Andy R Posted July 9, 2011 Author Share Posted July 9, 2011 hmmm must just be me then I guess... :unsure: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonzoboy Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 When I was gigging I saved anything with a difficult lead break for the scound set or later.I found that after the 1st set my hands were limbered up pretty good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjRobbie Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 I wouldn't say that I warm up, although it does probably take me at least 30 minutes of playing to really nail a difficult solo. Some days I can pick up the guitar and nail a difficult lick straight away, others I need to gradually build up to it. I don't have a set routine though, just whatever I feel like playing. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidl Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 I don't do any regimented excersizes as such. It does take 20 minutes or so before I start to really feel it and get into a groove. My worst enemy is cold hands. Where I live, we experience every season to its fullest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 Other than physically cold hands, and perhaps a degree of arthritis or whatever at any given age of the player, I think a lot of it is between the ears. Some days I'm ready to go the minute I check the guitar's tuning - something I always do - and some days it takes a bit to concentrate on playing instead of whatever else... m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S t e v e Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 How long does it normally take you to get totally warmed up and playing at your best? I'm talking the point where you feel relaxed, fluid and at peak playing level? This is something that has plagued me for years. It takes me usually 2 hours or more of pretty constant playing ( scales. leads, riffs, rhythms etc..) before I really hit peak. When and If I do I can play somewhat close to Yngwie speed and my picking becomes very light and accurate as well as my fretboard fingering. When I hit this "peak" I can just play... It's a great feeling. Once a day has passed and I pick up the guitar I have to start all over to get to that point or close. The only thing that has gotten me close to that feeling fairly quickly is dunking my hands up to my elbows in ice water for as long as I can stand it and then dunking them in hot water as long as I can stand it. Back and forth for about 15 minutes and it gets me closer ( but is obviously a pain and not always practical) I usually try to loosen up by popping my knuckles, pushing my fingers against each other to stretch and then I do the limp noodle hand and arm shakes a bit and rotate and stretch my neck back and arms. I usually start warming up by picking moderately slow trying to keep a light touch with the pick and do some scale stuff and some basic old metallica type of "Marching rhythms" etc.... Then start playing songs and riffs etc... Like I said after about 2 hrs of this I get to what I will call "The zone" and I can rip stuff out like I have actually been doing this for 30 years... Anyone got any tips for getting "In the zone" or whatever you call it yourself quicker? It is frustrating for me to have to spend so much time to get there every time I play Help....... Andy i usualy do 15 mins of pentatonic runs...and that's it realy, loosens up my fingers and wrist and i'm good to go B) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S t e v e Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 I never warm up or change the strings Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 or change the strings that too... I've always liked the feel of old strings Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S t e v e Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 that too... I've always liked the feel of old strings and the sound? imo fitting new strings has almost the same effect as adjusting ur tonal control knobs...for the better Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimbabig Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 Andy it also takes me a couple of hours to go "hey, I'm pretty good" and to be in peak playing condition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fl00dsm0k3 Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 takes me less than a minute Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chewy60 Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 yeah, i just plug and play too. warming up just takes away some energy i could use for playing. i play my best when i'm fresh. after a couple hours, i get tired and start playing slow and sloppy..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 and the sound? imo fitting new strings has almost the same effect as adjusting ur tonal control knobs...for the better I don't usually play acoustically, and I play my amps more than loud enough to where I don't here my strings.... In a nut shell, there is no tonal difference coming out of the amp whether the strings are new or six months old... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrosurfer1959 Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 I used to consider tuning the guitar as the only warm up I needed, but now after fifty years and three hand surgeries I do limber my hands up for about 10 minutes before a gig and always feel better and play better after a song or two. What's even worse is I'm only good for about two hours max now or my hands just get to sore and stiff to play as well as I feel I should or can. I throw pots on a potting wheel to help keep my hands as strong and limber as much I can but it's getting harder. That's one of the things that used to really impress me about Les Paul so much here he was in his 90's with hands twisted by age and arthritis and he could still make a guitar sing like nobody else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 Retro... A lesson I learned from my Grandma D came when I was maybe 10 or 12 and she was making fine lace with a tiny needle and tiny thread. She had some pretty heavy arthritis in her hands. Tears were streaming down her face. "Grandma, why are you crying," I asked. "My hands hurt when I'm tatting." "So why don't you stop doing it?" "Because if I stop doing it, I won't be able to any more." m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxson50 Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 I don't warm up till mid May.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrosurfer1959 Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 Retro... A lesson I learned from my Grandma D came when I was maybe 10 or 12 and she was making fine lace with a tiny needle and tiny thread. She had some pretty heavy arthritis in her hands. Tears were streaming down her face. "Grandma, why are you crying," I asked. "My hands hurt when I'm tatting." "So why don't you stop doing it?" "Because if I stop doing it, I won't be able to any more." m Yeah I always have that conversation with my wife, family and friends and even my doctors about wheelchairs they are always asking me why I don't use a wheelchair very often or even an electric wheelchair which the doctors are always filling out prescriptions for. My doctor was trying to talk me into getting one a few weeks ago and I just showed the doctor the last prescription and he asked again so why you won't use it. I just smiled and asked him how many prescriptions he has ever written for people to stop using a wheelchair and start walking again? He just nodded and said yeah your right but you'll need it someday soon. I just said I know but you've been saying that for ten years now so I'm still just defining what soon means. They told me 20 plus years ago thatI would never walk again but still walking and still playing guitar it's amazing what stubbornness and ignoring pain and even ignoring the experts can do for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 Kinda like Django after that fire. Poor guy was obviously burned too badly to play guitar. I keep thinking that for my age and era I've pretty well lucked out. I'm not 25 any more, but when I was, I kept getting clobbered anyway. <grin> m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duende Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 They told me 20 plus years ago thatI would never walk again but still walking and still playing guitar it's amazing what stubbornness and ignoring pain and even ignoring the experts can do for you. hats off to you amigo I am thrilled to hear of someone here who sticks two fingers up to 'can't' SCREW CAN'T!! Our friend who drinks down our local was given 18 months to live with a bleak diagnosis of terminal cancer six years ago. He always was very bull headed and said things like "if you come second you may as well have come last, you've still lost" LMAO. He also said to the bar maid, when he had all these tubes in him "I have to wear these for the rest of my life" when she replied "awwww' he said "don't worry, according to the doctors it's only for a few more months" So he had great British black humour, BUT..the good news is his nature I believe contributed to him getting the 'all clear' a few months back. The cancer has gone and he is gradually gaining more and more of his energy! I think you can never underestimate the human spirit to live. Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPguitarman Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 As soon as my amp tubes get warmed up, I'm ready. It depends on my mood also. If I'm mellow, I tinker around with some mellow stuff. The other night, I got a little angry at my son for something stupid he pulled. Went downstairs and plugged in, and probably never played better, immediately... Just depends on the mood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy R Posted July 12, 2011 Author Share Posted July 12, 2011 Yeah I always have that conversation with my wife, family and friends and even my doctors about wheelchairs they are always asking me why I don't use a wheelchair very often or even an electric wheelchair which the doctors are always filling out prescriptions for. My doctor was trying to talk me into getting one a few weeks ago and I just showed the doctor the last prescription and he asked again so why you won't use it. I just smiled and asked him how many prescriptions he has ever written for people to stop using a wheelchair and start walking again? He just nodded and said yeah your right but you'll need it someday soon. I just said I know but you've been saying that for ten years now so I'm still just defining what soon means. They told me 20 plus years ago thatI would never walk again but still walking and still playing guitar it's amazing what stubbornness and ignoring pain and even ignoring the experts can do for you. +1 Retro very inspirational. Thanks for sharing that. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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