Sweaty Hand Problems

Sweaty Hands is a problem a majority of us guitarists encounter at some point or another. Its a problem that can make even some of the best players sound not so great at times, and if your looking for an absolute solution, there really is'nt one, but there are some things you can do to make playing easier, or at least cut down the amount of sweat that is interfering with your playing.

Now for those of you that are more than serious players, who want to totally eliminate this problem, I have heard and read about people getting surgery on their hands to eliminate this problem, its a condition some have called hyperhidrosis, excessive hand sweating. The surgery is called Endoscopic Thoracic Sympathectomy, its a same day in and out procedure that will have you returning to your daily routine in a short time, but this is the extreme. Most of us arent going to go through this process just so we dont mess up that solo at the end of Bark At The Moon at our weekend bar gig, but for those who might have a career in the music field, its an option.

For the rest of us, and yes, Ive dealt with this problem since the start of my playing journey some 18 yrs ago, there are some other options to help with this problem. Some guitarists, and Ive tried this myself, have been known to use cornstarch or talcim powder. Now I wouldnt suggest this, as it can be very messy, but if you would like to give it a shot, use small amounts, and DONT let it get all over inside your equipment as it WILL damage it. Also note that you will need to wipe down your guitars after playing or you'll have powder collecting by your frets. Jeff Beck is one name that has been known to use this.

Another suggestion is, if you gig, buy one or two small oscillating fans, make it part of your equipment, put them in front of you at the show and this should help tremendiously. Remember, sweaty hands are caused by nerves alot of the time, so if your nervious onstage, be prepared. Of course, the more you gig, the less nerviousness you will experience helping solve this problem alittle at a time.

My last suggestion is this, and Ive done this myself, learn to deal with it. I know this isnt the answer your looking for, but think about it, if you wash your hands 20 times while practicing at home to have dryer hands, your not gonna be prepared at a gig where you cant do this. Maybe bring a wet and dry towel to the show, but otherwise, your stuck. If you learn to play with sweaty hands and overcome that obsticle as part of your playing, it will be a standard part of your playing and it wont really get in the way that much.

Sweaty hands are a problem that EVERY guitarist encounters at some point, outdoor gigs etc. But when your used to it, its just part of the show. I know this subject isnt easy to solve, and might never be solved, but I hope you gained something from this article that can atleast help you deal with it. Till next time, Keep Rockin

Guitar Hero

So ya wanna be a guitar hero... Well it takes ALOT of work and alot of dedication, and its alittle bit harder than playing the video game.
I was just wondering the opinions of other guitarists, those who may have been around for awhile. Those who saw the popularity of the guitar decline in the 90s. Those around in the 80s shredfest and so on.
Is the game guitar hero a good thing? A Bad thing? Or just irrelevant in the music world?

Some will agree its a great thing, bringing back the popularity of an instrument that lost alittle a decade ago. Others will say "its just a game" and most the kids who play it will never pick up a real guitar.

Ive played the game a couple times, I think its a good concept, and I hope it influences a younger generation of guitarists who see the instrument for more than just a few chords. I guess only time will tell, but they do have there heads screwed on straight, seeing as how the games are packed full of great guitar work.

Let me hear what ya'll think about the subject, and anything else you might want to share with the readers here... we can all learn from each other.. Keep Rockin!

Guitar Lesson of The Day

Many guitar players out there are self taught, most infact. Some decide at some point to get lessons to improve their playing while others are totally against the idea of taking lessons for fear they are going to be conformed into playing or sounding like their teacher, or others who fear that once they gain some knowledge of musical theory they will find themselves restricted to only thinking inside the box.

Im a self taught player for the most part, but have taken a few lessons here and there, as well as watched plenty of lesson DVDs from everyone to unknowns to famous guitarists such as John Petrucci and Eric Johnson. You will only find yourself being restricted if you let yourself be, you can learn and gain influence in many different ways from many different players and styles. Open your mind and take it all in.

Now for my lesson of the day. Its actually something that most guitarists and guitar instructors overlook, but is a very important part of guitar playing if you want to play at your best or advance at a faster pace. Its simple.... its called STRETCHES!!!!! Im going to give you a few basic stretches you can/should do before playing your guitar. I also do them throughout the day just to keep loose.

First... open your right hand flat, then place your left hand on top of it, in the other direction, so that your finger tips are by your thumb. Then push your fingers back, reversing the direction they go when bending the hand. Only push so that your feel a stretch, you dont want to hurt yourself. Hold the stretch 10 seconds and let go.

Second stretch...... make a fist with your right hand and make sure the top of your hand is facing down. Now with the left hand wrap your palm around the fist and push your clenched fist hand down toward the inside of your fore arm. You will feel the outside of the wrist stretch.. hold 10 seconds...

do this with EACH hand and a few times each... also message the fingers... fingertips... hands and wrist to get blood flowing. This is a great pre warm up.

Hope you enjoyed the lesson... keep rockin!!!