From: David.T.Greenfield@dartmouth.edu (David Greenfield)
Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.guitar.acoustic
Subject: left hand fatigue
Date: 14 Nov 1995 16:23:08 GMT

Hi All.

I've long had a problem with left hand fatigue when I play a lot of
acoustic.  I think it's due to exerting excessive force when I fret the
strings and should therefore be improvable.  Lately I've noticed that
my strings tend to get crimped where they cross the frets (which, of
course, makes them impossible to tune), though I'm not sure if that's
due to capo tension, hand tension, excessive use, or some combination
of all.

BTW - my current guitar is a Taylor 710 set up with light guage strings
and good action.

Although I've been playing (professionally off and on) for years I
suppose I ought to find a good teacher who can help me correct any
improper hand positions.  In the meantime, do any of you experience
this problem and, if so, do you have any suggestions for helpful
exercises or other remedies?

Thanks a bunch.

David
dtg@dartmouth.edu

From: stringsing@aol.com (StringSing)
Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.guitar.acoustic
Subject: Re: left hand fatigue
Date: 18 Nov 1995 20:00:08 -0500

In article <48h3kn$qqc@pipe1.nyc.pipeline.com>, judynew@nyc.pipeline.com
(Judy Neuwirth) writes:

>Here's another safe and effective remedy:   
> 
>Most sporting-good stores carry a product called "Power Putty", which is
a
>putty used by physical therapists to develop hand strength.  It really
>helps, is fun to use, and some of the suggested exercises can be quite
>challenging.  It costs about $10, and comes in various densities.  I'd
>advise getting the medium density, which is medium blue in color.  The
case
>is cool, too -- a little silvertone plastic fist.
>
>

just be careful... a good friend and incredible guitarist ended up with
tendonitis as a result of using one of these exercise balls and couldn't
play more than about 20 minutes for 6 months.  As a fulltime player, it
really caused problems in his life.
Roy

From: dkwilkes@aol.com (DKWILKES)
Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.guitar.acoustic
Subject: Re: left hand fatigue
Date: 19 Nov 1995 01:57:54 -0500

It is hard to control volume, ie if right hand is the picking hand and its
going full blast your left hand tends to tighten with the right and if the
right plays soft the left tends to lighten pressure.

You can help solve this by only lightly touching the strings with the left
hand by doing scales (do not press to fretboard) and the varying the
attack with the right hand.  

this help with the coordination between the volume of the right and light
touch with the left.

dave wilkes

From: rdsck@rmit.edu.au (Christopher Keen)
Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.guitar.acoustic
Subject: Re: left hand fatigue
Date: Mon, 20 Nov 1995 10:16:51


David
I've played  classical guitar [ RH ] in the past and never had any left
hand strain problems until moving over to a steel string dreadnought ,
and sitting with the guitar on the right knee.
I find if I sit in the classical position [ guitar on left knee , left foot on 
foot-stool ] , I don't get the strain with the dreadnought.
I presume it has to do with the improved left wrist position.
Chris
CKeen@rmit.edu.au