When you can't play

[Dru Edwards]

Hi Kip. I'm not sure if you've ever worked on a nut or sanded a saddle before but an option is to buy a cheap guitar and work on nut slotting, sanding a saddle, setting up a guitar. It'll give you experience in setups while keeping you close to the guitar.

I've bought many a guitar book. Great reading on acoustics, electrics, amps, players, etc. Perhaps that helps?

[rogthefrog]

That's a shame. Can you play with earplugs in?

[Mr Gibby]

If you are a "cover" Singer/player
Use the time to learn the lyrics.
As a guitar player don't never, ever look into a lyrics sheet.
My Pro advice

And above all, get well

[guit3090]

Kip,
You could listen to music, sometimes I will practice in my head, like thinking about some lead changes for a song.
Praying that you feel better soon.
Jim

[GHS]

What is this condition? I have had migraines that made sound or light unbearable . Same type of thing?

[Oldguy64]

Brother Kip,
I'm currently recovering from being quite ill.
It's the sickest I've been since I had the chicken pox when I was 25 years old.
While I'm not bothered by sound and light, I've been too darn weak to play for more than a few minutes at a time.

I'm "sending up timber" on your behalf. I pray that you'll be able to enjoy playing again soon.

[otis66]

I pick up my harmonicas chromatic and diatonic and I go over scales and theory.

[donh]

Originally Posted by Kip Carter

Going though a hard time right now because of a medical situation where the sound of of the guitar is painful... Sound, light, most anything can trigger pain so I'm off the praise team at church and not playing my daily stuff and it stinks....

What do/have others done at times when you were forced away from your music?

I have more than one condition where pain happens. I choose to find it annoying. Any pain that isn't specifically telling you something immediate is a problem (a finger cut, for example, or a foot blister that tells you to wear clean socks next time) is just noise. Noise you can work around.

For a couple years, I had it where if I played guitar my arms would hurt pretty badly. However, if I got into the zone I could play for up to an hour at a time. Then I'd hit the floor screaming. It *hurt*, but it was just noise - nothing useful. So I played anyway. The pain got better, and so did my playing. So did my screaming, even :-)

No idea if this is helpful to you, but it works for me.

Best of luck/skill in getting past this challenge!

[The Growler]

Studying theory and or reading books on guitars and artist biographies is a good idea. Try Doyle Dykes' "the Lights of Marfa". A really good read and sounds like it might be a good fit too.

I hope you're feeling better soon.

[jseth]

Kip;

I've gone through a few different periods where I couldn't play my guitars... I always sue the time to think about playing, and playing well... the joy of singing and playing, especially when everything is just RIGHT, and it feels so good... I think about writing new songs... I think about EVERYTHING THAT I LOVE ABOUT PLAYING THE GUITAR!!!

I took a page out of a book by a sports psychologist that I have for golf... basically, IF you are going to think about the guitar, think about PLAYING GREAT, LOVING IT, FEELING IT... all the good stuff.

I would add that I always think about how amazing my body is, how I have always healed and found ways to do the things I love doing...

Use this time to sharpen your ability to focus, ABSOLUTELY, on WHAT YOU WANT TO HAPPEN!!! Leave all the "what if's" and unknowns out of the equation completely... You just have to KNOW that you'll be playing again soon, and loving it, appreciating it, more than ever!

Best to you to play again soon!

[Ramesses]

homebrew and/or homegrown. Both legal here.

[Pippin]

Hi Kip,

Sorry to hear about your situation. My thoughts are with you and hope to have you back to the GAS circle real soon.

Pip

[roylor4]

Sorry Kip. Sorry, but I don't have any great suggestions. Maybe some quiet meditation and hand and forearm stretches.

I hope you feel better soon!

[djg]

I'm sorry for your troubles and hope that you're on the mend soon.

I don't know if I have anything much to add. If it's to do with volume, I wonder about the ear plugs option (and maybe bundle that with simply playing softer and/or without a pick). One might do the same with recorded music if there's some way to manage the volume so that listening is not painful.

If not that, there's the unplugged electric option somebody mentioned -- that keeps the fingers moving and the brain thinking about guitar playing -- but I don't know how satisfactory that is for how long.

After that, there's just the question what other activities/distractions you can both enjoy and tolerate.

Best of luck.

[Greg Rappleye]

Oh, no! Just read this. All my best for a speedy recovery.



Greg Rappleye