Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.guitar.acoustic Subject: Hand strength/endurance Date: 13 Jan 2001 02:23:48 GMT Xref: unlnews.unl.edu rec.music.makers.guitar.acoustic:274371 Tom Reese wrote: > I hereby propose that you (especially YOU since you're > reading this right now) post a question (in a separate > thread with appropriate header) about what you're currently > working on and not quite getting. What a notion... Ok, I bought my first acoustic in november after having played electric on and off for the last 15 years or so. The problem is building endurance to play the acoustic. Some of the more challenging things I've been working on are tough enough that I can't play the song for more than 5 minutes. When I practice I start out by doing single note and then chord exercises on the acoustic and switch over to the electric when my hands/wrists hint at being sore. I can tell a definite improvement doing things this way. However, the process is painfully slow (er, I guess, on the bright side, it's not physically painful...). Is there a quicker method towards improving hand strength/endurance? ======================================== That sounds similar to the problems I had when I switched to acoustic guitar from almost playing exclusively electric. Since I was so used to the electric, I never felt completely comfortable playing acoustic. I think it took me several years before I was really comfortable with the acoustic. I rarely play my electrics anymore. It's probably just going to take some time to build up the endurance. Rob ======================================== I don't know if there are any shortcuts, but I suspect that some of it is that you're working too hard. The touch on acoustic is so much heavier than electric that I often over compensate when switching between the two. Try lightening up and concentrating on fretting the strings accurately and close to the fret rather than pressing down hard. Good luck ======================================== There is an quick way to strengthen your underarm muscles by a simple excersize also used by mountaineers, rowers etc: Take a weight a toolbox or so will do of about 3-4 kg/ 6-9 lb, a piece of rope and a round 1" stick. Attach the rope to the weight on one end and te middle of the round stick on the other. Put the weight on the ground, stand up a chair and winch up the weight Do this alternating under-the-hand -rope on your side of the stick - and over-the-hand, - rope on the other side of the stick Jurjen ======================================== I'm not sure I'd be comfortable just advising you to keep at it, or increase strength through exercises--the guitar isn't really a manifestation of strength so much as applying even pressure through the four (for some, five) fingers to the strings. First, I would make sure your guitar is set up properly. Have the action looked at, and perhaps adjusted, by a qualified tech. Second, I would make sure YOU are set up properly. The electric guitar is much more forgiving in terms of inefficient left hand technique. The tendency for a lot of people starting on acoustic is to clamp down on the strings, which will wear you out quickly. It's almost impossible to demonstrate proper left hand technique via a news reader, but, you might want to invest in Scott Tennant's fabulous book "Pumping Nylon". He offers an excellent discourse on how to apply even pressure through, not from, the hand, to all the fingers. It will make a world of difference, coupled with some supervision from a qualified teacher. Tennant's book offers some exercises for the left hand that are wonderful; I much prefer these guitar-focused exercises to more general exercises that take one away from the instrument. Lastly, so much of left-hand technique is dependent upon how one sits/stands, and supports the guitar. It's amazing how the left hand can fall into place with some simple body adjustments. Good luck.