Solutions for Aspiring Musicians with Disabled Hands

[@ProbableCauseBluesBand]

Amen brother, I am legally blind, can't drive, colorblind, and the guitar has given me many hours of enjoyment and brought my soul much peace.

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

Thank you for your kind words. I am glad you are finding my lessons and youtube page helpful. May your life go well. Enjoy.

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

Thank you my friend. Enjoy.

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

Thank you for your encouraging and supportive comment. For me, guitar was a tool to help me through some personal dark days. It gave me something positive to escape into and look forward to doing. It is my hope, if playing guitar can be a positive motivational factor in someone's life, that it should become a reality even though they face a wide variety of emotional and physical limitations. Enjoy.

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

Thank you so much for sharing this personal and inspirational story. Yes, it is what we have now that is important. Not what we had or what we might have in the future. Fully appreciating what we have right in front of us is what life is really all about. Enjoy.

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

Thank you for your response. I know Tom from IGS seminars in NYC. He is truly a wonderful player. He would go flying around the campus using a hand bicycle attachment that mounted to the front of his wheel chair. A real friendly guy too. Enjoy.

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

Thank you for your positive response. As I get older, the more I realize, I have problems, but there are many more people out there who are struggling with issues bigger than mine. If I can help and uplift someone, if only a little bit, there will be one less problem out there. Enjoy.

[@LanguageTeacher]

Encouraging words for me. I have played guitar since I was 10. I am 63. I have a neurological disease that has robbed me of almost strength in my left hand. Your video encouraged me to find a creative solution. I play mostly fretless cigar box guitars that my wife builds for me. I figured out a way to get my fingers to team up and fight a slide onto the strings. Tonight I was playing "You got to move". I felt alive again!

[@zezt]

Hey man, THANKS! I am So glad I decided to click this video because it is one of THE best guitar videos I have ever seen, or guitar reads I have ever read. It is VERY inspiring, caring and loving!

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

Thank you for your encouraging feedback. Enjoy.

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

Thank you for your comment. Yes, I agree. It is just a matter of getting a clear understanding of the situation and making the necessary adjustments. Applying musical theory and taking advantage of the various options to arranging songs is the key. Enjoy.

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

@ExmoorMist Thank you for your response. I have been fortunate in my life to have people help me find practical solutions to my personal problems. It is my hope to repay this debt. Enjoy.

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

Thank you for your comment. I am sorry to hear about your condition and hope all goes well. You definitely have an advantage being an experienced guitarist over the aspiring beginner to find musical solutions to meet your limitations. You make a good point. It is a good practice to not get fixed on the problem, but after addressing it's needs, keeping yourself focused on the project itself will give the mind the freedom it craves. Live in the moment. Enjoy.

[@ExmoorMist]

Thankyou Kenni,for the words of sense and encouragement,to all of us with some hand issues. lovin your cd lesson btw. Peace....

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

@Grayling57 Thank you Steve for your comment and sharing personally. I am glad to hear that you found the video helpful and inspiring. Life is very challenging at times, but finding practical solutions is the only way to get past those barriers. If there is a will, there is a way. Most of all, enjoy the music.

[@mountaindogarrow]

Namaste KeniLee, You are a wise, kind man and a great teacher. I have learned alot from you. Thank you. From one Buddhist bluesman to another, Peace Brother.

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

Thank you for sharing. Enjoy.

[@5Bird5]

You do yourself and your faith very proud. I have the utmost respect for you and what you do. I too have some hand problems (I can't play!) and simply adjusted everything to allow me to express as I wanted to. Later I found out that much of what I do is not far from some of the old masters. Forget learning to play the correct notes is what I say. Thanks again Keni

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

Thank you for sharing. Glad you decided to continue. Please feel free to write if I can be of further assistance. Enjoy your practice.

[@tbasshandyman7610]

Thank you keni. You definitely right me being a handicapped player. I retro fitted a six string to a 4 string. And I'm having fun with it

[@keyote3]

Thanks pal, the most inspirational guitar lesson I have ever encountered. Years of playing conventional guitars etc in bands, now I have Arthritis in the digits and as a result, the slide came into play as a temporary measure to see if it worked. Well it has, I am as happy as a happy man on a very happy day...... power to your elbow...!!!

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

Thank you. Glad to be of help. Enjoy.

[@woodcutter610328]

Great work Keni Lee, you are making the world a better place! Steve

[@JohnBarron615]

Thanks for this site. We need encouragement and your stories bring it! God bless.

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

Glad to be helpful. Thank you.

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

My pleasure. Glad to hear you found my presentation informative. Please feel free to write, if you have any questions. Thank you. Enjoy.

[@chuckimperato5059]

Great message! I've become a guitar player after severely damaging the ring finger on my left (fretting) hand. I play in a busy cover band and I've been able to find the joy in guitar as a lead guitar player. If I can do it, anyone can. Best wishes to you!

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

Thank you for sharing.

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

Thank you for your comment. Definitely, having the support of a professional musician who has arraging skills as a teacher would make the process easier, but for players who want to teach themselves, I would encourage them to study theory and then apply it to a standard course of study. Armed with the knowledge of theory, finding the necessary chord substitutions will solve many fingering problems. Enjoy.

[@Big_Theft_Auto]

Hey man, I was only looking for a pick set like yours for fingerpicking but then i saw your video. Your video clicked with me strongly because I lost a finger myself, and the way i lost it made me reflect on my life. but also since i lost it i play more than ever! Having a mild disability like mine made me want to be better than I was before. I also connected with your video because of that point that you made that only because a person may have ten fingers it doesnt mean that they are going to be good at guitar, or that they are never going to doubt their own abilities

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

I am glad my video was helpful. There is no gain without loss. There is no loss without gain. There is a very big world outside our little minds, we just have to be brave enough to explore it. May your life go well. Thank you for sharing.

[@red01dragon]

This really puts things into perspective, been playing for just under a year now, and like many my hands are not perfect, But love it all the same, thanks for making the video, give us something to work towards, thanks.

[@danfergison3231]

Thank you for this video. May your days always be blessed.

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

That is very kind of you. May your life go well.

[@turnermedman1231]

hi keni. been watching you for years. played one string guitar for years. got a new guitar a month ago. decided i would learn how to play chords. left fret hand disabled from accident. i am amazed how easy i have found it is playing chords. can only play about four but found i can play them in different combinations. the chords i play are not the conventional ones. like you say in this video. you can find away round anything if you put your mind to it and play them. found i can write simple songs. my subs have given me good comments. i still need a lot of practice and find i can't stop playing these chords i have made up. so any one can make up their own chords to suit their disability. thanks for posting this video. stay well keni

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

+Mickey Turner Thank you for your feedback. Yes, you seem to be on a good path. Enjoy your practice.

[@turnermedman1231]

+Keni Lee Burgess / thanks for that keni. yes as you know practice, practice and more practice. stay well keni

[@hakamiel]

Hey Mr Burgess, thanks for this vid, you pointed me the right way, and gave me courage to start again. Lost 2 fingers in a typical carpenter accident, but started to slide and make cigar box guitars . Buy you beer and dinner whenever you come to Flanders Fields ! Crossroads are not the end, it is the beginning of new discoveries ! Sadhu x 3 :)

[@coreyhale7838]

Thank you, was diagnosed with Rheumatoid arthritis recently this video has inspired me to learn more slide guitar and keep on playing!

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

My pleasure. Motion is lotion. Gentle slow cyclical movement is therapeutic. Learn Tai Chi.

[@levilukeskytrekker]

This was super encouraging, thanks for making this. I've been trying to play ordinary guitar with two severely nerve-damaged hands, and I'd more or less given up on it. I didn't even know things like slide or lap guitar existed, this could be really helpful for me. Blessings!

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

Glad to be of help. Enjoy your practice. Thank you.

[@sawabojo]

this is very interesting video, between 2002 and 2005 i fought cancer and won....when i started playing in public again i had gaps in my memory for from the treatment ......had to get around that it took a while

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

@toddallenhooper Thank you for your personal sharing brother. Although no one wants to be deprived of sight, you are in good company. As you know, some of the greatest musicians were blind. As they say, when God closes one door, he opens another. May you find endless hours of peace with your guitar and may your life go well. Enjoy.

[@joelpoitras6226]

Just injured my shoulder and searched alternatives to play. It brought me to this clip. I found it very inspiring and just discovered the Jeff Healey sitting position and alot of doors are now open. Playing Bass with my wrist resting on the body of the bass, i can still finger pick pretty decently. Got a Squier jazzbass i might get some wood off to bring my wrist closer to the strings. Thanks for this inspiration and you sound pretty good doing your thing on that dobro guitar.😎🤘

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

Glad to be of help. Thank you.

[@blinkman4]

I’m so glad I came across this video! I was born with a progressive disability, but I was able to play the drums up until a few years ago when I just didn’t have the ability anymore. I’ve been trying to pick up bass recently, thinking I could do it even though I don’t have a lot of upper body strength. I’m using a short scale bass to make it a bit easier to reach all of the frets. This video reenergized my motivation to keep trying to find a way! Thanks!!

[@GargeBarge]

Hey, I have a progressive disability too, motor control related. It feels like my instrument playing is always way behind where it could be. Does it ever feel hopeless for you?

[@blinkman4]

@@GargeBarge Absolutely! I get mad/frustrated and give up for weeks. I'm always thinking of new ways of playing, but they never really work out as well as I hope

[@strokeracer]

Thank you brother, I had a stroke and have been having a difficult time getting my fingers to contort to just play C chord! you’ve given me motivation to try again!

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

Glad to be of help. I am sure a professional music teacher's lessons can be of assistance too. There are many ways to play. Having a knowledge of theory opens up the possibilities on the fingerboard. Keep the Faith and keep trying, Brother. Thank you for sharing.

[@valuedhumanoid6574]

I have been playing guitar for my adult life. It is my sole passion, the one thing I always know will be here for me no matter what. Last year I got my left (fretting) hand mangled at work in a lathe. I won't go into the gory details, it was bad. My thumb had to be reattached. I had it in a hard cast for six weeks and a soft cast for three months. I was devastated. My one love in life is gone. I thought. The day they removed the soft cast I was convinced I would never play again. But I began going to rehab. 3 times a week and doing all the things they tell me to do at home. I started getting some feeling again. I picked up ol' faithful (my Taylor 814ce) and just began to noodle. To shorten this story, aside from some premature hand fatigue, I am almost back to my original level. It has caused me to really dedicate myself. I got a second chance and I am not going to blow it. In a strange way it has actually become a blessing. If you would have seen what my hand looked like the day after the accident, you would have never thought I would play again.

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

Thank you for sharing. Yes like the old saying goes, We never truly appreciate something until its gone. Rehab works but many are not willing to put in the time, effort, and money.

[@valuedhumanoid6574]

@@KeniLeeBurgess To get that guitar back in my hands, that's all I was thinking about. I put every dime it required, I put in 10x the effort the doctors were asking me and never let up until I could at least play all the open chords like I know I could. Many painful and frustrating nights....

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

@@valuedhumanoid6574 It was good there was something that motivated your rehab. Many don't have enough tenacity to keep pushing on...good for you.

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

@gcharb Thank you Gregg for your comments and sharing personally. Yes, just like Tony Iommi too, if there is a will...there is a way. Your words are very inspirational. Enjoy.

[@minstrelofMir]

my hands were twisted to the side and stuck half open with the main joints not moving at all.(genectic disorder tondons too short).in the 70"S i learnt to play and opened my left hand,,in 84 i supported the rocky horror show uk tour..and in my time i have taught 2 that became music teachers,2 that won national champion comps.now im teaching my granddaughter to multy track record her songs,shes age10..i over came my disablity,and it still amazes people how well i can play with my hands,i even used to play keyboards with my feet in gigs (bro wired up a keyboard) so i was a whole band by myself "live" ..i just wish i could have a job teaching disabled people..stu

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

Thank you for sharing.

[@phungbili]

Thank you, Keni. This is very inspiring and helpful. I have an underdeveloped thumb, so I can use only three fingers on the fretboard because I use my index finger as a thumb. I am learning how to play the guitar, but sometimes I feel frustrated because I can't play some of the chords. Thanks a lot for the book recommendation. I will learn some music theory and try to improvise. The double stops you mentioned sound so beautiful, and I love the sound of slide guitar too. 😊

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

My pleasure. Enjoy your practice.

[@woodcutter610328]

Thanks for the reply, its kinda fun to send out a message to cyberspace and get a return message. Blessings and have a great day.

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

@5Bird5 Thank you for your considerate words. Many people have helped me in the past with my personal problems. We all have something unique to give to help others. The guitar was my friend in very dark times. I sometimes think it can be for other people too. Listen to Tom Doughty (google for info). He has limited use of his hands, and is a way better player than me. Music is much bigger than the limitations of our bodies. Be like me. Just enjoy every moment you have. Don't worry. Enjoy.

[@pineappleblack1449]

Thank you!

[@Boomerette]

I'm a "classic folkie" picker/strummer singer-songwriter, and there are songs I wrote that depend on certain chord-melody patterns (especially movable ones up the neck). Took me years to perfect them....then I go and tear my wrist TFCC cartilage and fracture my scaphoid in a fall. Had cartilage debridement, scaphoid screwed together, and ulna shortened (birth defect) to avoid reinjuring the TFCC. Just got the cast-brace off, and I no longer have the wrist flexibility to play any chords other than simple partial triads on the treble strings--can't reach the bass. Figured out dulcimer workarounds that don't require wrist rotation, but am stumped on guitar. No offense, but I have no desire to play slide--I'm not into blues. I have a singing partner and hate to rewrite all our arrangements to accommodate my limited wrist flexibility. Physical therapists don't understand, and they think I should be happy to just drive, dress & groom myself, cook and do everyday stuff.

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

This presentation does not claim to offer all the possibilities. Often when faced with a situation we may not be the best advocate for ourselves because of the mental affects of the situation upon ourselves. Frankly, we need to look for help and be open to it. Thank you for sharing your story. I would encourage you to continue to find solutions. An instrument is merely the means we express ourselves musical. Possibly another instrument may be in order.

[@JennaKearnsmusic]

Hi, I'm 22 and have arthritis, due to my arthritis my fingers are totally bent, i usually type using my nails or my knuckles I realllly want to play, I'm a singer it would just make things easier for me to sing at gigs xxx Please help me

[@garymillar169]

Kick ass blues had a stroke my myself ill be joining you soon on KZbin hope to show you My playing

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

Thank you. Take care.

[@ramameir]

thank you...

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

Thank you for watching.

[@ivogarza9339]

Have you ever run across Harvey Reid's liberty tuning? It's one more option.

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

Thank you for your reply and sharing. After viewing the video, do you have any specific questions? How can I assist you?

[@Chimera6297]

I know a guy that never learned guitar because he had arthritis, I'm going to show him this video now

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

Thank you.

[@noneyabidness888]

Thanks for you posting! I am 69 years old, have played guitar (many gig hours on stages) and 6 months ago I had a mini-stroke. It too the flexability and grip from my left hand. Index finger, middle finger and thumb had recovered a bit, but the wrist will not bend with out pain, nor can I use the ring and little fingers (extremely tingliy and partially numb). I had bought a Resonator Guitar shortly before the stroke, and have a hard time using the normal slides I was learning. I have bought a slide bar and tried laying the Resonator flat on my lap, but find the weight of the bar to be difficult to manage. Any ideas? Thanks for considering my request. Willie D Bluesman

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

Possibly creating a way to attach the bar to your hand so you do not have to grip it? Thank you for your comment.

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

@sawabojo Thank you for your comment and sharing personally. I am happy to hear you were able to fight the Cancer. My best wishes for your continued Good Health! I have found out from my study of guitar, that the more you learn, the more you need to know. Learning is an endless journey. Enjoy the mystery! May your life go well.

[@badigalinkin6461]

Thank you. I have Dupentryns contracture on both hands and the left is the worst. Also arthritis, and kerners deformity my pinky’s turn inwards. So, i have played but am wanting take it up again. So, slide?

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

I would suggest looking into playing lap slide (dobro)

[@JsnHgl]

Thank you for the inspiring video. I moved to bass guitar from 6 string due to a disabled left index finger. I find that I still yearn to be a guitar player. Any suggestions? My interests are rockabilly ranging into heavier, faster stuff like punk rock and heavy metal. F Maj, C Maj, and the like are really difficult for me due to limited range of motion in middle joint of index finger. Wondering if I should try slide guitar?...

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

Jason Hegel Thank you for your response and I'm glad to hear you found the video informative. I think a deeper study of Double stops (chord fragments) would make a good substitution for the full bar chords that are beyond your physical ability. As pointed out in the video, theory will reveal many possibilities. A good face to face teacher should be able to guide you. Learning by oneself is always a conundrum. Slide could be another avenue too. Enjoy your practice.

[@GoRonnyGo1]

+Jason Hegel I think these joints can be replaced. Though, I understand if that may not be an option because of insane costs etc. Not to mention if the problem isn't the actual joint itself. Thereäs alot of things that can cause a stiff joint. =/ Abyway, I'm not sure if I can help, but I have a tip below that might help. I have recently gotten my left index finger disabled by a bandsaw at work. It cut right through the DIP-joint (the smallest one near the finger tip), the finger was aboyt 95% cut off, just hanging by some skin, a damaged tendon and a sensory nerve which leaves me with sense on about half of my finger tip. As they couldn't save the joint itself (the joint surface was about 80% shredded into oblivion), they had to do a rigid surgery, so I am no longer able to bend my finger tip joint. As it is now, I will not be able to push down 3 strings at a time etc. HOWEVER, this is with a normal guitar for normal people (lol). I am planning on modifying the nut on my guitar so that the low E-string (which I usually tune down to a drop D kind of tuning) is sitting much closer to the a-string. This will hopefully make it possible for me to do powerchords with the index finger. I don't think it will be possible with the original spacing of the strings. If I'm lucky, I might get even better results with putting both the E & a-strings closer together, close towards the d-string so that ALL these three strings are sitting really close to each other. This way I might be able to push down all these strings simultaniously. I tend to do that alot when playing, and in that case I hit the strings with a distinct upstroke, it makes it sound really f**ing tight. =) If you follow my channel, you'll eventually see how it goes. I will have my cast on for 6 bloody weeks, and after that I'll start my journey back to some heavy metal riffing. Meanwhile, I'll just keep my picking hand going, I'm pretty good at finding solutions for these kind of problems, not only for the gear itself but also when it comes to how you actually move your hand when playing. Moving the wrist/hand angle will make wonders for reaching different spots. I hope you'll find a way to play, man! And I hope my advice on the string-spacing at the nut will be helpful. If you want any more ideas, or just discuss it to maybe come up with some more ideas, then don't be afraid to leave me a message in my inbox. Good luck mate!

[@JsnHgl]

+Ronny Von Frisk Thanks for the detailed reply Ronny! I'm gonna follow your channel and see how you do and also see how I might apply it for my situation. Good luck!

[@GoRonnyGo1]

+Jason Hegel I havn't started playing yet but I'm thinking I might have to move all the strings down, so that the E-string is sitting in the a-string groove etc etc. This will obviously mean I will be limited to 5 strings instead of 6, but since I mostly play rhythm anyway it's not the end of the world. I think moving the strings down like this will make it easier for me to comfortably reach the low E-string.

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

Necessity is the mother of invention. Experiment.

[@rp5041]

What kind of guitar is that? I love the sound.

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

Thank you. This guitar is a Republic Steel Resolian

[@darensweeney5925]

Mr. Burgess, I was born with my right arm ending in a claw-like hand just below the elbow. I've developed a device to old a drumstick,and have played for years. No such luck with developing a device to hold a guitar pick. Any ideas? Thanks, Daren

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

I am at a lost presently, but why not one-handed piano?

[@dusty495]

I’m 16 and broke my arm at 4, I’m right handed and when I play bass I find it difficult to use my ring finger and I think it could be something pinched. I have worked around it but sometimes it discourages me when I see I play slightly different. I think I’m okay tho.

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

Thank you for sharing. When is the last time you went for professional physical therapy?

[@startupedition6874]

I wanna play guitar someday unfortunately for me I have Radioulnar synostosis. I have played violin and my hand doesn’t rotate as well.

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

Have you considered lap guitar? Aka Hawaiian guitar. The slide can be modified to be held easier. If you have the will a means to make music can be found. Have you consider voice lessons and singing? Harmonica?

[@mackdoss6758]

Spinal Surg has made it impossible 4 me to hold Guitar Pick Between Thumb & Index finger Any help would be wonderful. Thank You, TMD

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

What about a thumb pick?

[@toddwilson2563]

What kind of guitar are you using? I really like the sound it has

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

Thank you. A Republic Resolian. Steel body.

[@DanielGennaro]

I fractured my left hand pinky completely and also in a few other places. Unfortunately the surgeon never corrected it. So it’s healed with a crooked malunion and hyperextension deformity. I’ve been so depressed for a year or two now cause music is many everything. I’ve lost the joy to play. I found a surgeon who said he could possibly help correct it by 80% make it better 20% make it worse. But pretty much every single other surgeon told me not to risk it cause it could be much worse.

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

Consider playing lap guitar. Your left hand can easily play the bar. kzbin.info/www/bejne/j4iaq6uiaNiXgMU

[@MeGusta2610]

nice video. :) i broke my ellbow and damaged my ulnar nerve half a year ago, since then i have almost no feelings in my pinky and ring finger, and it's hard for me to move them right. but i still want to play guitar and i believe it's the best training for my fingers. :) maybe a little inspiration here, even if you're not into black metal Nocturnal Depression - Nostalgia (Live) the guy on the guitar and vocals only has two fingers to play, but i think he is awesome. sorry for my bad english :P

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

Thank you for sharing. I am sure you "will" figure out a good solution. Patience and tenacity is a good combination. Enjoy your discoveries.

[@GoRonnyGo1]

+MeGusta2610 I see this post is a year old, but I just wanted to say that sometimes nerves are damaged, but not severed. This can leave you with a very, very poor feeling/sensory function for the involved body parts, sometimes pretty much completely GONE. I once damaged a nerve in my wrist and I lost almost all sense in the skin on my thumb, index and "FU-finger" (whatever it's called lol). It took almost a year before the feeling came back. But it did come back, FULLY. I might have been lucky, but I've read alot of posts from people who have lost sense like this for long periods of time, but eventually getting the feeling back. I hope you are that lucky too. =)

[@MeGusta2610]

+Ronny Von Frisk thank you for your post and the nice words. i still don't have full sense in my fingers, but i can feel it's getting better and the muscles are slowly coming back. i think that's a good sign. now i can actually move my damaged hand better than the normal one, cause i train the muscles every free second i have. i also got the oportunity to play bass guitar in a metal band, and it works out pretty well and helps me keep the muscles in the fingers. :) greetings.

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

Glad to be of help. Playing sounds like an excellent therapy. Take it slow and easy. Create simple exercise for yourself to build up your strength and endurance. Slow and steady wins the race. Don't push it too quickly. Keep the stress low. Enjoy your practice. Thank you.

[@GoRonnyGo1]

+Ronny Von Frisk Hey, I just realised I was wrong. I thought the liver was the ONLY part of the human body that, in case you remove a chunk from it, can grow back again. But in fact, nerves will do the same. If a nerve is severed, everything in front of the area where it was cut/torn off will die (and you'll obviously lose sense/feeling), but it will grow back out again (it grows about 1 mm per day). This, however, will mean that during the time BEFORE you get any sense back, your brain will forget what it should feel like to feel. It'll have to re-map itself to deal with the (new) signals from the new nerve again. So when the new nerve grows back out, your brain might interpet the signals incorrectly. I suggest you talk to a neurologist, or read about things like this online. :)

[@alexhebert9981]

I have arthrogryposis in both hands, been playing classical and metal for years, composing and stuff with theory knowledge but got so depressed as I got to another level.. I'm trying to play insane stuff like octavarium from dream theather but never feeling good enough, this or stuff like koyunbaba by domeninco carulli I seen to want to do the more insane stuff but I die inside because im so perfectionnist :( the reality is the ''easiest parts'' are the hardest for me (Barrés and stuff)

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

The frustrated artist has nothing to do with the hands. Art is an expression of self. Resolve the question "who is the self."

[@madelinegrace2776]

I am about to start teaching a young child who has a disabled right arm from birth, with very limited use and is struggling to make contact with the strings. The left hand is not affected. The finer motor movements are a problem and a lack of control in the lower arm I would be most grateful for any advice or a suggested solution to the problem as I do not wish to draw attention to her disability in class. Many thanks.

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

Considering you are talking about the strumming hand / arm, possibly exploring ideas for securing a large pick in her hand, if she can move her arm up and down, might be an approach. Broad strokes used in playing chords might be therapeutic. Possibly wearing the guitar with a strap and standing to use more shoulder and upper arm might help too? Once a strumming pattern can be realized, focus more on the left hand changes. I hope this is of some help.

[@madelinegrace2776]

Thanks so much for the advice, I'll give the idea of the pick a go. What would you suggest making it out of? I'll let you know how it goes.

[@KeniLeeBurgess]

Possibly something flexible like a plastic lid off of a coffee can, that can be cut to shape, and glued to a glove? Try goggling.

[@The1stMrJohn]

any musicians with Dyspraxia out there? it makes practicing frustrating. ■

[@Boomerette]

Dyspraxic all my life, just never knew it. For all but the simplest chords, I have to look at the neck (or down at the dulcimer's fretboard) and it impacts my ability to connect with the audience. I fingerpick wit thumb & index, because anything more complex (including single-note flatpicking) results in my picking or fretting the wrong string--I can't feel I'm making those mistakes. (Same reason I'm lousy at sports even though I follow the instructor to the letter--because my brain thinks my body is doing so, but my body can't reproduce proper form consistently).