day 1

[Br1ck]

I had my carpel tunnel surgery yesterday, the more radical kind, and here I am today, less than 24 hours later, having taken only two Advil this morning. I can't believe how little pain I'm in provided I don't do anything crazy.

I've decided to improve my tremolo over the course of the next month or so. It's going to be open strings and a metronome for me. Who says you can't play some while recovering. Any lesson links will be appreciated.

[V70416]

Glad to hear you are doing well post surgery!

You have my total admiration in working on tremolo while the other hand is healing.

You deserve the Thile "Gladiator" badge!

[Bill Romansky]

Surgeons are real miracle workers. Carpal tunnel is a debridment surgery, not a reattachment or reconstructive, and you should be able to approach rehabilitation a bit more aggressively. How long did the surgeon tell you to refrain from playing? Are you getting Physical Therapy? My wife used DMSO after her carpal tunnel surgery and it seemed to help things along.

[Br1ck]

He said I could play lightly when comfortable. I figure Uke first. Much more concerned with lifting, pushing, and pulling. Mostly wants me to work into making a fist. Right now I feel great doing mostly nothing. Bandages come off in five days.

[Ranald]

I don't know about online sources, but Caterina Lichtenberg has a good DVD on Homespun, entitled Classical Mandolin: The Art of Temolo.
As Rex Humbard said to his dog, "Heal" (assuming you're old enough to understand the reference; my 25-year-old daughter isn't).

[Minorkey]

Here's to a speedy recovery!!

[Skip Kelley]

I hope you have a great recovery!

[MissingString]

Best of luck with a great recovery process. Great idea to practice tremolo. I found this lesson to be helpful especially for using a metronome effectively for trem practice. Chris

https://youtu.be/XxvD41asKCY

[HonketyHank]

Rehab as instructed. As dumb or tedious as it might seem.

All the best for a fast (rehab) recovery.

[Bill Clements]

Good luck, Br1ck. Sounds like you had a fine surgeon. Did they have you scribble on your own left hand with a marker before surgery? We’ll expect you to soon have better tremolo than Ugo Orlandi:



Stay on the path of less pain to downright forgetting how bad it hurt.
Best wishes to your wife as well.

[Br1ck]

No, my surgeon came in with a marker, drew a bunch of squiggles on my hand, assured me only one of them was the cut when he saw the look on my face. Had a great time really, joking with the staff. The ambulatory surgery department was so much more lighthearted than the more serious surgery on the other side of the building.Those folks don't kid around.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Hi Brick - I had surgery for ''trigger finger / thumb'' on my left hand several years back. After the surgery,my physio. told me that to ease the stiffness in my left hand, to get a facecloth,soak it & my hand in water as hot as i could stand,then take the cloth & wring the dickens out of it a few times. The tension & then the relaxation really does loosen things up. I have stiffness in both hands due to a touch of tendonitis,so i still do that every now & again & any stiffness simply vanishes - my hands feel 'new' !,
Ivan

[Mark Miller]

With that attitude, you’ll do great! Maybe a good time to work on string crossing too with open-string exercises, unless you’re better at that than I am.

[Seatosky]

Hope you get well soon

More things to keep you buisy here
http://www.mandolessons.com/lessons/...-play-tremolo/

[Mark Wilson]

Speedy recovery br1ck! +1 on the string crossing exercises. Mike Marshall has a good one. I use it to warm up. Really good for building pick and right hand technique.

[Seatosky]

[Br1ck]

Lots of good ideas, keep them coming. I can just barely do 32nd notes at 60 bpm, so I have a long way to go. Shifting strings cleanly playing tremolo is no walk in the park. A half hour twice a day practicing this is bound to show results, and I doubt I'd do it otherwise, so it's a silver lining. But it does ease the pain of not playing at all, and I'm glad that I had the idea.

An added benefit is that my Arches kit shellac will be good and cured. I doubt I could have waited the optimal time otherwise. Pulling on my pants is a problem however, as is a hundred other daily tasks, but the bandages come off in four days and I can start getting mobility back. There really is no point in rushing things.