Guitar withdrawal symptoms...

chrishill901

I haven't been able to play guitar since April and I currently have no idea when I'll be able to pick one up again and it is starting to get to me! Has anyone else had a long stint where you couldn't play? How did you cope? Its driving me insane, they stare at me and beg me to play them! Its at the point where I don't listen to guitar driven music as it winds me up, so I listen to stuff that I like but doesn't inspire me to play! I'm going to see Guns N' Roses on Friday and I can't watch live music without picking up a guitar for 6 hours when I get home, but I won't be able to! Any tips?



Background:

So in April i was messing about playing bench ball (I should know better than to play sports, I'm nearly 30!). Anyway a basketball hit the tip of my left ring finger and something went ping. It was pretty painful and my finger was bent, but I could still make a fist and move it so I figured it wasn't broken and I had just damaged the tendon. Naturally I did nothing about it... Fast forward 3 weeks and it still hurts a lot so I went to the doctors. He immediately sent me to hospital for X-Rays which confirmed that I had broken a chunk of my knuckle clean off. The doctor said there was nothing they could do as I left it so long, called me an idiot in so many words and tried to send me on my way. I said 'How long before I can play guitar again' to which his face dropped and he excused himself as he had to speak to his boss. He came back in telling me I needed operating on as soon as possible if I ever stand a chance of playing again, but that my chances of playing even after the operation are slim to zero!

They booked me in for an operation and explained the procedure. They would open my finger, carve out any scar tissue in there as it would have already tried to heal itself, and then insert metal wires/rods into my finger. One metal wire would be drilled right through the centre of the bone in my finger, the length of the finger to keep it straight and the other would be drilled through my knuckle to hold it all together (the first knuckle on the distal phalanx for those curious!) The operation itself was okay, it was weird being awake in theatre mind you. I'm a little squeamish so I turned away when the Black & Decker came out but it all went to plan (and came with a letter further emphasising their lack of faith that I would be able to play again!)

Ive still got these metal wires/rods in my finger and will have for another 4 weeks and I have a stupidly large bandage on my finger. The rods stick out of the end of my finger and the knuckle, presumable so they can be easily removed but it means any little knock is excruciating! I can't play at all, can't wash up, have to shower with a bag on my hand. Its starting to do my head in and I just want to play guitar. I don't believe them when they say I won't be able to play again; they are just covering themselves. I'm determined to play and I will play again, but its 4 weeks until I get the wires out which will leave gaping holes in my bone, so they'll be a lengthy recovery for that and it will likely have been 4 months in total without even using the finger before I can pick up a guitar again so it will be a lengthy rehabilitation process once I have use of the finger back!

Has anyone had any similar experiences? Any words of encouragement... it is getting me down! I can provide minging pictures if needs be...

stickyfiddle

Learn left handed?

gusman2x

Buy some synths. In fact, go and get some korg volcas to mess about with.

jonnyburgo

That sucks mate, if worse comes to worse you could take up slide guitar and become brilliant at it. There must be some way to adapt. Best of luck.

Legionreturns

I know it's a long road, but you'll find a way to make it work. You might just have to try different styles and techniques. Didn't do Tony Iommis career any harm in the long run! 

chrishill901

Legionreturns said:

I know it's a long road, but you'll find a way to make it work. You might just have to try different styles and techniques. Didn't do Tony Iommis career any harm in the long run! 

That is what I keep telling myself!

I dont for one second doubt I'll adapt and play again, its just not being able to play now that is doing my head in! Guitar is my stress relief!

Corvus

Have you got a pinky free? Bung on a slide, this (link) is the day after plastic surgey full of drugs and Jim Beam, it's dead rough but showed at least I could make some sort of noise and gave me hope

When the big bandage came off At first I re-learnt to play without the finger. Different chord voicings, different everything, it was hard and strange, and painful. Played every minute I could. Then started using them all, took months and lots of pain but giving up's no good.. I learnt to read notation while i was bound up, praps something on the side like that could keep you going?
Good luck mate and don't give up!

Ravenous

Buy an electric kantele. Just find them on Google. You know you want to!

(or use the time to learn a little slide, if you can find a way to hold one.)

richh

Best of luck - there will be a way, but it might not be easy.  If Django could do it with 2 fingers, you certainly can.

You probably know the story about Django Reinhardt, but if not, do take a look:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Django_Reinhardt

TheBlueWolf

Not quite as bad, but at the beginning of the year I was having shoulder pain which turned out to be the arthritis I've already got spreading. I had to stop playing for over 2 months until my shoulder got back to relatively normal, which involved a lot of stretching and gentle exercise.

During that time I brushed up on some theory and ear training, which has improved my overall understanding of music, plus I started playing blues harmonica a lot more, which has always been on my bucket list. 

My point is, if you've got any other musical things you want to learn or haven't tried now might be a good time to get learning. If nothing else it helps you appreciate music a bit more

Roland

@Clarky had a finger scare a few years ago, and might be able to add something to the conversation 

thebreeze

Practice and work on right hand technique(s) (provided it's your left hand that was damaged!) until you're ready to play properly again.  It might help to capo high up the fret board or in different paces for some variety.

Clarky

Roland said:

@Clarky had a finger scare a few years ago, and might be able to add something to the conversation 

yes I did..
playing in goal and some matey pinged a half volley off the laces from about 15 yards out..
I made the save but didn't manage to fully make the 'W' with my hands in time and the ball hit the little finger on my right hand [my neck hand] end on..
the bone at the very end of my little finger broke lengthways..
I'd only just been signed to RCR and thought my career was over when I saw the X-Ray..
I explained to the Dr's that I was a pro muso and the did everything for me.. including physio
they were absolutely awesome..
my little finger was in a splint for weeks.. but I carried on playing anyhow with the other three fingers..
it was mostly ok.. I learned to adapt.. and of course on occasion silly bollox here would instinctively try to use the little one..
and yup.. it really fkn hurt…
the worst of the pain though was after the splint came off.. trying to get the finger moving again..
it was unbelievable how much it hurt.. but with time it got better..
even today I cannot fully straighten that finger because the new bone thrown out to heal the break resulted in a slight slackening of the tendon..
I refused to let this make any difference and vowed to come back a better player than before the break..
which is exactly what I did..

I kept reminding myself…
if you ain't got enough fingers.. think Django..

find a way.. jeez there are disabled guys out there that play guitar with their feet...
try to soldier on.. it don't have to be over.. not ever..

littlegreenman

There is always a way, even when you're jamming with Andy Timmons!

Alnico

^
I've seen that before.
It was life changing.
Wis'd.

guitarfishbay

I have a crooked little finger from a previous dislocation. I didn't seek medical help, and it's now too late to change that... It took a long time to be pain free, and I might have lost a little off my max stretch, but I can play fine now, except maybe not on very chunky necks.

One of my favourite lead players is Chris Poland previously of Megadeth - his index finger on his fretting hand is a mess, he's barely able to bend it, and he's still able to play at virtuoso level.

Antique_Guitars

Clarky said:

Roland said:

@Clarky had a finger scare a few years ago, and might be able to add something to the conversation 

yes I did..
playing in goal and some matey pinged a half volley off the laces from about 15 yards out..
I made the save but didn't manage to fully make the 'W' with my hands in time and the ball hit the little finger on my right hand [my neck hand] end on..
the bone at the very end of my little finger broke lengthways..
I'd only just been signed to RCR and thought my career was over when I saw the X-Ray..
I explained to the Dr's that I was a pro muso and the did everything for me.. including physio
they were absolutely awesome..
my little finger was in a splint for weeks.. but I carried on playing anyhow with the other three fingers..
it was mostly ok.. I learned to adapt.. and of course on occasion silly bollox here would instinctively try to use the little one..
and yup.. it really fkn hurt…
the worst of the pain though was after the splint came off.. trying to get the finger moving again..
it was unbelievable how much it hurt.. but with time it got better..
even today I cannot fully straighten that finger because the new bone thrown out to heal the break resulted in a slight slackening of the tendon..
I refused to let this make any difference and vowed to come back a better player than before the break..
which is exactly what I did..

I kept reminding myself…
if you ain't got enough fingers.. think Django..

find a way.. jeez there are disabled guys out there that play guitar with their feet...
try to soldier on.. it don't have to be over.. not ever..

Similar happened to me, was practicing before a game and my mate took a practice shot at me and it broke the tip of my finger next to my thumb on the fretting hand. I didn't go to docs though, couldn't play properly for a few months and adapted but now it's mostly healed, has a little bump but not too bad. Hurts to play every now and then.

Clarky

Antique_Guitars said:

Clarky said:

Roland said:

@Clarky had a finger scare a few years ago, and might be able to add something to the conversation 

yes I did..
playing in goal and some matey pinged a half volley off the laces from about 15 yards out..
I made the save but didn't manage to fully make the 'W' with my hands in time and the ball hit the little finger on my right hand [my neck hand] end on..
the bone at the very end of my little finger broke lengthways..
I'd only just been signed to RCR and thought my career was over when I saw the X-Ray..
I explained to the Dr's that I was a pro muso and the did everything for me.. including physio
they were absolutely awesome..
my little finger was in a splint for weeks.. but I carried on playing anyhow with the other three fingers..
it was mostly ok.. I learned to adapt.. and of course on occasion silly bollox here would instinctively try to use the little one..
and yup.. it really fkn hurt…
the worst of the pain though was after the splint came off.. trying to get the finger moving again..
it was unbelievable how much it hurt.. but with time it got better..
even today I cannot fully straighten that finger because the new bone thrown out to heal the break resulted in a slight slackening of the tendon..
I refused to let this make any difference and vowed to come back a better player than before the break..
which is exactly what I did..

I kept reminding myself…
if you ain't got enough fingers.. think Django..

find a way.. jeez there are disabled guys out there that play guitar with their feet...
try to soldier on.. it don't have to be over.. not ever..

Similar happened to me, was practicing before a game and my mate took a practice shot at me and it broke the tip of my finger next to my thumb on the fretting hand. I didn't go to docs though, couldn't play properly for a few months and adapted but now it's mostly healed, has a little bump but not too bad. Hurts to play every now and then.

goal keeping and guitar playing are not good bed fellows

monofin

Had this twice.
First was breaking a bone in my right hand punching a wall (he moved!). That wasn't too bad, 6 weeks or so and I was playing again ,
Second was much worse, severed the extension tendon on my left middle finger. I have the nhs to thank for the fact I can play again. The surgeon was fantastic, again in the knowledge I was a guitar player and recovery was slow but about 3 to 5months later I was playing again.  In the meantime I just tried to forget about guitar.

Important, delicate things these fingers. Sincerely hope you fully recover

longi

I haven't played properly since last year, I feel your pain, I'm am positively chomping at the bit to play.

mike_l

Having had broken fingers, hands and wrists and damaged ligaments in both thumbs, I'm still playing. Badly, but still playing.