The new job is going well but I’m still not Sticking. It appears that I have compartment syndrome in my left forearm and further testing will happen on August 27th as a precursor to possible surgery.
Since I don’t want to aggravate things further, unnecessary playing has been abandoned until further notice.
Yes, it sucks.
Since I’m busy with winding up my job this week and next week will be travelling for the new job there will be no Sticking :-( Here’s Greg Howard with ‘Pork Pie Hat’ as a consolation
In my dreams, I play like this …
A nice looping Stick performance received via Stickwire.
Thanks Sebastian!
So last night I learned the subtle art of truss rod adjustement for the Stick.
For those not in the know, the truss rod is a metal bar that lives in most guitar necks (as well as bass and Sticks). It’s purpose is to stop the wooden neck bending due to changes in temperature or humidity. It usually has a nut on the end that can be loosened or tightened depending on whether the neck is concave or convex.
For more details see here.
So I pulled the Stick out for my first practice in a week (excuse: the flu) and it didn’t just sound bad, it was nasty. Notes closer to the head were buzzy, notes in the middle had no sustain and notes towards the tailpiece were just off.
A quick reference to the owner’s sheet, a sighting along both sides of the neck and then a gentle 1/6 turn of the nut brought my baby back!
The difference was amazing. From craptastic craptitude to greased lightning in 30 seconds. Now a truss rod adjustment is definately part of the monthly clean and maintenance.
Playing-wise I was pleased to note that I hadn’t ‘lost’ the muscle memory of the scales I had learned and the songs I had practiced.
I just realised that I haven’t really updated much on the Stick.
So,
I’ve physically raised the Stick about as high as I can so I can push it as far forward as I can, with the aim to keep my left arm as open as I can.
Even better, I have managed to get through the following tunes:
Why these tunes?
So, the other night I was trying out one of these that a workmate had lent me.
Not being confident enough on Stick right now, I plugged my guitar in and proceeded to give my wife about an hour’s worth of ballads, chord progressions, melodies and so forth. All technically competent and well received by my adoring audience but it felt … well, I felt nothing.
There was no excitement, no wonder, no pride. It was just stuff I could do and I did.
In my younger days, that would have been the cue to purchase another guitar or piece of equipment but now I’m wondering if, with the Stick, I’ve ceased to be a guitar player - something that has defined me for over 25 years.
So I guess I’m a little stunned (geddit? geddit? No? Ok check the title again … )
And now the positive note. Um, my beautiful wife has kindly cataloged my cassette tape collection - 185 worth, not included self made compilations of which there are at least a dozen. Wow, a trip through the late 80s/early 90s. Brilliant!
I’m not sure if growing is learning, or learning is growing.
At the moment I seem to be doing lots of learning but there is little discernable growing. And none of this is Stick related.
Life has a remarkable way of intruding when it’s not really wanted, and imposing itself in a way that is not welcome. Certain things, important things, have needed to be dealt with and the result is my poor Stick has been left cowering in it’s hard case.
However, in the brief periods it has come out, I’ve discovered that the Stick LOVES the little practice amp I have**. Who knew?
*Gratuitous Dire Straits lyric
**When I get sullen like this, I promise to end posts on a happy note
An update of sorts:
All this would lead the casual observer to deduce that I am not enjoying my Sticking.
Nothing could be further from the truth - those brief seconds where the one phrase I’ve been trying works are just magic. And the hope that the seconds will turn into minutes and hours is what is keeping me going.
