make it a race. Enjoy the ray of sunshine that comes with every new step in knowledge.
I practiced all day then had this tough 4 hour gig.
That´s most probably the problem. You practice to much. If you want to play more than 4 hours one day, the rest of the time should be used for studying new repetoire, memorizing and other things that does not tire your fingers. That´s what I was told many years ago when I studied classical violin. I cant see why it shouldn´t be the same on the guitar.
ORIGINAL: Anders That´s most probably the problem. You practice to much.
I'm with Anders. The last thing I would do if I had a four hour gig would be to practice all day. Four hours is a very long gig anyway (that can't be without decent breaks, surely?)
I know, guys, I was just being stupid. Sometimes I can't help myself. In fact, I have taken up a new hobby--gourmet cooking--to stop myself from practicing too much. Right now, I am creating a sourdough starter.
ORIGINAL: Miguel de Maria I know, guys, I was just being stupid. Sometimes I can't help myself. In fact, I have taken up a new hobby--gourmet cooking--to stop myself from practicing too much.
Might I also suggest "having kids", that works wonders.
For me it is the opposite. If I get a chance to play for a couple of hours, or do a long gig, I feel warmed up and can go longer and faster than when I first start out. This assumes it is not cold out, in which case it hurts to play, or my hands swell and feel like clams. Also I notice if I have not eaten good that day, I can't get any stammina, speed or accuracy with picado. If I do a dance show with lots of golpes and rasgueado, my hands do swell up. It feels like I don't have the same control as you say. But after a few minutes of break they go back to normal. It really depends on what it was I was playing for hours. If it was solo guitar, I am usually warmed up for picado. That is why Paco starts his concerts with something slow with tremolo and stuff, ending with picado. It warms him up for the harder stuff coming up.
Jamey, in your picture, the Conde is sitting right next to a heating vent. Is it because it's so cold in Canada?
Life is really strange. The last few days, I've been playing very poorly because my hands are still a little sore (I heal very slowly). Today I had a gig, got there almost late, was stressed out. I played badly. I missed a lot of notes, just one of those days. I was playing for a bank opening.
As I was carting my gear to my car, the president of the bank chased me down in the parking lot! He said he was a guitar player and he really appreciated and enjoyed my playing! He asked for my card and said they were going to have some parties coming up and wanted to hire me! I don't get it....
miguel, dude, stress recovery stress recovery. not only we are not the best judges of our abilities, performances etc at times. is playing making stress (from fatigue, or critigue or whatever) that connotate to more stress in your playing which makes you not play as well (in yrmind) and makes more stress blah blah. Indeed life is strange. think tao, let go, and you might see you are actually playing better than you think and your stress is being made by the organism making it. as you said , I played poorly, my hands are sore, I was late. stressed out. recipe for disaster. Like a police officer who goes into a bar fight after a heavy meal at mcdonalds. Let it go for awhile, a day, whatever, take a walk, pick a flower. watch a cloud do something you havent done since you were five. but let your guitar mind return to nothingness. and then let your mind play not your hands. whereever it takes them. Your posts are usually so clear, so focused. I can see the stress in your typing. cya
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