Dear Jean-Michel and Neil
Thank you for your very useful reflections. It is a good idea
to treat gardening in the same spirit as lute playing, with as relaxed
an attitude and with as economic gestures as possible. It has been a
long time since I had to do this, and I am almost certainly forcing
things, and also still looking for the right tools to deal with a
particularly hard ground.
What oil or cream do you use, Jean-Michel?
%
I don't want to turn this into a gardening programme, but as Neil says
these problems can also occur, just with carrying equipment. I will try
out the various hot and cold water methods, and see how that goes.
Thanks again
Anthony
__________________________________________________________________
De : jean-michel Catherinot <[email protected]>
A : [email protected]; Anthony Hind <[email protected]>
Envoye le : Mar 29 juin 2010, 12h 34min 08s
Objet : Re : [LUTE] incompatibility gardening/lute playing?
Wide experience in thaht stuff. Using tools needs also practice, and
you have to be as decontracted while gardening as you're supposed to be
while playing your lute. Treat your gardening tools kindly ("laisser
l'outil travailler"), that means use his quality at his best without
forcing it, use the right tool., and work quietly. You'll be less
tired, with a better result, and no stiff hands.For me the problem is
the dryness of the skin after having my hands in the ground: and using
gardenning gloves is not a solution, it's even worse. You need some
specific oil or cream to avoid that. That's all. Bon jardinage!
__________________________________________________________________
De : Narada <[email protected]>
A : Anthony Hind <[email protected]>; [email protected]
Envoye le : Mar 29 juin 2010, 11h 55min 09s
Objet : RE: [LUTE] incompatibility gardening/lute playing?
Anthony,
Interesting point. As guitarist playing in a working band ( as well as
enjoying playing the Lute ) gigging on average 3 times a week with no
roadcrew as such, shifting half a tonne of equipment twice nightly does
have
a tendancy to stiffen the fingers - as well as stiffening the back. I
usually find that a couple of minutes with my hands in luke warm water,
followed by a minute or so of clenching my hands and waggling my
fingers
helps a lot. I also occasionally suffer from what I call 'Hot Hand '
this is
where the muscle between the thumb and first finger on my right hand
swells
and gets very painful due to lactic acid build up. For this I put my
hand in
very cold water to bring the swelling down. The same happens with my
left
hand occasionally, again I do the same thing. Hope this helps.
Neil
-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On
Behalf
Of Anthony Hind
Sent: 29 June 2010 10:10
To: [email protected]
Subject: [LUTE] incompatibility gardening/lute playing?
--- En date de : Mar 29.6.10, Anthony Hind <[email protected]> a
ecrit :
De: Anthony Hind <[email protected]>
Objet: [LUTE] incompatibility gardening/lute playing?
A: [email protected]
Date: Mardi 29 juin 2010, 9h09
Dear lutenists
Recently, I have found myself having to do some rather heavy
gardening, which appears to be almost incompatible with lute
playing.
the simple fact of being physically tired is part of it, but also
the
fingers seem less supple after clenching a spade or a pick-axe.
One lute player told me that even carrying suit-cases to a
performance,
can make their fingers stiff; and certain lute makers told me that
using a lute maker's tools can make lute playing more difficult;
although there are some excellent lute maker-players, even among us.
%
Do others have similar impressions, and if so, are there any ideas
on
how to get round this, (apart, of course simply from getting someone
else to carry your lutes, and do the gardening, or play your lutes):
some exercise between activities to help prepare for playing,
perhaps?
%
At present, I am back in my flat in Paris, and so playing as much as
I
can, in spite of the hot weather, which also makes things more
difficult, and I have regained the suppleness, but I will soon have
to
go back to gardening.
Thanks for any advice,
Anthony
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