Hi, I started learning guitar about 3 months back with the help of my comp ( no teacher ). Used acoustic for a month than got my first electric. Slowly i am getting hooked to the axe. Started with not so regular practice of about 30 min a day (skipped days at times but read a lot of theory guess the acoustic i borrowed frm my frnd sucked ) Then after i got my electric started practicing about an hour a day and in the last 4-5 days it has gone upto 4-5 hours a day. (All this background info to get a good advice ) Today i felt some pain at the thumb joint with the palm after practicing for about 2 hours on a stretch. Though i stopped playing at that time my question is should i wait for 2-3 days so that the pain is gone and then play or continue as this may be the thumb muscles getting used to pushing fretboard for longer periods. If its the second case i guess continuing playing will help as my hands will get used to longer duration of practicing . Thanks for neone who reads and tries to help. Reg
hey my advice to you would be that even if you play for 2 hrs instead of 4 - 5 hrs a day its ok.....but dont do it like practicing for 5 hrs a day then not touching the guitar for a few days...cos that can create problems.....be regular.....n also practice more on acoustic guitar initially.......if the pain persists for more than a month...n its like unbearable...then you should consult a doc.....hope it helped.. n the answer to your ques is...... yes...you should continue playing but as i said be regular....n dont follow the NO PAIN NO GAIN concept....
thanks dude though in my own mind i was kinda ready to continue till it becomes impossible just needed some nice words to get out of that uneasy feeling ( beginner syndrome ) as far as practice goes i love it so i there can only be string skipping no practice skipping Reg
Work more on your posture. Sometimes you can stress yourself and hurt yourself real bad!! As Petrucci sez it, warm up ur muscels before playing for long period. You can see his hand excercises and posture tips anywhere. Be careful !!
Thanks Well i start with Lick Library - Guitar Aerobics - Intermediate (Danny Gill) ( which is basically a warmup excercise video. Dont do all of them as its intermediate in nature ) Then move on to some angular excercises Also the first stretching excercise in the Rock discipline video (petrucci ). Though i do it at 10th fret onward so not much of a stretch and still the middle and ring finger stretch for a fret is almost impossible. total of about an hour of warmup and finger stretching The only problem is when i pick up the guitar second time in the day after a break i dont go through all that but just do a few chromatic ones along with some strumming to warm up. Though i generally feel some pain here and there both arms i think its because i just started ( 2 months about ) and i am using a few muscles in my body a lot which i dint even knew existed Reg
thts definitely coz of ur posture...the way ur holding the guitar. check the posture of ur left hand..if the thumb is supposed to give support while moving on the neck. Most of the newbies use to push from thumb on the neck...this is a wrong way...
i do push a bit actually. i felt it helps getting a better tone while fretting. thanks for the advice will try to refrain from it now
Are these warm up exercises really THAT important? Cause it's been a month since I started playing guitar and I haven't taken up on any exercise yet.. Only guitaring has made my fingers more flexable... Yes, it did cause pain in my fingers and my wrist but I got used to it! *shrugs*
i think they are as every good beginner guitar video its been suggested. also i have realized they help the to improve basic finger stretches and finger independence.
