Is this Normal?

[Zero]

I think that i have become a little bit obsessed with playing the guitar. It is my summer holidays and i just got my first guitar. I have two months with nothing to interfere with playing the guitar.
(WOOHOO!!!:) )

In two days, i have managed to put over 20 hours of practice and playing time in. Does anyone else think that i've gone a little overboard? I have nothing else to do, so it isn't like i am losing out on other things because of this. (Does anyone else think i am obsessed?)

Oh well, i'm gonna go back to playing guitar now. :)

One more thing, I am not damaging my fingers, i have tough skin already, and i am already getting calluses from playing so much. So, that is not a factor.

~Z~

[cyberfret]

Hey

That is great that the guitar bug has bitten you with a vengeance. And of course practicing a lot is the key to becoming a good guitar player. Now I have to be a party pooper and beg you to be very careful about played that much at first, or there is a very really chance of injury......and then no more guitar.

It is not just about the calluses on your fingers, it is all of the muscles in your hand and arm. These are muscles that you have not used before. If you just start practicing and playing 10 hours per day right off the bat, you are putting those muscles under severe strain. Think about if you decided to take up jogging, and started running 20 miles per day. You have to build up to that 20 mile per day run. You have to build up to playing 10 hours per day. And even then, that is a lot of time to have the guitar physically in your hands. A lot of greats practiced for 10 hours per day. But you have to understand that the guitar is a physical instrument, and you have to condition those muscles to be able to handle playing for that long.

Here is what I am going to suggest.

Dedicate those 10 hours per day to music, but not physically playing the guitar that long. At first I really would limit yourself to a couple of hours per day, split through the day. So at least break up your practice into 2 one hour periods. Morning and night. And during that time break up the physical parts of playing....like scales, and the mental part.....like reading music. Then as your fingers and arm starts to become stronger, increase your time. But still break your practice up. Never play for 3 hours straight without a break.

Be sure you warm up. Stretch your arms in some different ways before you start......over your head....bend your wrist in different directions and hold. When you first start playing, do some very slow warm up exercises.

During the time that you are not playing, you can still be working on your music. You might spend some of that time learning to sing. That will make you a much more valuable player to a band. Study music theory. You can work your musical brain while your fingers are getting a break. Listen to some music....seek out new artist and new styles. Learn about the mechanics of the guitar and equipment.....pickups, amp etc. Go get your self a copy of the magazine Guitar World, Guitar One, and Guitar Player. Read them. You will learn a lot that will help you in your guitar playing without physically playing. Subscribe to one or all of them. They are cheap if you subscribe.

One thing that causes injury on the guitar.....other than playing for 10 hours per day.....is just overall weak muscles. Do some basic upper body exercises with some 5, 10 and 15 pound hand weights. I can emphasis this enough for all guitar players. This will help you more that you will imagine.

Welcome to the world of guitar. I only make the strong suggestion to slow down a little so that you can stay in the world of guitar now that you are here. Everyone always says "that won't happen to me". I said that. And there was a period of time where I could not play guitar at all. The reason that I injured myself was....a) I was practicing 10 hours per day. And that was a time when I had already been playing guitar for 10 years. b) My overall upper body strength was weak. If only I had followed the advice I have given you above, this would not have happened to me. I am better now, and wiser.

With your dedication to the instrument you should really be jammin by the end of summer :)

Good Luck
--Shawn

[Zero]

Thanks a lot for the advice. In response though, i am lucky, because i am already extremely strong, especially in my upper body. I am gifted with huge forearms, from both sides of the family, and i have very large shoulders. Plus, I do weights every day, and have for a quite a while. (And not light ones either!)

I do try to work on the other parts of music as well, although singing... i know i should learn, but i would need a sound proof room, and everyone within 100 yards would need ear plugs besides. I cannot sing worth beans. I can always give it a go though, I'll try my best.

I think that I'll go out and buy one of those magazines right now... :)

~Z~

P.S. I will take the advice, though, and cut it down a little, but it is really hard to put down the guitar. I liked it before, but now it's just great. Very addictive! ;)

[Zero]

Anybody know where i can get online singing lessons?

;)

~Z~

[GuitarGuillermo]

Totally normal... I used to be a serious student at school before i got my guitar.

[mjamer]

I'm new (since last night hehe), and I just wanted to add my $0.02. First though I'd like to thank you all for this site/community. I really am impressed, I learned more about things I had questions about here last night than I had on any other guitar site. After reading only a small portion of this site things just *clicked* and made more sense. Thank you.



This is so very true and I never recognized it. I played guitar for about 12 years, then joined the marine corps.. 8 years later I was really desperate to play again.

I started out *trying* to play the same stuff I used to know.. didn't work, and of course this frustrated me. I'd get up before worka couple of hours, practice (annoy wife).. then come home and play until bed time. At one point I was excited because I seen improvement, then all of a sudden I started loosing it. It was like I hit a peak and started deteriorating. I couldn't maintain the speeds I could get the week prior, I lost my fluidness.. I was bummed.

I was working on a big project at work that ate alot of my time, and we've recently moved.. all together it's been 8+ months since I could really even try to play much.

This time, I decided to take it slow (like I know I should have). I have to say I'm really amazed, everything feels easier, and my fingers just glide. I think it was a combo of all the work I did months ago, and not killing myself this time around. Slow, precise and not overdoing it.. I never really recognized just how much those meant until now.

mjamer.

disclaimer
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I cant spel, i failed grammer. I hope these aren't needed here. =)

[bobcat]

Be very careful with over practicing! I had trouble with my hands in college as a music major. There are LOTS of very small muscles in the hands and forearms. These can become injured with either too much stress put on them or from bad form. Be sure to stretch your wrist in all 5 directions. 1. With the back of the hand up, stretch up and down; 2. With the palm side of the hand up, stretch up and down; 3. With the thumb side of the hand up, stretch up and down; 4. With the pinkie side of the hand up, stretch up and down; and 5. With the back of the hand up, rotate the forearm over and back. This will stretch all of the muscles of the hand and forearm. To further work these muscles, use a small hand weight. If you should have pain with practice, rest and ice massage the area. To ice massage, get a foam cup, fill with water and freeze it. Peel away a portion of the cup and rub over the hand and forearm area. If pain continues, see your physician and possibly a physical therapist/sports medicine clinic. Good luck and be careful!:p

[GuitarHitman]

20 Hours in 2 days isn't abnormal.

I practise at least 4 hours a day (Normally 4 on school days and at least 10 on weekends and holidays)


Just remember to learn some theory and techniques and u'll become a great guitarist.