LDS714
Well-known member
I'm curious, how many of you have physical challenges or limitations that you have to work around in order to play, and how do you do it?
For example, I suffered a severe laceration on my left forearm just below the elbow nearly necessitating the removal of the limb at the elbow. Median and ulnar nerves were severed along with with muscles, veins, etc. The doc said I'd never move the hand or have feeling in in again. At the time, I was playing guitar for a living, so it was quite a blow.
In the intervening years, I struggled and worked to regain some movement, about 20%. I can play bass well enough to gig regularly (I'm no Victor Wooten, but can play in time and in key), still play slide guitar, and since (re)discovering the uke about a year ago have been working on playing chords on it (something very difficult on the guitar).
I do not have the ability to spread the fingers on my left hand very well, but can anchor a finger or two and use the wrist to fake the movement. The hard part though is being unable to really feel the strings. Lacking that tactile feedback, it seems to take a lot more repetitions to get the muscle memory really ingrained.
I have to say, playing the ukulele has been the best therapy yet. My bass playing has improved a bunch in the last year (especially after discovering the ubass - I can actually reach more than 2 frets on it without a position shift).
So in short...
Issue - inability to spread fingers.
Workaround - anchoring finger(s) and using wrist movement.
For example, I suffered a severe laceration on my left forearm just below the elbow nearly necessitating the removal of the limb at the elbow. Median and ulnar nerves were severed along with with muscles, veins, etc. The doc said I'd never move the hand or have feeling in in again. At the time, I was playing guitar for a living, so it was quite a blow.
In the intervening years, I struggled and worked to regain some movement, about 20%. I can play bass well enough to gig regularly (I'm no Victor Wooten, but can play in time and in key), still play slide guitar, and since (re)discovering the uke about a year ago have been working on playing chords on it (something very difficult on the guitar).
I do not have the ability to spread the fingers on my left hand very well, but can anchor a finger or two and use the wrist to fake the movement. The hard part though is being unable to really feel the strings. Lacking that tactile feedback, it seems to take a lot more repetitions to get the muscle memory really ingrained.
I have to say, playing the ukulele has been the best therapy yet. My bass playing has improved a bunch in the last year (especially after discovering the ubass - I can actually reach more than 2 frets on it without a position shift).
So in short...
Issue - inability to spread fingers.
Workaround - anchoring finger(s) and using wrist movement.