Chronic pain

[Rockymayocko]

I have been trying to improve my piano playing and have some major challenges. I'm left handed and my right shoulder was permanently compromised by a fall out of a tree as a youth.

I am a mulit-instrumentalist. playing guitar, bass, piano and vocals.

Currently I have been giving the piano the most of my time as the posture is better than guitar.

My chronic pain makes casually playing infrequent for me.

 

My daily practice ritual goes like this

I use a double timer. Set it for a 20 minute set of four minute drills.

Every day has a Key I only practice Seven keys right now with a metronome never above 100bpm.

Exercises

Double handed scales

Hanon exercises

left hand shuffle

right hand inversions

desending 3rds 4min

The song Runaway

The song Sea of love

Sailors hornpipe

Devils dream

left hand walk

right hand dominant seven chords

jam to backing tracks on youtube

 

I go through periods where I can"t even to this, usually January, but in august I can do this kind of set 3 times a day.

 

 

I walk a strong hike. before this all happens and stretch.

 

I would very much appreciate any suggestions, I love music and could never do the practical thing and change my desire to have more game. I"m considering focusing more on sight reading but my habit usually goes learn a part by reading, stumbling and then getting it by ear. I"m not a great student.

Thanks in advance

Tim

[Jazz+]

Hmm, I would ask: What"s your goal and what exactly is your chronic pain like?

[Docbop]

Play more tunes and less exercises. Playing tunes you should be more relaxed than doing battle with a metronome and you'll learn more about playing music on the piano.

[Rockymayocko]

Thanks for the replies.

My goal is to ultimately be able to play as an accompanist for my voice. I love Johnny Johnson and New Orleans styles. I can play a few songs but my right hand needs more dexterity.

I have constant pain, but my experience is that adrenaline can mask some of my pain. Also if you are already in pain, the playing as I do does not really make anything worse.

I also play parts on recordings and want to improve on that. I have a Yamaha U1 that I love and a Yamaha cp-4. I was recently in a band that played old rock music Chuck Berry and of that era. The leader liked to speed things up faster than the recording and that was a problem.

[Jazz+]

Your goal is to work on repertoire, in other words to play as an accompanist for your voice.

So skip the 2 handed scales, maybe do right hand only with a left hand bass line.

and skip the Hanon exercises!

I assume you take pain medication. I have chronic pain in several places.

[BbAltered]

Where is your pain? In your hand - in your shoulder - pain on the left or right? Do you get pain only when doing technical drills or when playing songs or both?

 

I have had shoulder pain that was has been lessened by getting up frequently from the piano to stretch and shake out the tension. This experience has also helped me identify ways I tense up while playing and to work on eliminating that stiffness. For myself, I also find I have more tension and pain doing technical drills (Hanon, etc) than playing songs or improvising.

 

It may be that more frequent but shorter sessions at the piano will help you.

 

Do you enjoy jamming along with YouTube? If you like that and find it helps with your progress and you have less pain, you may want to do more of that practice.

[RandyFF]

"I'm not a great student."

 

In my book you are. Organized, consistent, determined, that'll get you a lot further over the long run than just talent but no motivation and drive.

 

So how do you manage with a compromised right hand? Sounds like you have some of the best keyboards out there for piano. Does it make it any easier with your right hand to play semi-weighted boards?

 

Was going to suggest that an arranger board might be a good fit, except that an arranger is predicated on the left hand doing a 3 note chord (typically), which generates a bass line, drums and accompaniment, to which you jam along with your right hand.

 

I can recommend the Korg Pa700 and Pa1000, outstanding sound quality, both from the speakers and Sounds, and surprisingly useful patterns that are built-in. On many of the 'Styles' it sounds like there are studio musicians creating a backing band for you. There's also various record and play along options, so even if you don't use the arranger part, you can still play the parts yourself, record it, and then play along with it.

 

Myself, I'm struggling with how tight my hands have become as I've crossed over the 65 yo threshold. What was once easy octave stretches and multi-finger chords, is much much more challenging. I need to find someway to restore that easy range of motion.

 

[Mr. Nightime]

Rather then the Hanon exercises, you could try the "Boogie Woogie Hanon". They are challenging, and lend themselves to hand independence.

 

In my case, the hand pain that I encounter is due to osteoarthritis at the base of both thumbs. I have no cartilage in the joints there. The left being the worse. But, playing piano actually makes them feel better.

 

At my age (63) I am still fine with octave stretches. It's the crossovers that I have issues with. My fingers no longer want to work that way.

 

 

[stillearning]

Not a doctor, or any kind of expert. My wife and I are both in our 60"s and have had various dealings with pain, some chronic, over the years. A few observations based on cur experience...

See a mainstream medical pain specialist.

If that doesn"t help, seek an alternative medicine pain specialist.

Holistic healing. Acupuncture, acupressure, massage therapy, etc.

Diet. Try going gluten free.

CBD oil.

 

Even though I like to consider myself ever the 'scientist" type, my wife has convinced me that mainstream medicine"s answers aren"t necessarily best. Admittedly, none of these suggestions will make you a better player, but may make it easier to become one. Good luck.

 

 

[Rockymayocko]

Thanks for all the replies

I have been through just about everything in terms of pain managment. I'm always trying something. I was doing yoga 7 days a week and that was a big help. Right now I'm doing these brisk hikes and sometimes doing farmer carries walking with weights. Light weight overhead for like a minute or 300 ft. just carrying 10lbs at my side with really good posture. 25lbs on one side and then the other again with a focus on great posture.

Many Physical therapists have told me that i have generally good posture, but I have a habit of pushing my shoulder forward It's maybe a guitar thing.

I have an impingement or multiple impediments. I have had a cervical discectomy/fusion c5-c6 and several operations on my shoulder.

I also have ankolosing spondinitis. It's damage was done in my 30s and 40's. I was on Vicodin for 8 years. My experience is that exercise and rest are the best analgesic. I take NSAIDs and still an occasional Vicodin. I have a PAX vap. I had a cortisone shot a while back and am able to put in some time now. Spring is coming and my body can feel it.

I'm 58 and have been managing this for the better part of 30 years. I have a great life with challenges.

Tim

[David Emm]

To expand on what Randelph said, you're in need of a small sea change. Its time for a semi-weighted or even NON-weighted keyboard. My hands went south in a way that took acoustic piano with it, so I shifted to synth only. Walking bass is a no-go, but you always retain some portion of your younger self's skills, so I can still pull off Mellotron chording or using two hands to render what was once a one-handed move. You can adapt to a lot, especially with the current tech options.

 

I can't speak to your personal goals past a certain point. I enjoyed playing live for a while, but I much prefer composing at a DAW & collaborating with a friend via MP3 or WAV files of our avant-weird ideas. As you are a Hanon man, for example, you may need to search carefully for an instrument that will allow that with less physical stress. You can broaden your window of practice opportunity that way, before the ache stops you. Casio Privias and Yamaha PSRs come to mind.

 

Finally, I discovered that I had a better ear for solo instrument playing than I'd considered earlier while I was flailing away at wannabe Emerson-hood. I scoffed at the 2-octave XKey I got for Christmas until it became so useful, I bought two of the 3-octave models. They've allowed me to recoup some of my prior piano gestures. There's a proud tradition of changing musical direction due to the unexpected: arthritis, loss of an arm, beneficial mushroom experience, ahem. If you want to sing & play at the same time, you might be amazed to discover that a small ROLI could give you strings, harmonica and woodwinds from a whole new angle. Its far afield from your U1, but even if you can't keep both hands in, you might be pleased by what one hand can still manage. Just food for thought.

[Biggles]

I concur about considering an Arranger, these are particularly good for a single performer.

 

In addition to Randelph"s advice you can set up different chord recognition actions if that will help. Single finger and two finger combinations in that single finger will play majors and two fingers, depending upon the two notes played can play a variety of minor, 7th etc chords.

 

An Arranger (particularly a Korg) you can set up a Song and include a chord sequence in the song so it essentially plays the backing and leaves you free for single handed play if this is what will help.

 

If this is of interest post a confirmation and we can then give you a host of links that could help you.

[George88]

Thanks for sharing your struggles and your goals. Have you considered Cognitive Behavior Therapy for chronic pain?

 

https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/features/cognitive-behavioral

 

Regardless, I hope you find relief and am glad you find joy in playing!

 

 

[tonybanksfan]

The root cause of all pain is inflammation. The best way to combat inflammation is through diet change, not pharmaceuticals. Go to Nutritionfacts.org and view some or all the videos on Inflammation. The website is all free and is non-profit and based on evidence and reports on worldwide clinical trials. I recommend it to everyone regardless of their health conditions. Everyone can learn something and improve their well being. My finger dexterity has stabilized and I think even improved in the last year and my arthritis was starting to get severe. The only thing I've done is make dietary changes. You have nothing to lose, give it a look.

[Biggles]

The root cause of all pain is inflammation. The best way to combat inflammation is through diet change, not pharmaceuticals. Go to Nutritionfacts.org and read some or all the articles on Inflammation. The website is all free and is non-profit and based on evidence and reports on worldwide clinical trials. I recommend it to everyone regardless of their health conditions. Everyone can learn something and improver their wellbeing. My finger dexterity has stabilized and even improved in the last year and my arthritis was starting to get severe. The only thing I've done is make dietary changes. You have nothing to lose, give it a look.

 

Many thanks for the info, I will take a closer look.

 

[Rockymayocko]

My life experience has demonstrated to me that inflamation will amplify my issues. Nerve damage and bad posture are both a big factor in what I have. Breathing habits are also part of the mix. I can't fix an impingement with diet. We are all very different. I have been at this a long time and have been on numerous diets. "Lesser Yang" . vegetarian. avoiding nightshades etc I am always trying different things.

 

I also have an appreciation for modern medicine as biologics (Enbrel, Cosentyx) have really helped my quality of health. Nsaids are also extremely helpful.

 

This video is an hour long, but I find it very informative.

 

I like the Hannon boogie suggestions I should also give a shout out to the warm up exercises in the beginning of "Alfreds Basic Adult Piano Course".

[Legatoboy]

Doc Bop's got the answer - remember, playing though Bach, Chopin, Hubey Blake or Elton is still a hand/chops workout anyway you look at it... Bach especially, you pretty much, at least I do, have to write in all the fingering (BAch didn't write it in on his stuff and it's pretty intense regardless)!

also do not play from your fingers and wrists.... never break the elbows and pull from your shoulders down.....the back must be straight... sit at the very end of your bench, if you do that your legs will hang better and your back will remain straight (when sitting only)! Standing I have no advice!