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Conference napalm::guitar

Title:GUITARnotes - Where Every Note has Emotion
Notice:Discussion of the finer stringed instruments
Moderator:KDX200::COOPER
Created:Thu Aug 14 1986
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:3280
Total number of notes:61432

2490.0. "handicapped musicians???" by MSD02::KOSKI () Fri Apr 03 1992 15:03

    Hello to all, 
        My name is Dana, being technically a HANDicapped person (missing
    middle finger and part of ring finger on right hand and deformed
    index on left) I was wondering if there are any accomplished guitarists
    with similar problems such as me. I do manage to play using some
    unusual fingering for chords and picking, however there are some
    chords I simply can't figure how to do. I've never taken lessons
    but have been playing my own "home-grown" style for about 20 years,
    I play a narrow neck Ovation balladier, mostly folk. (Dylan,Lightfoot,
    etc.)
       So, how 'bout it, are there any? I can't remember seeing ANY
    handicapped musicians, anywhere, ever.
T.RTitleUserPersonal
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2490.1Two I can think ofWEDOIT::KELLYJMaster of rhythm, Phd in swingFri Apr 03 1992 15:1614
    Jerry Garcia from the Dead is missing part of a finger on his right
    (picking) hand.
    
    Django Reinhardt, totally_awesome_incredible_how_does_he_DO_that
    player from the 30's, 40's, and early 50's, had a left (fretting) hand 
    that was injured in a fire when he was a youngster.  I _believe_ he was 
    missing one finger and two others had fused together.  You can hear him
    wailing with Stephan Grappelli of violin fame when they were together
    in the Hot Club Band.  He tended to play mostly single note lines.
    
    As for chords, I'd suggest learing how to play the ones that are giving
    you difficulty with the less important tones left out.  For example, if
    you were into heavy metal, then I'd say lose all those wimpy thirds.
    This might work for the acoustic music you play.
2490.2NWACES::HICKERNELLFri Apr 03 1992 15:203
    Django, yeah, in-effing-credible!
    
    Dave
2490.3Les PaulSAHQ::ROSENKRANZLess is MoreFri Apr 03 1992 15:534
    Les Paul had some damage done to his arm in an accident. I recall
    that he had the bones set in such a way that would let him play however
    I believe that he still had to alter his style to accomodate the 
    injury.
2490.4RGB::ROSTMake Mine MellotronFri Apr 03 1992 16:3121
    Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath lost the tips of his fingers in an accident
    and wears some sort of "caps" on his fingers in order to play.
    
    I have a cousin who lost the middle finger on his right hand
    and he now plays both guitar and bass with a pick only.
    
    Greg Douglas who played with Steve Miller and Greg Kihn cut the wrist
    of his right hand which caused nerve damage so that he lost sensation
    in his hand.  He now uses a special pick modified from a thumbpick
    design so that he won't drop it.  He spent a year or two woodshedding
    his right hand chops back together.
    
    There's a blues player from the LA area (whose name escapes me...Steve
    something??) who lost one arm below his elbow.  He picks the guitar
    with his stump and frets with his good arm.  Supposedly a very hot
    player, too.
    
    In a more extreme case, there is that fellow with no arms (think he's
    from South America) who plays with his *feet*.
    
    There's a number of blind players (Jeff Healey, Snooks Eaglin).
2490.5awesome player tooFRETZ::HEISERmaranatha!Fri Apr 03 1992 16:334
    Phil Keaggy (note 398.*) is missing the middle finger on his right 
    hand.  It happened when he was 4 so he learned the guitar without it.
    
    Mike
2490.6Eric rocked !KDX200::COOPERStep UP to the RACK !Fri Apr 03 1992 16:426
    A high school friend of mine lost the index finger of his LEFT hand
    in a machine shop accident.  He was a very talented guitarist.
    He switched over to bass and as of when I left Mass, he was smokin'
    on it !!  
    
    jc
2490.7NWACES::HICKERNELLFri Apr 03 1992 19:193
    Sure, but for bass all you need is lots of thumbs, right?
    
    Dave (just kidding, just kidding!)  :-)
2490.8Eddie Vortex...KERNEL::FLOWERSOh well, whatever, nevermind....Mon Apr 06 1992 06:458
    
    
    	There's a guy who plays in a 50's band round here (The Eddie Vortex
    Trio) and he only has 2 1/2 usable fingers on his left hand, I've got
    4 fingers and I can't play 50's stuff the way he does......
    
    J
    
2490.9BRUMMY::LAWTONTell Carter his lizard is here..Mon Apr 06 1992 08:406
    I read a good few years ago about a Japanese bass player with only one
    arm. Apparently, he had some Earth-shatteringly loud amp cranked up to
    max and just hammered the strings with the fingers of his left (and
    only) hand.
    
    Phil
2490.10practice..practice..practiceMSD02::KOSKITue Apr 28 1992 11:306
         Wow, I guess it all comes down to having style and the right
    sound.....and a little perseverance. I gotta give a listen to this
    Django (sp) guy....
    
                           thanks....Dana 
2490.11ZYDECO::MCABEEFishing for minnowsThu May 14 1992 23:048
>    sound.....and a little perseverance. I gotta give a listen to this
>    Django (sp) guy....
    
Yep.  Django had only two fully useful fingers on his left hand.  When you 
hear him, you will not believe it.

Bob
2490.12Hear it on your friendly PC....STRATA::PHILLIPSMusic of the spheres.Wed Jan 24 1996 13:598
    Re. Django
    
    FWIW, the Encarta '95 encyclopedia CD-ROM (which came with our new
    computer) actually has a 30-second sound clip of Django playing.
    
    The guy was a SMOKIN' guitarist! Wow!
    
    						--Eric--
2490.13DREGS::BLICKSTEINGeneral MIDIWed Jan 24 1996 15:589
    Wow... that's almost reason enough for me to by Encarta.
    
    Django was SO GOOD so LONG AGO that the only word for him is
    "enigma".
    
    When I listen to the 1934 Quitet D'Hot Club album, I conclude that my
    personal opinion is that HE (not Eddie Van Halen or Hendrix) was the
    most influential guitarist of the 60's, 70's and 80's.  It's just that
    he happened to have been dead for 30 years during that period.