Playing music

Skinny Keef

This discussion was created from comments split from: Hello. First post from Keef.

RogerBill

Hi @Keef I play a little standing then sit. Fiddling around with the music stand and seating position means I can largely avoid twisting and looking down which would soon trigger my back trouble. Even so I find an hour of playing is about my limit. The music stand is big enough for the sheet music and the tablet computer I use for backing tracks and tutorials, etc.

If your's is a Fender Custom Shop Clapton Strat I well understand your caution in handling it. I feel the same with my Les Paul especially as I've still got my original receipt from when new and as it's never been gigged or left home. A friend of a friend has a Custom Shop Gilmour Strat, would be wasted on me, try as I might I can't get the bends and timing right even for the first short Comfortably Numb solo!

Skinny Keef

Yeah thats a big song. One of my favourites to play when I was gigging a lot.

If you listen to a live version or even Roger Waters In the Flesh Tour with Doyle Bramhall on guitar with Snowy White, you’ll see that they don’t stick to the original solo note for note. I think it’s much better to play your own solo so long as it is in the style of the original with the signature licks in there somewhere and the tone/sound is about right. One of the few songs I ever click the delay on for, even then the amp stays dry and its only the monitors that have the wet guitar signal.

I had someone come up to me at a gig once and say the beginning of Black Magic Woman was wrong. I said go listen to a live version and you’ll say the same thing. If you want it note for note stay at home and listen to the CD, don’t come out and see a live band.

I’ve never heard Clapton play Crossroads or indeed any song the same way at two different performances. I think most guitarists are like that. Can you imagine how boring it would be to play the same songs the same way over a 40 year career??? Lol.

Just play and enjoy it. Advice my wife has given me several times lately when I’ve been off form for whatever reasons or the tone is off a bit due to temperamental valves. I’m actually back on the Katana, not the purest sounding amp I have but it’s good, and alway sounds 100% the same every session.

I love music so much. Keeps me going when everything else is turning to……..

😁

RogerBill

Hi @Keef Agreed and a mate who is a far more talented guitarist than I'll ever be said much the same as you. But it's annoying that I find it impossible to get close to playing something that seems so deceptively easy when I can make a reasonable effort with other seemingly more difficult stuff. It must all be in the bends, vibrato and timing that go together to make Gimour's solos so expressive.

We're probably not in the right forum to discuss this except insofar as music is a great distraction and relief from the problems of arthritis and the limitations it places on other aspects of life.

Skinny Keef

Well you know I think the purpose of the forum is to get sufferers to chat to one another to make them feel better and share common ground. Be a bit boring if all we could talk about is the reason we here and how bad we feeling today.

One of my great learning tools is my Digitech stereo looper. Great for learning phrases as once you’ve captured the audio you can slow it down without altering the pitch. I bet if you got one you would nail that solo in no time. Playing stuff at half speed is a great way to learn not only the notes but the timing.

I use mine all the time as all my backing tracks are on it too. That way with something like Hey Joe where the guitar plays the intro I can start the backing track hands free.

RogerBill

Hi @Keef The Digitech looks to be a great learning tool. Before getting the Waza Air headphones I used a Tascam GB10 as a portable amp and for playing backing tracks. It has a rudimentary looping capability plus playback speed control. Quite good but for reasons I don't understand the Waza Airs are much better at separating the sound of the backing track from the guitar.

Hope you're right and the forum moderators allow off topic conversations.

Anna

Hi @Keef and @RogerBill ,

As a moderator, I just wanted to say it's great that you've met up and are chatting together - and there's practically no topic that's off limits! You're quite right @Keef , the community is here for anyone with experience of living with arthritis to come together, make friends and share common interests, and not just about arthritis. So please carry on (even though I can't understand a word of what you're talking about!)😂

Anna (Mod)

Skinny Keef

I decided to play more bass recently as the position I sit in for bass is more comfortable than guitar.

I’ve been playing some world and jazz stuff, or rather trying to and learning new stuff. I have so much I would like to learn to play but I’m so restricted on the time my body will allow me to play now it’s so frustrating. I try to find a positive and it does mean my young son gets more of my time, but still very frustrating but I’m not ready to give up just yet.

I’ve been watching a lot of Nathan East on YouTube. World’s best bassist arguably and his touch is so subtle and fast and expressive. Just when I think I’ve got it down I listen again and there’s another tiny accent or stutter note I’ve missed and he makes it look so effortless.

keep on keeping on.

RogerBill

Hi @Keef I agree that Nathan East is one of the best bass players. Must be true given his many career highlights: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_East

Skinny Keef

https://youtu.be/A81Q5gzXhdg

not my normal choice of music but the bass part on the first section of music about 2 minutes in is worth learning for me

very simple, but complex at the same time if you listen in detail.

Skinny Keef

I did about 45 minutes today before pain made me stop. That’s a new record for me lately. And I had to kick my son out of the studio so I could concentrate and I very rarely do that but I just needed some time alone with my music.

GloriaSmeltzer

The forum is a place where we can connect with others who are going through similar struggles and offer support to each other. I've found an amazing learning tool called the Digitech stereo looper that's been a game-changer for me. It allows me to record phrases and then slow them down without changing the pitch, making it much easier to learn solos and improve my timing. Plus, I've stored all my backing tracks on it, so now I can play along hands-free, which is awesome for songs like "Hey Joe" with guitar intros. Give it a try; I think it could really help you too!

Gstrings

Hi I am new to this web site.

Since being told I have Rheumatoid arthritis and using Methotrexate with folic acid I find the swelling in my hands has gone down, and the pain has eased. But I am unable to play chords on ukulele and acoustic guitar.

I am wondering if playing electric would be better or would that aggravate the problem.

I have found playing for a short while gives me more pain the next day.

I am wondering about trying backing tapes.

any feed back would be appreciated. No pun intended.

Lescar

I play a Tuba in a brass band and that is really heavy. I used to put it down on the floor whenever possible to relieve the weight. Now I have to hold it on my lap for the whole rehearsal / concert so I do not have to keep lifting it. Rehearsals are two hours long and I find that very difficult now. Mind you at 81 I am still playing, regardless of many younger players suggesting I should give up.

Poppyjane

Welcome @Lescar to the online community

We are full of admiration for you to be playing a heavy Tuba at the age of 81. You keep going as long as you can find enough breath, I expect your lung capacity is far greater than many a younger man. The sense of being part of a group /band is so positive for our mental and emotional well being.

Thank you so much for sharing your story, do keep posting, we look forward to hearing from you again soon.

Best wishes

Poppyjane