Dread Bass Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 In a new band and its death metal. i am trying to learn the songs for the next practice on friday. got 3 and a half down out of 6. The music is very fast and tech so ive been practicing alot especially today, as its my day off from uni. i have started to notice a pain in my forearm which feels like i have strained my tendons a bit. i have heard all about rsi so im a bit concerned. I warm up by doing scales and playing up and down the strings. is there anything else i can do to protect myself while i try to get through the music? i will rest it for the rest of the night. thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 Hi Metaltime, I remember you're post saying you had just got involved with a new band, Might it be a case of throwing yourself straight in and belting through the material, giving you some sort of temporary fatigue? I'm not an expert and wouldn't blame you for ignoring my post but.....easy for others to say, try to relax while playing???? If in doubt best see an expert though. Hope it's ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 YMMV but what I do is relax & play with a lighter touch & let the amp do its share of the work. I used to get terrible cramp in my forearm during gigs when doing a few faster & louder songs in a row during the second set. These days as I have the amp a bit louder and use a limiter I don't have that problem. I can play faster and for longer with a lighter touch & don't need to hammer the strings hard to get an agressive sound. - I also use very low tension strings. I also use a red gripmaster which I used to think strengthened my fingers, but I was probably imagining it as Jeff Berlin says they're no good - and he always seems to be so certain about everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Bass Posted December 5, 2007 Author Share Posted December 5, 2007 cool thanks for the advice i will think about relaxing. i always thought i was quite relaxed wen i play but maybe its unconsious. For this band i have needed to adopt a three finger plucking technique and i think that might be a factor. I dont play very hard but it is metal and maybe im getting caried away Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 My arm pain turned out to be a shattered disk in my neck, so don't much about - see your doc. Not that my doc knew his arse from his elbow, mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 [quote name='ped' post='99862' date='Dec 5 2007, 09:32 PM']My arm pain turned out to be a shattered disk in my neck, so don't much about - see your doc. Not that my doc knew his arse from his elbow, mind.[/quote] oooo that sounds nasty...shattered disk in your neck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Bass Posted December 5, 2007 Author Share Posted December 5, 2007 I see a chiropractor for my back and neck as it is. i was there today n she didnt notice any problems so i hope no shattered disks. Its funny how an injury in one bit of your body cn effect another bit. I remember reading somewhere that your jaw can effect your heart but i may have dreamt that in a dentist nightmare Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Bass Posted December 5, 2007 Author Share Posted December 5, 2007 cool i was wondering about putting the cold pack i got for my back on it to see if it helps. Im falling to bits at 23 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buzz Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 You say you've moved to 3 fingers, that'll probably be it I would have thought. You'll be used to playing fastish material with 2, 3 fingers work different muscles which you'll probably need to build stamina on. When I first started to learn to play with 3 spotted it (still do as I don't practice it often nor am I that good at it). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Bass Posted December 5, 2007 Author Share Posted December 5, 2007 yeah i think tomoro when i practice i will get the metronome out and warm up slowly and try to stick to using three fingers rather than changing between the 2 im still not comfortable with the three finger thing but it is easier to play faster and i find it more consistant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metalmaniac Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 When i first learned the 3 finger DiGiorgio Method my kright forearm cand like a mutha whilst I was first practicing. However as I kept playin the style in practice eventually I could go faster and without hurting. I think its an experience and adjustment thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Bass Posted December 6, 2007 Author Share Posted December 6, 2007 i agree i think thats what the problem is i thought i had got up to speed but i guess not i will work on that for an hour first today. if anyone is interested the band are threnody: www.myspace.com/metaltodiefor it melodic death metal some of the songs are kind of like opeth i guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machines Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 It's the same cramp you'd get from overdoing anything too much.. as stated above, in time it will not be as bad and eventually not at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 [quote name='metaltime' post='99901' date='Dec 5 2007, 10:42 PM']yeah i think tomoro when i practice i will get the metronome out ...[/quote] Don't tell Jeff Berlin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niceguyhomer Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 When I was starting out on bass I got a lot of pains here and there but after each session, I'd rub some arnica cream into the affected muscle and it always worked for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guyl Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 [quote name='ped' post='99862' date='Dec 5 2007, 09:32 PM']Not that my doc knew his arse from his elbow, mind.[/quote] Won't be seeing your doc with elbow problems ....! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faithless Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 I got some problems with fingers last winter - I was playing just for few months then, and got blisters on two fingers, and when it mixed up with 'very cold and hot air' thing, my god, those "pumped up" about 1cm... Btw, if it's hard to go with 3finger tech at first, maybe you should go with two for now, as it's your first rehearsal, as I understand, and 3-ger technique should come with time. Though, I don't think it's good think at all, cuz what you can do with three fingers, you can do it on two as well. I've tried 3finger technique, but I've lacked of... um, hand control Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheddatom Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 It seems these kind of aches and pains are really common for bass players. There have been a few thread about this kind of thing. I personally have pains in my wrist and hand, and it's made a hell of a lot worse by using the computer. I haven't found anything to cure it. I went to an osteopathy clinic for 4 weeks and they said that they couldn't do anything, and gave me some exercises to do. These are to strengthen, and loosen the tendons in the arm. Basically, they told me to get a can of beans, and keep lifting it with just my wrist, so that only your hand is moving - it could be some help? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 Nothing to add that will help, but I thought I'd share a humourous anecdote about going to see the doctor with some pains. I used to do a drivng job, that also involved a lot of lifting and lugging gear round in 'tall person unfriendly' environments. The cars and vans we were given to use were designed for people less than 5' too I think! Long story short I got some really bad pains in the back of my legs and lower back. Ended up being the muscles round my backside and the tops of the backs of my legs. Obviously I was prescribed the usual pain killers, but the doctor suggested I take specific exercise to keep those muscles groups moving. His prescription nearly had me falling off my chair with excitement. "Lots of sex, as often and for as long as you wish." - True story! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
queenofthedepths Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 I can feel a cheesy chat-up line coming on... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tait Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 when you say forearm, do you mean the lower forearm/just above the wrist sort of area? i always get a pain there when doing three fingers, especially when doing it fast, so i just use two as fast as possible, and if i cant do it that fast i use a pick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 [quote name='queenofthedepths' post='100428' date='Dec 6 2007, 06:46 PM']I can feel a cheesy chat-up line coming on...[/quote] euugghooo .. chat up lines make me wretch, they really do lol lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 [quote name='dood' post='100427' date='Dec 6 2007, 06:40 PM']His prescription nearly had me falling off my chair with excitement. "Lots of sex, as often and for as long as you wish." - True story![/quote] So I wonder what your would doc prescribe for people with hand/arm problems? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 [quote name='Jean-Luc Pickguard' post='100437' date='Dec 6 2007, 07:03 PM']So I wonder what your would doc prescribe for people with hand/arm problems? [/quote] lol, yes... quite... Thankfully I didn't have to find that one out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teen t-shirt Posted December 14, 2007 Share Posted December 14, 2007 i suffered a bit of fore arm cramp and pain when i first started fast picking i found that i had the bass too low and it was straining my wrist and fore arm i simply raised the bass a bit and it went away so perhaps consider the position of the bass or your posture. might help with ur back and neck too... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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