Starting to miss strings while finger picking

[theghostwriter]

Guess I'm just getting old. I didn't used to miss strings. Now it's like one of my fingers is in this perma-hook position and just ever so slightly misses its target. Seems to improve after playing for an hour or two, but that's not a lot of comfort. I used to just pick up the guitar cold, play, and not miss a string.

[birkenweg42]

Well, age catches up with all of us. I hate it.
I was recently diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis after knowing for years that something was off. Loss of dexterity, stiff joints, and pain were all symptoms. The good news is that medicine has advanced and relief is possible. I am on a Prednisone taper and on Hydroxychloroquine. It makes a huge difference and lets me enjoy the guitar again.

[Su_H.]

I can relate to your experience and perhaps we may be going through the same stage of learning. For over two years, I have been trying to correct my right hand. Each time I make a slight improvement, it would take a few days to a week before my right hand is consistent.

Do you feel your right hand is improving.? If so, then I would say you're on the right path.

The following is strictly what I believe though my experience :
I have come to the conclusion that if you cannot play P I M A M I fast, then you probably have a deficiency in your technique. I cannot play that arpeggio pattern fast and I believe the problem lies in the right hand position and technique.

Anyway, I hope you can figure out what your issue is and move pass it.

[mball]

Do you do warm up exercises for your fingers and hands before you begin playing? I find that necessary for me now that I'm, ahem, of a certain age.

[mcmars]

Originally Posted by birkenweg42

Well, age catches up with all of us. I hate it.
I was recently diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis after knowing for years that something was off. Loss of dexterity, stiff joints, and pain were all symptoms. The good news is that medicine has advanced and relief is possible. I am on a Prednisone taper and on Hydroxychloroquine. It makes a huge difference and lets me enjoy the guitar again.

I also have RA and got diagnosed about 15 years back when it hit me very hard near age 50. I had it since my 20's, but thought that was just normal pain, lol. I actually quit playing for 10 years as the RA was causing nerve inflammation and resulted in shooting nerve pain when I tried to play. But then a knee replacement surgery in 2016 meant time on my hands and I was on some pretty powerful meds that knocked the RA down. So I started back on banjo, then electric guitar, then ex light strings and now 12's on acoustic. I feel I play better than ever, although I have had to adapt my style and play partial chords, altered tunings and whatever else to make things work, no way can I play E position full bar chords or even a simple F chord is impossible as I can't get the index to bar 1st and 2nd strings hard enough. But I am am back to playing 3 hour solo gigs, open mics and such, tough but I can do it.

But for the OP, I think you need to be creative and learn to adapt your style like I had to do, Figure out another way to make it work. I know my right ring finger is way frozen up with OA and RA and barely bends, so I use my index and 2nd finger now. If I break a nail or have a flare in one of those fingers, then I use the other. And a thumb pick really saved me, it is almost impossible ergonomically to go back to trying to thumb pick with just thumbnail as it cocks my wrist in a weird angle. I like the fred kelly medium orange picks.

Life with RA has taught me to go with the flow and adapt as best I can. I gave up hardshell kayaking for inflatable kayak, sold my open solo canoe after knee replacement as my knee can not bend like before. I like to say, when the glass is 99% empty, I am focused on the 1% of goodness left. Think of Joni Mitchell, who was unable to play many normal guitar chords due to hand weakness from childhood polio. She figured out what worked for her and it resulted in her unique style using altered tunings.

So don't get bent out of shape if you can't play classical style thumb and 3 fingers like when you were young. Accept that things do change as we age, it is normal.

But with all that said, make sure if you think you might be getting something other than normal aging/OA, then see a doc and PT/OT. And just seeing a PT now for a few visits for evaluation and a good home therapy plan might make a difference for you and help get some function and flexibility back. I like the ortho silly putty for hand strengthening and also have a bunch of stretches I do, plus warm water soaking helps to loosen things up. Most importantly, don't let it get you down, keep on the sunny side of life as the old carter family song says to do.

[Silly Moustache]

Originally Posted by theghostwriter

Guess I'm just getting old. I didn't used to miss strings. Now it's like one of my fingers is in this perma-hook position and just ever so slightly misses its target. Seems to improve after playing for an hour or two, but that's not a lot of comfort. I used to just pick up the guitar cold, play, and not miss a string.

Hi, I reopened my club last night and had prepared two spots for Mando Bob and I but 30 minutes before I left to drive over and set up, Bob rang to say he felt ill, and so shouldn't go.

In five minutes I had to build two solo sets.

I found that there were some runs and fills that my fingers didn't want to do.

I forgot to do this :



https://youtu.be/iMnrArFbkxU

Every morning my left hand feels stiff and "solid" and I have to squeeze the fingers into a fist then force it open a few times.

However, once I've seemingly re-established the connections things seem to work OK.
I'm 73. I have realised that as you age you need to work harder to stay fit, but it can be done.

I try to do some star jumps, squats, press ups, sit ups and weights every other day. (confession -doesn't happen EVERY other day) but it surely does help - even just 20 minutes.
Hands are kinda important. Keep them moving.

[MisterOM]

It would take too long to list my health issues that affect my playing, but suffice to say I’m in a similar boat and have begrudgingly started playing simpler things. I have not given up all hope but have learned to dial back my expectations and try to be thankful I can still play at all.