Just started taking flamenco guitar lessons, and teacher gave some recommended hand exercises (no guitar involved) to do before starting to play.
For you guitar players that play pretty physically demanding music (bluegrass, classical, fast jazz),
- How long and with what exercises do you warm up ?
- Are any of the exercises done without the instrument involved ?
Scales.
I run a few of the two octave scale patterns, single note picked, in different areas of the neck, grab a few of the same chord in succession up the neck, say, an F7 in each successive possible position, as quarter or 8th beat chords and that's it, let's go.
I think that having been a Trumpet player, where warming up that big chunk of metal is actually likely more important than warming up the chops and muscles, has always led me to believe that "warmup" excercizes on the guitar or the keyboard are way overblown by some folks.
Just do whatever YOU need to do in order to get ready to play -- and know that if you're spending an inordinate amount of time on it, you're not doing it to "warm up".
--Mac
I'm not yet quite ready for "Prime Time" but, without a specific "warm up" routine, I am usually "on" as I'm going to get by the second verse. For what that's worth. Our drummer occasionally would "air drum" with sticks for maybe 30 seconds if his hands were cold but that was in Minnesota in the dead of Winter. YMMV.
On the topic of spending and inordinate amount of time on things - I definitely spent far too many hours trying to play that those 2-octave major scales at crazy fast tempos - like Al Dimeola would (he's actually a topic for a different thread - loved him at first, then as I learned more about music and listened more, began to really NOT be impressed with many of his compositions. But I have to thank him for introducing me to Paco de Lucia, who I really continue to enjoy and be inspired by.)
But back to the warmups - I can see what you are saying maybe being adequate for electric guitar, but more demanding acoustic playing can be quite physically demanding - both steel or nylon string. Let's see where others weigh in on this one.
I usually start out with playing some keyboard to get my arthritic fingers warmed up. Then I move to the classical guitar and attempt to play some stuff involving a lot of barre chords, loosening up my fingers a tad more. Then I go to a western 6 string. Play some off the cuff stuff (made up), mixing chords with lead. Next, I load up one of the tunes I wrote and try to solo to it.... all in all, takes me about an hour or so, then I'm usually good to record something.
Before a gig I have gone to the washroom and held my left hand under the hot water to warm it up. Just somehings a good friend (great guitarist) once showed me. So I keep doing it. I felt if it was good enough for him, it was good enough for me.
Regarding barre chords, I'm finding that for the nylon string and classical stuff that requires barring, my left hand quickly fatigues - especially at the flexor muscles in the wrist that go up to the forearm (for you anatomy buffs out there), e.g. feel lots of strain on the palm-side of the wrist. Not sure if my guitar for some reason is harder to play (action is fair, not high) - though how could my guitars be any harder to barre than anyone elses, given the same action height and length of strings ?
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/// I can see what you are saying maybe being adequate for electric guitar, but more demanding acoustic playing can be quite physically demanding - both steel or nylon string. Let's see where others weigh in on this one.
Be careful making assumptions about yours truly. My guitar playing started out as rather intense Classical training years ago. Can you play a double tremelo properly? *grin* I doubt if I can either anymore. But I'll darn sure keep up with you if you call the Supertrio's Mediterranean Sundance...(speakin' of Paco!)
Do you know the old "four fingers, four frets" excercise? Builds the kind of finger strength that can allow you to rip a payphone off the wall with yer lefthand, while building mind/muscle memory and control that surpasses just about any other drill on the neck that I know.
Start with all four fingers placed right behind the frets on the low E string. (Low E string is the one that sounds lowest in pitch, of course, not the one closest to the floor.)
Now, with those four fingers still fretting the low F, F#, G and G#, curl 'em up out of the way and pluck the open A string. String should be able to ring freely and sound a nice big open A before proceeding on to the next note.
After sounding the open A, move only the index finger, finger #1, from first fret, sixth string, to first fret, fifth string, while still holding the other three fingers in place where they were on the E string.
Pluck the Bb on the A string that you just fingered. let it ring. no other fingers intruding onto the A string such that they damp its vibrations now.
Then add the second finger from the E to the second fret of the A, still holding the G and G# fingers in place on the E string, but having the first two fingers holding the first two frets on the A, and pluck the B, second fret of A string. let 'er ring.
Continue that pattern, shifting one finger at a time and sounding the note on the next course string as you go.
Once all four fingers are now on the A string, continue in the same pattern, shifting to the D string.
Do that all the way across the fretboard until you have successfully sounded every note clearly and sustained and have all four fingers on the high E string, playing the G@ there.
Oh the pain.
But you ain't done yet.
Now ya gotta UNWIND the thing, going in the reverse of the above.
With all four fingers fretting the G# on the high E string, pluck the open B string. Then transfer the 4th finger from high E to the 5th fret of the B string, pluck the note and keep on going backwards until all four fingers wind up where they started, fretting all four frets on the low E string.
One full rep a day on this one, done properly and making all notes ring out without problems plucking the wrong string at the wrong time, or letting fingers damp a vibrating string is enough, man.
Then go out there and rip that payphone off the wall... 
--Mac
This
http://www.amazon.com/Mel-Guitar-Technic...uitar+technic#_is an excellent book that includes that exercise plus a lot of other guitar technique exercises.
I have had a copy since about 1963 and in fact just had to order a new one as the old one was worn out.
This is one book that should be in every guitarist’s collection.
In the good old days I would show up for the gig abut 10 minutes before the 1st tune count-in, and in one motion I would pass by the bar throw down a shot of Jack, step on stage, do a quick tune check and count the 1st tune off.
Now I get to the gig at least one hour early. Take my time setting up my equipment, tune my guitar and do a sound check. Then it is off to the restroom to freshen up, run some warm water over my chord hand to loosen it up the arthritis, gargle, clear my sinus, wash out my eyes, clean my glasses, change clothes, grab a bottle of water, step on stage, check that all systems are go . . . . realize that I forgot to zip my pants, take care of that very discretely behind my music stand, welcome my audience and one ana two ana . . . etc. Just like the old days!
Later,
Know whatcha mean, Danny C -- There was once a time and a place long ago and far, far away where I would have answered that the gig before the one I'm now on must've been tonight's warmup excersizes.
Q: What do you do to warmup?
A: Jack Daniels, neat.
These daze, there are no longer that many venues, nor gigs, it seems.
And then there were those wonderful "after-hour" clubs, and jam sessions that lasted 'til sunrise...
--Mac
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And then there were those wonderful "after-hour" clubs, and jam sessions that lasted 'til sunrise...
--Mac
That my friend is what I miss most.
When we played weekly club gigs as a trio the toughest task we had was going straight home after a gig because they were at least 10 - 15 clubs we could visit to hear and often sit in with other groups. It truly was a fraternity of musicians in those days back in Nawlins.
Our drummer's wife (we still see her and love her dearly) would often have his clothes packed in a supermarket brown paper bag sitting on the lawn at 5:30 - 6:00 in the AM when I would drop him off. I would only slow down to 5-6 miles per hour and would make him jump and roll as I was afraid she would shoot both of us! We lost Charlie a few years ago, played many a gig with him over a 25 year spam, I really miss that cat. Ah yes the good old days my friend, the good old days.
PS: I'll let the tear-drop on my keyboard serve as my emoticon.
Later,
One of my perfessers wrote a book on hand calisthenics. He stressed the safety factor: NEVER NEVER use any kind of warmup or stretching that involves using one hand to stretch the other, or any kind of mechanical stretching device.
Here is a favorite:
Stand up
Make a fist, loosely.
Bend at the elbow so that your fist is just over your shoulder, knuckles down, back of hand up.
Relax your hand, keeping the fist
Throw your hand forward as though you were throwing it at a target. Keep the hand muscles loose - let the arm muscles do the throwing. If your hand is relaxed enough the fingers will extend themselves all the way out.
Repeat 5-10 times each side.
AND MIND THE SAFETY notice above. Robert Shumann did not follow it. He used a kind of stretching machine and ruined his hands. Ended his concert career.
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One of my perfessers wrote a book on hand calisthenics. He stressed the safety factor: NEVER NEVER use any kind of warmup or stretching that involves using one hand to stretch the other, or any kind of mechanical stretching device.
I can see why he would give that advice - because it is so easy to make a mistake regarding how much to stretch. Many people have the wrong notion that "more is better", and "no pain no gain", but overdoing a stretch (easy to do when one hand is placing force on the tendons and ligaments) can probably cause permanent damage - as your case in point. Though I'm wondering why Shumann was doing such a dangerous warmup without regard for what to me is a somewhat self-evident danger, and what exact damage he did to ruin his hand ? (excuse my ignorance - Schumann's the piano player that wrote those famous practice books, right ? - I know, I know, - I should google it.)
A warm-up? No... I'm sure I've never tried anything like that.
ROG.
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One of my perfessers wrote a book on hand calisthenics. He stressed the safety factor: NEVER NEVER use any kind of warmup or stretching that involves using one hand to stretch the other, or any kind of mechanical stretching device.
Here is a favorite:
Stand up
Make a fist, loosely.
Bend at the elbow so that your fist is just over your shoulder, knuckles down, back of hand up.
Relax your hand, keeping the fist
Throw your hand forward as though you were throwing it at a target. Keep the hand muscles loose - let the arm muscles do the throwing. If your hand is relaxed enough the fingers will extend themselves all the way out.
Repeat 5-10 times each side.
AND MIND THE SAFETY notice above. Robert Shumann did not follow it. He used a kind of stretching machine and ruined his hands. Ended his concert career.
Was that prof perhaps your Martial Arts instructor?
Sorry, but that sounds more like a beginner's kata...
--Mac
.
>>>...Sorry, but that sounds more like a beginner's kata....>>>>
Now that you mention it, it does sound a bit like a kata. But no, this professor taught harmony and composition and piano.
Arrive early.
Set up the amp and turn it on.
Tune my guitar.
Wipe each string with my WD-40 rag.
Check quietly just to make sure everything works properly.
Check the settings on the amp.
Order a beer.
Help other musicians set up.
Wash and dry my hands so my hands are clean when I play.
Check the tuning again after it has adjusted to the room's temperature.
Ask the Lord to let me have a good time.
Play and have some fun.
Chet Atkins wrote that he would never bath or take a shower before he had to play, stating that the water and soap softened his fingertips in an undesirable fashion.
Me, I'm no Chet Atkins. Not hardly. So I'd much rather arrive at the gig non-stinky, thank-yew, thank-yew-verr-much.
--Mac
Regarding dry hands, especially the chord hand, I do sprinkle with baby powder when required during a gig.
It also has a good side effect, it helps me smell as fresh as a baby's bottom.
Later,
Yeah, I'm more of a Kid Shelleen type when it comes to a gig.
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Regarding dry hands, especially the chord hand, I do sprinkle with baby powder when required during a gig.
It also has a good side effect, it helps me smell as fresh as a baby's bottom.
Later,
Danny, have you ever tried Finger Ease: http://www.zzounds.com/item--CBR2074
This stuff really works. I’ve been using the same can for years now!
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Chet Atkins wrote that he would never bath or take a shower before he had to play, stating that the water and soap softened his fingertips in an undesirable fashion.
Me, I'm no Chet Atkins. Not hardly. So I'd much rather arrive at the gig non-stinky, thank-yew, thank-yew-verr-much.
--Mac
Mac, Chet also admitted on one of his YT videos that he would often wear a glove, especially on his right hand, because a broken fingernail had caused him to actually cancel appearances.
I know a guy in Key west who plays a Flamingo guitar. He doesn't warm up either.
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Regarding dry hands, especially the chord hand, I do sprinkle with baby powder when required during a gig.
It also has a good side effect, it helps me smell as fresh as a baby's bottom.
Later,
Danny, have you ever tried Finger Ease: http://www.zzounds.com/item--CBR2074
This stuff really works. I’ve been using the same can for years now!
I used to use it back in the good old days but I have found that baby powder keeps my hand drier, less oily feel.
Same can for years . . . Is it a 55 gallon can?
Later,
An old flamenco player once showed me the trick of wiping the frethand fingertips on the top area of the nose. He said that the oils from outside of the nose reduces nylon string fret noise quite a lot. Darned if he wasn't right once I got the nerve to try it.
--Mac
Being from Maine we usually warmed up next to the wood stove.I played one club that used one of those kerosene "salamander" heaters. This one was so big it looked like the engine from a 727 & sounded like one. Drowned out the whole band when it fired up.
Oh. You guys mean THAT kinda warmup?
Well, in Pittsburgh back in the 60's, we often hadda fight our way thru the drunk steelworkers just to get inside the joint to play, that was enough warmup and then some...
--Mac