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Topic: Sore elbo from playing? |
Fred Glave
From:
McHenry, Illinois, USA
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Posted 20 Dec 2007 11:20 am |
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| Anybody ever get tendenitous in elbo from playing steel? I used to be athletic, and lifted weights, so consequently my elbo, and other joints get stiff easily. But my left elbo and forarm seem to get sore and painful from clenching the tone bar. I'm going to start wrapping it to see if it helps. |
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Jim Walker
From:
Headland, AL
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Posted 20 Dec 2007 11:27 am
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Fred, when I first started playing steel I had problems with cramps in my left hand and forearm. I found that if I just relaxed my arm and grip I had better control of the bar and my tone improved. Another thing that I believed helped the situation over all was switching to a BJS 15/16 Tone Bar.
JW
_________________
Show Pro D10, Session 400 |
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Charles Davidson
From:
Phenix City Alabama, USA
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Posted 20 Dec 2007 11:34 am
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Fred,Jim may be right,try relaxing your grip,I was watching Bobbe in his store playing one time,what I noticed the most,his bar seemed to be just gliding across the strings.
_________________
Hard headed, opinionated old geezer. BAMA CHARLIE. GOD BLESS AMERICA. ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVIST. SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC ! |
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Bo Borland
From:
South Jersey -
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Posted 20 Dec 2007 11:34 am
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A guy goes to the doctor & says " Doc, it hurts when I go like this" (he shrugs his shoulder) the Dr. says" Don't go like that!" 
Seriously, you should not be "clenching" the tone bar. Your middle finger and thumb should keep it in place ..under your index finger. You need to relax your hand and caress the bar.
Master Po said,
"Accuracy, speed, & balance cannot be reached with a tense hand Grasshopper"
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Bo Borland
Rittenberry SD10 , Derby D-10, Quilter TT12, Peavey Session 400 w/ JBL, NV112, Fender Blues Jr. , 1974 Dobro 60N squareneck, Rickenbacher NS lapsteel, 1973 Telecaster Thinline, 1979 blonde/black Frankenstrat
Currently picking with
Mason Dixon Band masondixonband.net |
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Richard Sinkler
From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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Posted 20 Dec 2007 11:56 am
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Only when I try to put my picks on my elbow.
_________________
Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 55 years and still counting. |
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Larry Strawn
From:
Golden Valley, Arizona, R.I.P.
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Posted 20 Dec 2007 12:05 pm
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Only when I use my elbos to keep all those good looking girls off the band stand and out of my lap!!!  Yeah,, dream on!! 
Really though, it's not my elbo, but my middle finger on my right hand that stiffens up. Some times even when not playing steel it gets really sore and stiff, I'm begining to worry about it!
Larry
_________________
Carter SD/10, 4&5 Hilton Pedal, Peavey Sessions 400, Peavey Renown 400, Home Grown Eff/Rack
"ROCKIN COUNTRY" |
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Fred Glave
From:
McHenry, Illinois, USA
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Posted 20 Dec 2007 1:11 pm
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| I'm not sure whether I'm gripping the bar in my hand so tight, rather than clenching the muscles in my arm and elbo. I seem to be able to move the bar quicker and with more accuracy if I keep muscle tone in the arm. That may be the wrong thing to do too, I don't know. |
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Bob Hoffnar
From:
Austin, Tx
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Posted 20 Dec 2007 1:51 pm
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Keeping everything relaxed is the key. Tension does not help speed or accuracy in any way in my experience. Also you may try raising/lowering/angling the neck to suit your arms. I had my lap steel to low for a while and played through the soreness. I almost ended up needing surgery. It was a truly horrible experience.
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Bob |
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Richard Sinkler
From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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Posted 21 Dec 2007 1:47 pm
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Like has been stated, relax, but at the same time keep a firm grip on the bar. I have seen players that relaxed too much and had problems manipulating or even holding onto the bar. One student I had a long time ago was like this. His solution was to use one of those old small diameter bars. He was able to hold onto the bar, but his tone sucked. When I finally was able to get him to relax AND have a firm grip, he improved drastically.
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Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 55 years and still counting. |
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Rick Kreuziger
From:
Merrillan, Wisconsin
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Posted 22 Dec 2007 4:33 pm
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Hand size can make a difference in bar selection too... I have big mitts and find the smaller diameter bars difficult to grip & control... and for me it seems to fatigue my fingers/hand.
Rick |
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Micky Byrne
From:
United Kingdom (deceased)
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Posted 23 Dec 2007 3:50 pm
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Yeah......dream on Larry boy  with Ginger on the same stage you're in the same predicament as I was when I had my own band.....the spouse on the same stage!!!! 
Micky Byrne England |
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