Conference napalm::guitar

    A recent Guitar Player "Readers Tips" column suggested twirling a 
    pencil around each of the fingers of you "playing" hand to improve
    dexterity.  Kind of like the way drummers twirl their sticks?
    
    joe.

    I read an old mag that suggested a product called 'Power Putty'
    that the author helped in that it build up the muscles in the hand
    and because of the nature of it could also be used to strengthen
    the extenstion muscules too.  It's kind of like Silly Putty, only
    stiffer and comes in various consistancies.  
    
    I bought some, and used it a little.  Didn't notice much change
    in my playing, but that was a long time ago, it might help now that
    I'm a bit more accomplished(?).  I got it at a sporting goods store.
    
    
    Greg

    How many of you guitar players type with two fingers?
    
    Be honest now!
    
    Anyway, typing is a pretty good exercise for both keyboards and
    guitar.  My typing speed definitely improves with my keyboard playing.
    
    I go in and out of "practice" on keyboards, and I find that when
    I'm in "practice" my typing speed usually improves.
    
    We had a VAX program on our cluster at one point tht kept track of
    everyones typing speed (if you ran the program).  Not surprisingly
    most of the users whom I knew to be musicians, were consistently near
    the top.
    
    	db

    
    	Carol Kaye says she squeezes a tennis ball to warm up.
    
    	My bass teacher said doing that only builds up your forearms.
    
    	So who knows....................?

    RE: .3
    
    >How many of you guitar players type with two fingers?
    >
    >Be honest now!
    >
    >Anyway, typing is a pretty good exercise for both keyboards and
    >guitar.  My typing speed definitely improves with my keyboard playing.
    >
    >I go in and out of "practice" on keyboards, and I find that when
    >I'm in "practice" my typing speed usually improves.
    
    Yeah, but what if you only use two fingers when playing the keyboards?!
    
    Andy
        

    re: .5
    
>    Yeah, but what if you only use two fingers when playing the keyboards?!
    
    Actually, you gotta point there.
    
    I suppose you could argue that two fingered typing is better
    than 8 fingered typing for developing Van Halen-like fingertaps.
    
    I'll bet Eddie types with two fingers, and Jeff Watson types
    with 8. ;-)
    
    	db

    I've got some exercises that I've used on myself and a lot of students
    for developing strength and endurance.  They help some people, but I
    think they're mainly useful if you don't already naturally have a
    certain minimum amount of strength in your hands and fingers.  If
    you're already 'strong enough', then it's just wasted effort.

    Also, I don't recommend making it a permanent routine.  I just use
    them to get back in shape after I've been lazy for a long time.
    
    I also tried some speed exercises, but don't think they really helped.
    I tend to think that the finer points, like speed and dexterity
    need to be developed on the instrument.  
    
    Some of the things are too hard to put in words, but I'll try the
    two simplest.  These are for the fretting hand.
    
    1) Hold your hand in fretting position with the wrist stiff.  Extend
    the fingers straight out and then curl them in, touching the tips
    to the first finger joint.  Keep the wrist stiff.  Repeat at a steady
    pace until you feel like you've done some work.  Repeat later in
    the day, but don't overdo it.  
    
    2) Same position, but now do pairs of fingers in opposite directions
    in a bicycle-pedalling kinda motion.  Make up different combinations
    of fingers.  Do each combination until you feel some fatigue (not
    pain!).
    
    A little bit of this can be a good warm-up before playing.
    

    Bob

    Nice Job DB.  The typewriter is a great way to keep your fingers
    in shape.  I was kind of surprised at how easy it was to pick up
    typing after playing guitar for a few years.
    
    	I have to agree with .7 though.  If your hands aren't already
    strengthened by playing, finger excercises won't do too much good.
    
    	The way I see it, there are two things you would use finger
    workouts for.  Strength and dexterity.  I believe strenght is
    something that really needs to be done on the instrument.  
    For dexterity, you can make up your own workouts.  For starters,
    try making the Mr. Spock "live long an prosper" hand sign.  The
    first and second fingers separated from the third and fourth.  Go
    from that to its opposite.  (Two middle fingers together, first
    and fourth extended.)  Basically, make your hands to anything that
    you don't do in the normal course of a day.  It's the mental ability
    to command your fingers to do whatever you want that's important.
    When you go to learn a new lick or song, this should make it go
    easier and quicker.  I always have more trouble learning a 
    rhythmically simple run that uses "odd" notes (if that makes any
    sense) than I do working out a fast run that uses "normal" scale
    tones.
    
    One last comment, HEED .7.  Don't overdue.  Your fingers will get
    into shape if you just keep at it.  You wouldn't start a running
    career by jogging around New England your first time out.  A FEW
    minutes a day will do the trick if you stick with it.
    
    Ted

    
    -------------- An Exersise for finger STRENGTH -------------
    
    If you're really serious about building the muscles in your hand and 
    fingers, take a tip from your local basketball coach.  Our coach
    used to make us do this exersise so we could hold onto the ball
    better, rebounding, and eventually palming the b-ball. 
                                  
    Straight finger push-ups.
           
    That is -- doing push-ups with only your fingertips on the floor, 
    keeping your fingers as straight as possible.
    Yes, they are a bitch, but I can't think of a better exersise for
    your hands.  It doesn't do your arms, sholders, and chest any harm
    either.                                      

    	In the August issue of Guitar Player Magazine, there is an
    advertisment for the Fretmaster SX which appears to be an exercise
    device for incresing speed. Looks like four pads within an enclosure
    with an opening to stick your fingers in. (I would have called it
    the Gom Jabbar) I have not had a chance to try it so I have no idea
    if the product works. They are asking $29.95 plus $3.00 shipping.
    
    DonH

             

    RE: .9 (finger push-ups)
    
    This probably does strengthen hands for basketball, but it's not
    the kind of exercise a musician should be doing.  I'll bet it would
    actually slow down finger movements, and might even increase the risk
    of tendonitis.  Sorry to be so negative, but I'm pretty confident
    about this.  
    
    As I and others have said before, a musician's hands generally should be
    exercised by playing the instrument.  If other exercise is needed,
    it should be carefully designed to develop the right muscles without
    overdoing it.  "No pain, no gain" may be true for body builders,
    but it's a suicidal attitude for musicians.
    
    I read about some research a few years ago indicating that muscles
    trained for slow, powerful movement lose some of their ability to
    do quick, agile movements.  Something to keep in mind if you want
    to develop speed.  
    
    Bob

    Next month GP begins a series on ailments associated with playing
    guitar (e.g. tendonitis) -- how to treat them, how to avoid them.
    
    joe.

    	This always does the trick for me:
    
    	Starting out slow, pick, say, the open high E and just fret
    3rd fret, 7th fret, ya know, big stretches.  Then, just get faster.
    Perhaps this is of no use, but it's worked for me.