I sliced the top of my index finger on fretting hand off yesterday, it’s not too serious fortunately but what I was most upset about was not being able to play guitar. It’s currently bandaged up and I need to keep the steri-strips on for 2 weeks and then who knows when after that it will feel healed enough to hold down strings.
However I have since thought about things a bit more and have retuned to DADGAD and had a noodle about on that a bit today which was very enjoyable as you can get some nice sounds without needing many fingers. But I don’t really know what I’m doing, just get a picking pattern and then hold down semi-random strings until it sounds cool!
I was wondering what other things I could focus on while my finger is out of action?
Does Justin have any DADGAD modules? I couldn’t find any.
I’m looking at this as an opportunity to be able to focus on something new while I’m unable to resort to my usual, standard tuned, repertoire.
What level are you learning at? If that happened to me at this beginner stage, I think spending time in strumming patterns, Justin’s strumming lessons, fingerpicking patterns, and theory, come to mind. Doing everything that doesn’t need fretting beyond keeping it from being too dull.
I got some glass stuck in my left hand index finger years ago, a week before a piano exam so I sympathise. Hope it heals quick and you can get back to normal playing soon.
That really sucks. I similarly cut off the side of my middle fretting finger about 3 years ago. During that time I picked up a slide and using open tunings played a variety of 12 bar blues songs. It helped me figure out which slide I liked best. Ceramic verses glass verses brass.
Once I could play again, I still had pain in that finger for many months, had to be careful how I held it on the fretboard. Now, only very rarely do I feel any pain in that finger. Similar to you, when it happened my first concern was the effect it would have on playing guitar.
@Jamolay Yeah man, totally looking at this as an opportunity to try something different!
Just tried my dusty slide out and unfortunately the action on all my guitars is too low. So I think I’ll get one of those over-nut raiser nut things. So it will be more like a lap steel. Anyone got experience with them? Recommendations?
Jesting aside, I’m glad it’s not too serious and wish you speedy and complete healing. I agree with others that suggest this is a perfect opportunity to explore some slide guitar.
I recently sliced my finger, too. I was sharpening a knife with a waterstone and wiped the edge of the blade with a paper towel, but apparently did so carelessly. It sliced into my finger, but at a low angle and not deep enough to draw blood. Just sliced into the upper layer of skin a bit. I count myself very lucky; the knife was “easily shaves paper” sharp at that point.
@J.W.C ouch! I also knifed myself a couple of years ago while carving a spoon, slipped on the work piece and the knife went into my leg and took off a good flap of skin. I now have a nice scar above my knee as a reminder. That one was definitely my own fault though carelessness though.
The food processor slicer was brand new and had never been used so was factory fresh sharp, it was a clean cut, but a deep one!
