This actually looks pretty good! You can find the official site here . It’s called “It Might Get Loud” and is footage of the three masters getting together and jamming. A lot of the movie is filmed in Ireland and it premiered at the Toronto Film fest.
Finally a new movie that’s worth seeing. Aug 14th is the New York/LA premier, no telling when we get to see it so I’ll be checking the torrents.
Anyone that has tried to play guitar for any amount of time will notice that eventually you will find chords and positions that make your hand, wrist or forearm hurt. Stop playing immediately when this happens, even if you are in the middle of a lesson. It is a bad habit to assume that “it’s just part of learning and I should tuff it out”.
There are plenty of things you can work on without using your hands. Visualization, memorizing the fingerboard, pitch training and listening.
Remember that if you sit at a desk all day typing, you are already at risk for tendinitis. Use warm up exercises when you are working too. Drink lots of water, that is what lubricates your joints.
It could be a sign that your Guitar needs to be set-up differently or you might need to use a lighter gauge of string. Practicing in front of a large mirror or video camera/monitor is great because when you look at the fingerboard from above, you are simultaneously craning your neck as you lean forward and your hand position is compromised. The angle of your forearm changes and you are not able to keep your thumb in place.
Practicing in front of a mirror will make you more aware of your posture. Another thing often overlooked is warming up. You warm up by stretching your hands and forearms for a good 5 minutes. There are some good videos on youtube showing hand stretching, tendinitis, carpal tunnel exercises. Here’s one
Playing using a pick increases the chances of right hand tendinitis. Be careful not to pinch too hard. Learning the pressure points in the arm/hand/shoulder is a good idea. Here is a Reflexology hand chart.
Never massage a muscle lengthwise, always rub against the direction the muscle runs. Doing Tai chi or any kind of slow graceful movement helps.
Try to balance standing and sitting, when you are practicing. Get in the habit of checking posture periodically and remind yourself to warm up before AND after you play. Especially if you have a long session. This may sound like common sense but avoid excess consumption of alcohol or chemical party favours. These dehydrate and decrease your sensitivty to strain.
Local boy makes good, here’s a link to the Gretsch site
Here’s the Link. I’ve tried it a few times and never scored higher than 65%.
If you don’t study music before the age of 9 or 10 and learn the notes by their letter names, it’s almost impossible to achieve perfect pitch. Having perfect pitch could be as much of a curse as a blessing. Every time you hear an slightly out of tune Guitar or a song that’s not in it’s original key, your mind will process the sound as being incorrect.
Apparently if you’ve got it, you can tell what note you hear instantly. The same way we see colors. You don’t really have to think which color you are seeing, unless it’s a new color or one you are not familiar with.
Try guessing the open strings of your Guitar. Hum a note then play the string. Also tuning by ear as much as possible instead of using a tuner. Don’t depend on gadgets! Depend on your ears.
So anyone with kids out there, make sure you get them some music training, pronto!
