Now that football season has started one of our Blues Jam venues is unavailable so we’ve had a little extra break in between Jams this month. I think maybe it’s been a good thing. For me at least, as much as I hate to admit it.
There have been a few things going on in my world and taking the time to concentrate a little on them has been helpful. I’ve still been practicing and playing. I’ve just taken a more relaxed approach. Partly because, at the end of some of my days, I’ve really only had an hour’s worth of energy left in me. And partly because I did something not in my best interest and have needed to take things a little slower for a bit.
Ok I may have done two somethings not in my best interest. I’m not sure. I know only one impacts my guitar playing though.
What I did that impacts my guitar playing is; I played for too long and then played even more. I was really excited, really enjoying playing and just kept playing. I started out playing my new Telecaster which has a much different neck shape than I’m accustomed to and that is what got me in trouble. I needed to work up to longer playing times with it and I didn’t. Of course, when I realized I was in need of resting, I was still having a good time playing so I just switched guitars. No. This did not help the cramping. But I kept playing. I have learned my lesson. For the moment. I’m pretty sure I learned this lesson before.
The result of this particular not in my best interest activity is that I was forced to limit my practice time for rhythm, and particularly chord work. It meant I spent a little more time practicing some lead type of stuff because that didn’t strain the muscle and whatever else I managed to irritate. It also started me thinking about different ways I might be able to carry the rhythm for a piece, besides chunking at bar chords.
While I was trying to keep playing and not make things worse I took the time to learn a surf guitar song. I now have all the notes for ‘Apache’ down. I’m still working on getting all the timing right and getting it to sound really good. It’s coming along. I’m pleased. Very pleased. And now I am looking for another surf guitar song to learn. I may go back and learn or relearn the bridge to ‘Wipe Out’. I get all the rest of that song ok. The bridge is a little awkward for me.
The other not in my best interest something might have been flying side kick practice with
the kids in between my regular Taekwondo class and my extra class to prepare me for my next test. I tried to jump over too many targets and I might have landed wrong. At least I think that might be what I did. I’m not really sure. It might have also been that I rolled that foot inward really bad on my way from the garage to my door while weighed down carrying two guitars, in their cases. I didn’t think too much of it at the time, other than it might hurt the next day. But it didn’t. So I’ve done something to a foot or ankle. Nothing is swollen and when I get to moving, it doesn’t hurt. So. Yes, not in my best interest. I’m just not sure what I did.
As you can see, it’s been a good month to have that extra time to prepare for the next jam. I have finally got the videos from the last jam edited and I’ve started posting them. I should have the rest up in the next couple of days. I’m counting down until my next vacation time from the day job. It’s just a few weeks away and fortunately there is another Blues Jam in between now and then to get me through. I can’t wait. For the jam and the vacation. The hand is feeling better and back to not fussing at me if I play for longer than 15 or 20 minutes so I’ll be back to more practicing and working on new stuff this week. I’ve got a new one I was working on when I over did it and I’ve got a couple of others that I need to get worked out. And of course there is still that homework. Not to mention finding more new songs to learn.
I don’t really have any new pictures to share this week. I’ve been head down working on other stuff so I’m re-sharing pictures of my current obsessions.