The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
Reply to Thread Bookmark Thread
Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Posts 26 to 43 of 43
  1. #26

    User Info Menu

    The title of this thread makes me think of those 80's Guitar Player magazine covers where some spandex wearing rocker with feathered hair would pose holding a 10 fret stretch on the fingerboard.

  2.  

    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #27

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by GuyBoden
    Many thanks for your reply, I believe that keeping a straight wrist is the key to avoiding tendonitis injuries.
    I can only speak for my self and my own experience, but I follow a very different path. I keep my wrist loose but bent at almost all times. I've been playing that way since about 1973 when I changed my hand position to move my thumb to the back of the neck. I play a lot and I a have pretty good reach. I have never had any issues with wrist or hand injuries or tendonitis. Just my experience, others' may vary.

  4. #28

    User Info Menu

    Yeah, I definitely do not think that any one variable will lead to these pain issues, because for every "bad habit" (and of course there is debate over what is a bad habit or not) there will likely be many guitarists who have that habit but have no issues with pain while playing. Of course, that doesn't prove that something like playing with a bent wrist is fine and safe, but I don't think that's what you were saying.

    Some of my students at time complain of pain in the back of their left hand - those that do it's pretty much always because their wrist is bent and when I fix that they do not have the pain. In fact, as I become more strict about the wrist with my students over the years, I've heard the back-of-hand pain complaint less and less.

    But, to Jim - great that you've been able to avoid any issues! Many are not as lucky.

  5. #29

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by JakeAcci
    The best I can say is:

    have the neck angled up as classical guitarists do

    shoulders low and back

    make the "bend" come as much from the fingers and the knuckle as possible, as opposed to the wrist.

    Thank you - that alone makes sense to me. Not that it will be easy to get used to.

    We've all heard "But - I have (... small hands, short stubby fingers, ... not like so-and-so... ) etc" . (Pick one)
    I find it difficult to get a good vertical to the fretboard "play on the tips of the fingers" position particularly on the lower strings where I have to reach "across the fingerboard" and I think I compensate by bending the wrist... but focusing on making the arch with the hand and fingers ( and a straight wrist position) coupled with the position of the neck makes a ton of sense. (To me anyway.)

    Ever notice in video of Joe Pass playing, how high he positions the neck ? It always looked a little odd to me. But it might help a bit if I experiment with positioning the instrument in that way.

  6. #30

    User Info Menu

    JazzDreams, I think the default rock/folk way of positioning the guitar may be comfortable but is not ergonomic or efficient for playing difficult passages that involve the pinky finger of the left hand. Playing with a foot stool is ok but those that play with a foot stool over years and years often develop back problems, and a foot stool just isn't comfortable with a lot of guitars that have very different dimensions than your standard classical guitar.

    I'm hoping that devices like the neckup and ergoplay, as well as "ergonomic" shaped guitars become more of the standard but I'm not holding my breathe.

    Point is, I think it takes some creativity and experimentation to find good positions.

  7. #31

    User Info Menu

    In one of Joe Pass's videos he made light of " tendinitis chords." He didn't use them, usually using grips that were easy to get in the flow of music, and no one rags on Joe's chords.

    Ted Greene verged on being a savant and - in case you haven't heard it - his book is nicknamed "Chord Catastrophe." Some of those things are playable by only a few people.

    Peter Sprague's book notates some chords with "ICP" meaning "I Can't Play" those chords. He includes them for completeness and because someone might be able to make use of them.

    I have a crooked little finger which reduces my maximum chord span by about a fret when reaching "up" the neck, despite being 6'4" with commensurately sized hands. There are a limited number of chords I can play that span 4 or more frets. There is really nothing I can do about it, so I choose grips I can play without hurting myself. No one I have ever played with has asked "hey, man, can you play some wider stretches?"

  8. #32

    User Info Menu

    You should of course never play something that hurts your hand. On the other hand, some of the nicest sounding "closed voicings" require significant stretches. Some
    of them are easier than others and are worth attempting. I love the way Johnny Smith uses them.

  9. #33

    User Info Menu

    I do agree that you can play great music, chord solos, comping, etc, without uncomfortable chord stretches, and many great guitarists do this. Joe Pass, Jim Hall, Wes, etc.

    It's also true that no one will insult another guitarist for avoiding stretched chord voicings.

    The way I look at is different. The question in my mind is: what music do I want to make? And from there, sometimes the music I want to make requires a chord voicing that involves a stretch. Sometimes there's an appropriate substitute that does not involve a stretch, but usually I am playing all of the notes that I want present in the chord.

    But again, as has already been stated, all stretches should be approached with much caution.

  10. #34

    User Info Menu

    Just a curious, but that photo appears to show the right hand with a brace, Guy. Were you referring to your fretting or picking hand?

  11. #35

    User Info Menu

    I have very small hand span also plus a deformity in my index finger on my left hand, meaning that my left hand index finger is about an inch shorter than normal, it's only about as long as my pinky. As a matter of fact my first guitar teacher that my father hired told him that I was never going to able to play the guitar because of the deformity. My father then reminded him about Django Reinhardt. Well anyway, the teacher I subsequently ended up with had me split the stretch chords into two parts, the bass notes quickly followed by the remaining notes. This does not work in every example but a lot of the time it works well enough.

  12. #36

    User Info Menu

    I do hope you packed up your guitar and left this jerk. I, as well as others, have seen guitar players using their FEET. Others are blind.

    This guy has a very narrow view of what the human will is capable of.

    BTW, what did your teacher say in response to your fathers remark of Django?

  13. #37

    User Info Menu

    I really can't remember what his responce was, but we found another teacher and I took lessons for years after that. I still play about 50 gigs a year doing solo chord melody diner music.

  14. #38

    User Info Menu

    Playing 50 gigs a year. That's great. I don't recall if you have ever mentioned it, but do you also teach?

  15. #39

    User Info Menu

    Speaking of 'hand span'.....the G/9 on this page is impossible? Am I wrong?

    http://www.jazzguitar.be/guitar_chord_inversions.html

  16. #40

    User Info Menu

    Personally, I find that certain voicings are more practical than others, and there's also the issue of where you're moving from and to on the neck. Also, as mentioned above, guitar necks can greatly affect the playability of certain chords, not just in terms of scale length, but also,for instance, if you're a thumb over player, some necks just won't allow it. I feel one gets to the stage where being unable to execute the exact voicings used by a certain player, isn't really a problem. Doing what works for you is a big part of getting your own style together.
    Btw, I wonder if anybody's worked through the 42 Chord Melody arrangements by Barry Galbraith. Specifically the Gmin11 chord on beat 1, bar 9 of "Autumn In New York". I wouldn't even consider trying to play that specific voicing in a performance situation. Anybody else feel the same?.

  17. #41

    User Info Menu

    Joe Pass said if it's to hard don't play it. Over the years my left hand has developed and is bigger than my right, the fingers are longer and the span of my left hand is over an inch more than my right.

  18. #42

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by TonyB56
    Joe Pass said if it's to hard don't play it. Over the years my left hand has developed and is bigger than my right, the fingers are longer and the span of my left hand is over an inch more than my right.
    I have had that same thing happen. My left hand fingers are between 1/8 and 1/4 inch longer, and if I spread my hands out palm to palm my left hand fingers go at least an inch further. I imagine this is pretty common among guitarists and bassists. I wonder if it happens to violinists or mandolinists?

  19. #43

    User Info Menu

    And remember you can always leave notes out of a given voicing - just be cognizant of the critical tones to your harmony and voice leading.