# Any others struggling to play an instrument after an injury/surgery?



## MusiquedeReve (Mar 12, 2021)

A few years ago, I had to have surgery to have my left bicep tendon reattached. It is now held onto the bone by a titanium bolt and screw

Ever since then, my left forearm feels like it is on fire when I try to play anything on guitar other than leads/solos (which were never my specialty)

As such, I have moved into more electronic music production and have started taking piano lessons

I love guitar and miss playing but the pain is too much

Anyone go through something similar? What did you end up doing?


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## Justin L. Franks (Mar 13, 2021)

I'm so sorry that your injury prevents you from playing your primary instrument. Have you discussed this with your doctor? A referral to a physical therapist with a specialty in treating musicians might be in order. They exist, but depending on your location it may be difficult or impossible to find one in your area. But with almost all physical therapists working virtually due to the pandemic, you could find one that you could travel to for the initial consult, then do virtual appointments for the actual therapy.


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## chimuelo (Mar 13, 2021)

I recently had an audition which meant I had to carry equipment racks, powered cabinets, etc. up & down stairs while hurdling baby gates.

While the injury wasn’t immediate, I waited days to set back up because my left shoulder was in terrible pain.

Found out it was tendons all around the front of the shoulder and even the Terry’s Major muscle backside of armpit.

I went for a month to a Trigger Point Therapist who explained why the Tendons can “crystallize“ in an attempt to save muscle damage. Some call this Lactic Acid build up, but I couldn’t stand and practice/play for over a month.

I imagine I could’ve had surgery of some sort, but I always prefer the Holostic approach before I let some one operate.

Glad you’re still motivated to do music.
Keyboards are much easier than people think. I started on Guitar and found due to that, wood shedding Keith Emerson pieces as a kid gave me a really accurate left hand. I actually solo with left or right hand, so there’s some benefits from the experience.

Good Luck


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## Evans (Mar 13, 2021)

I've played guitar professionally (part time, with a full time career in software) for decades. A careless driver heavily damaged my picking hand in a wreck a few years ago. I can still play, but not like I used to. My hand is weak and tight at the same time. I need a lot of breaks and do stretches almost every day and strength exercises every few days.

I very rarely pick up projects that require orchestral virtual instruments (small, digital projects like an audio drama podcast), but have amassed quite a collection for the hobbyist in me in order to scratch an itch. My injury also makes extended mouse usage difficult, so over the years I keep switching between a standard mouse and a trackball. For sheet writing, I use StaffPad because it doesn't require the grip and pressure of a standard pencil.

One of my passions was exercise and weightlifting, and that has become difficult as well (rowing, dumbbells). It's frustrating, but it is what it is.


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## MusiquedeReve (Mar 13, 2021)

Justin L. Franks said:


> I'm so sorry that your injury prevents you from playing your primary instrument. Have you discussed this with your doctor? A referral to a physical therapist with a specialty in treating musicians might be in order. They exist, but depending on your location it may be difficult or impossible to find one in your area. But with almost all physical therapists working virtually due to the pandemic, you could find one that you could travel to for the initial consult, then do virtual appointments for the actual therapy.


I will have to look at finding a physical therapist who assists musicians



chimuelo said:


> I recently had an audition which meant I had to carry equipment racks, powered cabinets, etc. up & down stairs while hurdling baby gates.
> 
> While the injury wasn’t immediate, I waited days to set back up because my left shoulder was in terrible pain.
> 
> ...


Now, if only I could get my left hand to work on piano like it did on guitar



Evans said:


> I've played guitar professionally (part time, with a full time career in software) for decades. A careless driver heavily damaged my picking hand in a wreck a few years ago. I can still play, but not like I used to. My hand is weak and tight at the same time. I need a lot of breaks and do stretches almost every day and strength exercises every few days.
> 
> I very rarely pick up projects that require orchestral virtual instruments (small, digital projects like an audio drama podcast), but have amassed quite a collection for the hobbyist in me in order to scratch an itch. My injury also makes extended mouse usage difficult, so over the years I keep switching between a standard mouse and a trackball. For sheet writing, I use StaffPad because it doesn't require the grip and pressure of a standard pencil.
> 
> One of my passions was exercise and weightlifting, and that has become difficult as well (rowing, dumbbells). It's frustrating, but it is what it is.


Yeah, I used to lift weights 5 days per week and that has dropped to zero


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## davidanthony (Mar 13, 2021)

I had to take 6 months away from all instrument playing to deal with what began as an upper arm / bicep injury and eventually ended up causing a bunch of symptoms across my entire arm, but I ended up learning a ton about how the body functions and now I'm able to play even more than I ever was, and injury free, so don't despair, this can be a good thing.

I second the recommendation of a qualified physical therapist, and in the interim suggest you try to find a copy of this book and look into the concept of "Trigger Points": 

Edit: seems forum automatically converts links. Book title is: 

Trigger Point Therapy Workbook: Your Self-Treatment Guide for Pain Relief (A New Harbinger Self-Help Workbook) Paperback – Illustrated, August 1, 2013​
The shooting pains and numbness in my arms were ultimately the result of overly tight muscles referring pain into various locations. It does not seem far fetched to me that you could have developed some of these points following your injury and surgery as they spring up both as a defense mechanism following acute injury and/or as a result of over-compensating with muscles, which often happens when neighboring muscles are injured/disabled. A bunch of my issues actually started after I spent a chunk of time with my arm in a sling, which I thought could only help!

I've since identified a lot of these pains and whenever I start to feel something I consult the book and am usually rid of it within a day or two. I can't recommend it enough. Good luck with your healing!


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## MusiquedeReve (Mar 13, 2021)

davidanthony said:


> I had to take 6 months away from all instrument playing to deal with what began as an upper arm / bicep injury and eventually ended up causing a bunch of symptoms across my entire arm, but I ended up learning a ton about how the body functions and now I'm able to play even more than I ever was, and injury free, so don't despair, this can be a good thing.
> 
> I second the recommendation of a qualified physical therapist, and in the interim suggest you try to find a copy of this book and look into the concept of "Trigger Points":
> 
> ...



Thanks for the insight
FYI The Amazon link is broken


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## davidanthony (Mar 13, 2021)

ChromeCrescendo said:


> Thanks for the insight
> FYI The Amazon link is broken


Fixed! The book is: 
*Trigger Point Therapy Workbook: Your Self-Treatment Guide for Pain Relief (A New Harbinger Self-Help Workbook) Paperback – Illustrated, August 1, 2013*​








The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook


Trigger point therapy is one of the fastest-growing and most effective pain therapies in the world. Medical doctors, chiropractors, physical therapists, and...




www.newharbinger.com


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## chimuelo (Mar 14, 2021)

davidanthony said:


> Fixed! The book is:
> *Trigger Point Therapy Workbook: Your Self-Treatment Guide for Pain Relief (A New Harbinger Self-Help Workbook) Paperback – Illustrated, August 1, 2013*​
> 
> 
> ...


Excellent book.
I still need my back worked on probably because it’s just a great weekly experience, and the family discount of 50% really helps.

But here’s some great accessories.
The Horse Liniment and CBD Oil are really fast at eliminating sharp pain.
The Gun is just so easy while binge-ing NetFlix Series (I Care A Lot recently).

Self Healing book is a great share.


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## GdT (Mar 15, 2021)

View attachment VID-20200718-WA0001.mp4


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## Patrick Aylett (Mar 15, 2021)

GdT said:


> View attachment VID-20200718-WA0001.mp4


Incredible absolutely humbling

Steve vai can only use one hand at the moment, but no one has noticed yet...


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## Wedge (Mar 18, 2021)

I have played the guitar since I was six. I had a stroke. My hand curled into a first with the nails cutting into my hand. It took many months of physical therapy to get my hand open and many more to get it usable. Sometimes a couple fingers still want to occupy the same space, which is annoying. I can play again but not nearly as well. I feel under the circumstances, I got pretty damn lucky. So I play less as it's not as fun as it once was. But holy shit, it could have been so much worse.


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## Leon Portelance (Mar 27, 2021)

In 2013, I had a severe Traumatic Brain Injury on the right side and can no longer play guitar.


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## MusiquedeReve (Mar 27, 2021)

Judd said:


> I have played the guitar since I was six. I had a stroke. My hand curled into a first with the nails cutting into my hand. It took many months of physical therapy to get my hand open and many more to get it usable. Sometimes a couple fingers still want to occupy the same space, which is annoying. I can play again but not nearly as well. I feel under the circumstances, I got pretty damn lucky. So I play less as it's not as fun as it once was. But holy shit, it could have been so much worse.


WOW - at least you are still motivated to attempt to play - are there any other instruments that might be better to learn for your situation?



Leon Portelance said:


> In 2013, I had a severe Traumatic Brain Injury on the right side and can no longer play guitar.


Have you tried any other instruments or do you do everything "in the box" now?


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## SupremeFist (Mar 27, 2021)

About five years ago I rebuilt my guitar technique after not playing for years (because of a chronic injury) by paying very careful attention to eliminating any extraneous muscular tension and trying to find the most efficient possible way of doing everything. After a year I could play better than I ever had before. Many years studying martial arts helped me in this endeavour. I agree that a physical therapist who works with musicians might really help you — I've heard excellent things eg about Alexander technique.


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## Leon Portelance (Mar 27, 2021)

I can play keyboards a little with my right hand, but I tend to do everything in the box.


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## Double Helix (Mar 27, 2021)

June 6, 1983, I was nailed head-on by a 19-year-old drunk driver (his third alcohol-related offense) which, after 18 month of hand rehabilitation, led to surgery on my right hand (not the optimum injury for a piano player). Subsequently, what had always been an octave was a bit short of an octave. As you might imagine, this led to a major rebuilding of my alleged "technique," not unlike Tiger Woods' process of re-tooling his swing a few years ago (no, I am not the Tiger Woods of the piano)
Now my modest solos will occasionally have a dissonant/jazz element, regardless of intent


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## Wedge (Mar 27, 2021)

ChromeCrescendo said:


> WOW - at least you are still motivated to attempt to play - are there any other instruments that might be better to learn for your situation?
> 
> 
> Have you tried any other instruments or do you do everything "in the box" now?


Sure, that's why I picked up the keyboard and started down the composition road as opposed to song writing. I'm pretty awful at the keys but I'm getting better. I'm also writing a lot of tracks using notation these days. But there's nothing to me that is quite as satisfying as rocking out on a distorted guitar, so I still have to bust it out once in a while.


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## MusiquedeReve (Mar 27, 2021)

Judd said:


> Sure, that's why I picked up the keyboard and started down the composition road as opposed to song writing. I'm pretty awful at the keys but I'm getting better. I'm also writing a lot of tracks using notation these days. But there's nothing to me that is quite as satisfying as rocking out on a distorted guitar, so I still have to bust it out once in a while.


I just started the Pianote course last month -- I am learning slowly while also learning just because I was able to play scales and chords easily with my left hand on guitar, piano is its own animal

I am still just learning using only the white keys and the chord shapes are just thumb and pinky - I am not sure how I am going to be able to use my middle finger on each hand to make a triad as it seems as if my index fingers have minds of their own when trying to do so


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## AlexRuger (Mar 27, 2021)

Man, yeah, I've been through the ringer with this stuff and it just keeps happening.

My original career goal was to be a professional guitarist -- session work, touring hired gun, ideally SNL or something similar. I was very well my way to achieving that, but an antibiotic called Cipro gave me tendinosis (like tendinitis, but chronic, and kind of causes a wasting of the tendon) in both hands and wrists. That was a decade ago and I can play just fine now, but at the time I had to take two years off from playing in order to even begin to recover. That was actually the catalyst that led me into composing, producing, etc.

More recently, about six months ago I developed a condition called hyperacusis, which causes sounds that aren't loud to anyone else to be painfully, excruciatingly loud to me. Pointing speakers at my ears, at any volume, _literally_ feels like knives being pushed into my ears. A "loudness discomfort level" test with an audiologist showed that, at 4k, my ears are now _100,000 times_ _more sensitive_ than a normal person's ears. It sounds like a made-up number, but that's truly how bad it is. At its worst, my own speaking voice was causing pain.

Needless to say, this has caused my career to come to a screeching halt. Working on music in any capacity is completely out of the question -- even something as simple as washing dishes requires hearing protection. And there's no cure or treatment. Only in the last decade was this condition even formally recognized, and it's incredibly rare, so hope for treatment is slim at best. I've looked at it from every angle I can -- hiring people to help with various parts of the workflow, etc -- but I just can't get it work, whether it be due to finances or time. 

Oh, and with it has come an explosion of new tinnitus tones. I've had tinnitus for years, but I got used to it after a few months of grieving the loss of silence. Now, though...good lord, I have an ever-changing mess of tones, fading in and out, changing in volume and pitch, some of them beeping like Morse Code...it's fucking brutal, absolutely brutal. 

And the funny thing is, I've always protected my ears, worked at around 65 - 70 dB, etc. This is probably due to a concussion I had over the summer, causing damage to the cochlear nerve. No way to know for sure, though.

I'm honestly probably just fucked, and am exploring a career change. Even without relying on my ears for work, though, the quality of life hit can't be overstated. As I type this, the sound of my fingers on my laptop is slightly painful. 

Be thankful for your ears, kids.


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## MusiquedeReve (Mar 27, 2021)

AlexRuger said:


> Man, yeah, I've been through the ringer with this stuff and it just keeps happening.
> 
> My original career goal was to be a professional guitarist -- session work, touring hired gun, ideally SNL or something similar. I was very well my way to achieving that, but an antibiotic called Cipro gave me tendinosis (like tendinitis, but chronic, and kind of causes a wasting of the tendon) in both hands and wrists. That was a decade ago and I can play just fine now, but at the time I had to take two years off from playing in order to even begin to recover. That was actually the catalyst that led me into composing, producing, etc.
> 
> ...


WOW - I cannot even imagine the toll this is taking on you - I am sure none of us can comprehend the emotional (and physical) pain losing your ability to make music because your ears have betrayed you has caused you

Bro hugs


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## Wedge (Mar 27, 2021)

ChromeCrescendo said:


> I just started the Pianote course last month -- I am learning slowly while also learning just because I was able to play scales and chords easily with my left hand on guitar, piano is its own animal
> 
> I am still just learning using only the white keys and the chord shapes are just thumb and pinky - I am not sure how I am going to be able to use my middle finger on each hand to make a triad as it seems as if my index fingers have minds of their own when trying to do so


Yeah, it is it's own beast entirely. Thanks for the heads up about Pianote, I'll check it out. I'm willing to bet you'll get your index fingers working, it'll just take a while. I'm guessing it will be like getting your pinky working as well your index finger on guitar was.


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## AlexRuger (Mar 27, 2021)

ChromeCrescendo said:


> WOW - I cannot even imagine the toll this is taking on you - I am sure none of us can comprehend the emotional (and physical) pain losing your ability to make music because your ears have betrayed you has caused you
> 
> Bro hugs


Thanks man, much appreciated. Parallel to this, I'm also adjusting to the development of literally 21 food allergies (soy, eggs, nuts, beef, pork, all fish...the list just goes on and on). These too are permanent -- no hope but to just adjust as best I can. It's a tough time but I'm hanging in there.


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## MusiquedeReve (Mar 27, 2021)

Judd said:


> Yeah, it is it's own beast entirely. Thanks for the heads up about Pianote, I'll check it out. I'm willing to bet you'll get your index fingers working, it'll just take a while. I'm guessing it will be like getting your pinky working as well your index finger on guitar was.


Yeah Pianote also just started a new "Method" course - an updated version of their original course (which is still available with the subscription)

I can play the basic lessons at fast BPMs but, getting my left hand to play root octaves (C2 to C3) while playing the power chords of Let it Be has become a challenge -- and, utterly impossible when trying to play octaves in C4 to C5 while playing the power chords of Let It Be with my left hand


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## MusiquedeReve (Mar 27, 2021)

AlexRuger said:


> Thanks man, much appreciated. Parallel to this, I'm also adjusting to the development of literally 21 food allergies (soy, eggs, nuts, beef, pork, all fish...the list just goes on and on). These too are permanent -- no hope but to just adjust as best I can. It's a tough time but I'm hanging in there.


Geez -- not to make light of this but it reminds me of that old joke about a lost dog flyer:

_Lost Dog: Three legs, blind in one eye, ear torn. Answers to the name 'Lucky.'_

No disrespect - just hoping to make you laugh but, I am definitely not laughing at your situation and you are a stronger man than I am in that it seems you are taking it all in stride and doing all you can to remedy the situation


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## Wedge (Mar 27, 2021)

ChromeCrescendo said:


> Yeah Pianote also just started a new "Method" course - an updated version of their original course (which is still available with the subscription)
> 
> I can play the basic lessons at fast BPMs but, getting my left hand to play root octaves (C2 to C3) while playing the power chords of Let it Be has become a challenge -- and, utterly impossible when trying to play octaves in C4 to C5 while playing the power chords of Let It Be with my left hand


Well, that's a drag. I think it might be something you can work through. It's just going to take a lot of time and patience. But I reckon, it'll be worth it. I've found the better I get my hand at one thing the better it is at everything else.


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## AlexRuger (Mar 27, 2021)

ChromeCrescendo said:


> Geez -- not to make light of this but it reminds me of that old joke about a lost dog flyer:
> 
> _Lost Dog: Three legs, blind in one eye, ear torn. Answers to the name 'Lucky.'_
> 
> No disrespect - just hoping to make you laugh but, I am definitely not laughing at your situation and you are a stronger man than I am in that it seems you are taking it all in stride and doing all you can to remedy the situation


Ha, no worries, definitely not offended. I suppose whether I'm taking it in stride depends on the day. Today's one of the down days, as my ears weren't in constant pain the past two weeks, and then yesterday I risked a little (quiet) synth time. Really paying for those 15 minutes today (maybe forever? It's so hard to tell with this condition -- you never know if a down trend is a temporary blip or the new normal).

But what can you do. Hanging in there and just adapting. This kind of stuff does have a way of making you see what you _do _have, and I certainly have a lot -- far more than most people in the world or even in history. Vision, a hot shower on command, friends, a peaceful neighborhood...I'm very rich indeed.


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## MusiquedeReve (Mar 27, 2021)

AlexRuger said:


> Ha, no worries, definitely not offended. I suppose whether I'm taking it in stride depends on the day. Today's one of the down days, as my ears weren't in constant pain the past two weeks, and then yesterday I risked a little (quiet) synth time. Really paying for those 15 minutes today (maybe forever? It's so hard to tell with this condition -- you never know if a down trend is a temporary blip or the new normal).
> 
> But what can you do. Hanging in there and just adapting. This kind of stuff does have a way of making you see what you _do _have, and I certainly have a lot -- far more than most people in the world or even in history. Vision, a hot shower on command, friends, a peaceful neighborhood...I'm very rich indeed.


Yes, whenever I get depressed about something, people tell me to look at all the things I have but, everything is always relative to our own experiences - sure, there is hunger, disease, torture going on in the world - which are all horrific - but, we can only base our emotions on what WE have gone through


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## SamC (Mar 29, 2021)

AlexRuger said:


> Man, yeah, I've been through the ringer with this stuff and it just keeps happening.
> 
> My original career goal was to be a professional guitarist -- session work, touring hired gun, ideally SNL or something similar. I was very well my way to achieving that, but an antibiotic called Cipro gave me tendinosis (like tendinitis, but chronic, and kind of causes a wasting of the tendon) in both hands and wrists. That was a decade ago and I can play just fine now, but at the time I had to take two years off from playing in order to even begin to recover. That was actually the catalyst that led me into composing, producing, etc.
> 
> ...


So sorry about that man, I really hope sufferers can find some relief or a cure for it. I had many ear issues as a child and a few surgeries so am very conscious about my hearing — totally agree — value your ears!

All the best to you.


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## GdT (Mar 29, 2021)

Yea. Trying to re-learn the violin after many years. But an old sports injury to my should thanks to a psychopath who didnt play by the rules. But the positive side I get some excellent therapy from a local top knotch therapist.


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## Tim_Wells (Mar 29, 2021)

Why does pain continue after the body has healed?


I used to suffer from chronic back and elbow pain. They are no longer issues for me. It's been quite miraculous. To get better, I followed a program very much like this:


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## MusiquedeReve (Mar 29, 2021)

3DC said:


> It could be worst...waaay worst....
> 
> I can't walk long distances, run, dance, ride a bike,....no concerts, no traveling, well frankly no nothing. I had so many obstacles to win and huge "mountains" to climb its not even funny. I've lost so many opportunities in my life due to my disability that any other person would probably kill himself or go crazy by now.
> 
> ...


Well, those 20 years of saving up can now start you on the journey - this reminds me of a quote from the Golden Girls after one of the women has a near-death experience and they are contemplating their future lives:

"*Sophia*: We all got a second chance. I realized I wasn't living up to my potential. I'm gonna find out what I'm good at. Take an aptitude test. Maybe go to law school.

*Dorothy*: Oh, Ma, come on, you'll be 96 when you get out.

*Sophia*: I'll be 96 anyway."


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## wst3 (Mar 29, 2021)

First let me say that I am sorry that any of you suffered an injury that limited your ability to make music. It is just plain awful!

When I was 15 I fell while horsing around in the high school music wing. I put my hand up to break my fall, but instead I broke a window. Slice my wrist to the bone, cut arteries, veins, and nerves. (It was, for a brief moment, pretty fascinating to look at. But only for a moment.)

After surgery to repair as much of the damage as they could I was left with very limited use of my right hand (and I am right handed). Fortunately, my primary instruments of interest were guitar, string bass, and French Horn, none of which rely on the right hand, at least not to the degree that other instruments (wood winds, keyboards, etc) do.

Oh wait - I had, up until that time, studied piano fairly seriously, since I was 6. That was 9 years of effort out the window. My freshman choir director offered to give me lessons to see what we could do, but after about six weeks we both realized it was just a little too soon.

I remember a surgeon telling me that I'd regain more use of the hand over time, that nerves take a long time to grow and heal. Somewhere in my early 50s I discovered I could one again play a scale on the piano, with my right hand. Might not sound like much, but it was a pretty big deal for me.

In the meantime I revamped my right hand technique for both guitar and bass, the horn required no such effort. Sadly I gave up horn after college, one of the dumber things I've done.

I won't be a guitar hero, but I can express (most of) the ideas in my head on a guitar. I am happy about that!


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## MusiquedeReve (Mar 29, 2021)

wst3 said:


> First let me say that I am sorry that any of you suffered an injury that limited your ability to make music. It is just plain awful!
> 
> When I was 15 I fell while horsing around in the high school music wing. I put my hand up to break my fall, but instead I broke a window. Slice my wrist to the bone, cut arteries, veins, and nerves. (It was, for a brief moment, pretty fascinating to look at. But only for a moment.)
> 
> ...


Playing the long game 

That's great news


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## creativeforge (Apr 8, 2021)

chimuelo said:


> wood shedding Keith Emerson pieces as a kid gave me a really accurate left hand.


Always amazes me to watch/listen to his left hand work...



ChromeCrescendo said:


> A few years ago, I had to have surgery to have my left bicep tendon reattached. It is now held onto the bone by a titanium bolt and screw
> 
> Ever since then, my left forearm feels like it is on fire when I try to play anything on guitar other than leads/solos (which were never my specialty)
> 
> ...



Sorry to read this, I can't say I understand completely but I can empathize. I have a friend - professional keyboard player who was really professionally busy during the 1970s - who survived botulism. He recovered to a degree and is still creating beautiful music. The music in us finds a path to be manifested into the world.

►


The Official Website of Richard Souther



I have no formal training but I used to be able to do pretty complex and long-winded improvisations on the piano. After 10 years of medication for ADHD and antidepressants, short-term memory has been affected, my vision has declined, and my hands have lost substantial muscle memory and so I can't play my own music as before.

Trusting you find a path forward and through, I can only imagine what it's like when this is your day job... :(

Andre


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