Shoulder tension help

[JarrettBailey]

Hey guys-

I've been going through the GP book, and I have read a majority of it, but have started some of the exercises. I have only started and held the guitar, and now am trying the floating arm. I have a good bit of tension in my left shoulder and I was wondering if anyone else had this when they started and any advice on how to deal with it. I don't raise my shoulder or anything, there is just muscle tension in my left deltoid (shoulder muscle in upper arm I guess would be the best description). Any advice or tips would help.

Thanks

[jules]

Hi Jarret,

I used to have tense shoulders yes. I have a 4 step plan for you.

1.
Sit down without the guitar. Are your shoulders relaxed ? Check by grabbing the left shoulder with the right hand - the muscles should be soft!
Sit down with the guitar. Are your shoulders relaxed ? Check by grabbing the left shoulder with the right hand.
Raise your left forearm towards the guitar.... Are your shoulders relaxed ? Check by grabbing the left shoulder with the right hand.
Curl your fingers to play a chord.... Are your shoulders relaxed ? Check by grabbing the left shoulder with the right hand.

You get the idea. Break the whole process down and check at each point.

2.
Make sure your shoulders are relaxed all through the day. Walking down the streets - are your shoulders relaxed ? Driving your car (if you have one) are your shoulders relaxed ? Typing at the keyboard - are your shoulders relaxed ? Keep checking all the time. Keep breathing deeply and relax.

3.
Write this statement down on a bit of paper:
"My shoulders and upper arms are relaxed. My shoulders and upper arms are relaxed, especially when playing the guitar".

Now read it out loud 20 times before you go to bed *every night*.

Then read it 20 times when you wake up in the morning.

When you are reading just relax and don't force anything. Keep breathing deeply.

4.
Join a yoga group. It's one of the best ways to get to know how much your body is tense.


that should get you going

Jules.

[Jamie]

Yes, all of that is good Jules, but many times someone will do all this good stuff and it all goes to s**t when they touch the guitar!

The reason is because the real source of tension cannot be eliminated away from the guitar and the act of playing. The real source of tension (especially with an acoustic steel string like Jarrett is playing) is the interaction of both hands on the strings themselves, and the tremendous force that the strings place into the body when they are "pushed" by the fingers. That tension goes straight to all the muscles of the scapula, many of which are connected to the upper arm bone.

Get me those foundation ex Jarrett!

[N E Y]

.

Hello Jarret!

It is an issue not only you have to address..but even Satriani, myself and others playing at this level had to watch out for this. Yes it is true!; and you can even find the interview where J.S. mentions this concern specifically. You are not alone by any means. So try to slow down your finger muscle contractions way slow and then slow it down more.

Most of us will move very slowly to place the fingers in the right spot on the fingerboard, and then abruptly jerk the figer tight against the fret,to "get it taken care of ASAP" like it's a business life deadline or a chore to get out of the way before the playing begins . But You have to train smooth motions, not "get it down fast and move on".

Another mistake is to Keep the fingers already in place squeezed tight while positioning the remaining ones into a chord shape.Very bad idea!!!!. Read Jamie's work on microscopic awareness of your movements...Otherwise it could become a chronic problem and a severe limitation to your playing ability. Kids also do this, by the way!

For those who are adults trained to work in the business, trade, or professional world....You need to re-think your approach right away. The normal "Take charge and power your way to success" is completely alien and ineffective as a way of thinking, because it makes you brutalise your body and tie yourself in a paralyzing knot, generating anger, despondence, and dejection, which is very understandable given the complete, or very reduced, lack of progress this way of thinking causes when it is applied to learn to play guitar or any other musical instrumen , including even the drums!.

Read Jamie's philosophical essays for an effective view into, not the "successful businessman/corporate action man or dynamic go-getter mind", but into the great player mind, which is based on harmony, grace, fluidity, massive spontaneous power delivered effortlessly without having psych oneself for a violent tendon-damaging spastic burst. Reading those works, and changing you mental outlook accordingly, will reveal how to discover the player inside yourself!

Guitar is not like football, soccer, wrestling,etc... It is like Tai Chi. Tai Chi requires much super slow harmonious motions during training, as does Samurai training, because jerky motIons tire you out fast and slow you down, and then you get killed right away. That simple! . On guitar, on don't get killed (good news!) you just get nowhere (not so good news!)


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[jules]

So... how's it going Jarrett ??