Steve Morse confirms what we already discussed here years ago

[Tatosh Guitar]

This thread got me thinking that maybe the reason Mad Mikey is not alternate picking so much might also have something to do with the health of his hands. That might explain all the legato we have been talking about recently...

Or maybe he is just a lazy bastard these days.
 

[merlo_zeppelin]

Your left hand can get as messed up as your right. I've had numerous issues with my fretting hand and none with my picking hand. I should note that even though I'm a lefty I play right handed. I think you're more likely to have problems on your dominant hand which for 90% of players will the picking hand.

[Stitsel]

That's exactly what I was getting at....it takes 2 hands to play, right? Legato might help the picking hand wear & tear over time, but the fretting hand is taking on more of a load I would think. So regardless, these über shredders, regardless of style are putting more strain on their hands/wrists/arms etc. in the long run, vs say a blues player or whatever.Not taking any shots at blues players ability or whatever, I like the blues.....to a point   .... I've been watching some Akira vids lately, of him now.... & he's still in full on shred demon mode.I love it of course, but how many decades can he keep doing this, ya know? That last Vai album had some cool vids of him doing the new tunes live in his studio.....& I was like "whoaaaa" just watching how not only does he still have it, but he makes it look pretty effortless too. I guess bottom line, is we should enjoy these guys while we can. 
 

[Tatosh Guitar]

Your left hand can get as messed up as your right. I've had numerous issues with my fretting hand and none with my picking hand. I should note that even though I'm a lefty I play right handed. I think you're more likely to have problems on your dominant hand which for 90% of players will the picking hand.

 

For what is worth, I am a lefty playing as a righty as well, like Gary, too (or was. My playing ability sucks right now due to a full year barely touching a guitar.) I have never had an issue with my fretting hand, if anything, I have more issues with my right one but that one is due to a shoulder injury that I sustained a few years ago. I used to be a palm muting machine, I will give myself that, but those days are long gone.
 

[merlo_zeppelin]

That's exactly what I was getting at....it takes 2 hands to play, right? Legato might help the picking hand wear & tear over time, but the fretting hand is taking on more of a load I would think. So regardless, these über shredders, regardless of style are putting more strain on their hands/wrists/arms etc. in the long run, vs say a blues player or whatever.Not taking any shots at blues players ability or whatever, I like the blues.....to a point   .... I've been watching some Akira vids lately, of him now.... & he's still in full on shred demon mode.I love it of course, but how many decades can he keep doing this, ya know? That last Vai album had some cool vids of him doing the new tunes live in his studio.....& I was like "whoaaaa" just watching how not only does he still have it, but he makes it look pretty effortless too. I guess bottom line, is we should enjoy these guys while we can. 
 

 

Steve Vai is clearly a very health conscious guy, you can bet your ass he takes very well care of his hands and overall physical condition. He most likely has a stretching and warm up routine, prepares especially for tours and recordings and schedules rests and breaks to not overuse his hands
He's even vegan or some shit like that and is into meditation. 

I've spent hundreds of hours trying to develop shred chops (picking especially) and there comes a point where you just can't muscle through it.
 

[Tatosh Guitar]

Steve Vai is clearly a very health conscious guy, you can bet your ass he takes very well care of his hands and overall physical condition. He most likely has a stretching and warm up routine, prepares especially for tours and recordings and schedules rests and breaks to not overuse his hands
He's even vegan or some shit like that and is into meditation. 

I've spent hundreds of hours trying to develop shred chops (picking especially) and there comes a point where you just can't muscle through it.
 

 

Yeah. Guitar World used to publish stuff like "Steve Vai's 8 hour practicing regime" or something like that. At some point it got upgraded to something like 24 hour or even 30 hour, IIRC. Just nuts. Dude is basically a machine, always has been.

All of the true pros take crazy care of their hands. I was told in a meet and greet that Eric Johnson didn't shake hands with anyone, out of fear they could injure his hand. And of course, I totally forgot that when it was my time to get close to him and I totally extended my hand. I remember the look on his face. Everybody there probably thought I was an asshole. 
 

[Dinosaur David B]

Steve Vai is clearly a very health conscious guy, you can bet your ass he takes very well care of his hands and overall physical condition. 

Yeah. Guitar World used to publish stuff like "Steve Vai's 8 hour practicing regime" or something like that. At some point it got upgraded to something like 24 hour or even 30 hour, IIRC. Just nuts. Dude is basically a machine, always has been.

All of the true pros take crazy care of their hands.
 

 

Steve Vai's had hand problems. Carpal tunnel, trigger finger. 



That's all well and good, but the point is that may not matter.  Age catches up with you. Any repetitive motion like playing guitar, or using a mouse on a computer can cause issues over time. I've always used light strings, and I probably don't play enough guitar to have had problems with my hands yet -- THANKFULLY. But I've had 2 tendonitis surgeries per shoulder, and will likely be getting a 5th this year. 
 
The tendonitis comes back every 12 years or so. It's also in my elbows. I've also had a tennis elbow surgery on my left elbow, and a PRP injection rather than surgery on my right elbow. For me, I think my proclivity for tendonitis is genetic. It started when I was 34.

Then there's arthritis. Alex Lifeson suffers from that. He was looking to retire from touring, too. It wasn't just Peart. 

I bet if SRV had lived, he'd have changed to lighter strings by now. 

I know I've harped on this in the past, guys, but if you're you're over 45 and still using heavy strings, you might want to go lighter. Your hands will thank you. 
 
 

[merlo_zeppelin]

This is the bottom line.
Didn't know you had so many health issues and surgeries Dave, sucks to hear that. Hope you can get that under control soon.
I had tendinitis on my left wrist at 17 and again at 25. No serious issues since then (turning 32 in a couple weeks)

[Dr Nick]

I'm heading for surgery on my left index finger in 10 days - had a lump for over 20 years, slowly getting larger, but nobody wanted to touch it - it's over the "neurovascular bundle" (blood vessels and nerve) so a bit fiddly. 

Except for the past few months the finger's been going white, cold and numb intermittently. Doesn't like the cold. 

So now they're worried it's arising from the nerve or something, which occasionally turns cancerous. So out it comes. 

Hopefully my bar chord finger will recover quickly - I've been quite good at practicing recently after M11's visit!

[eduardoritos]

Jazz player Mike Stern was having a walk in New York, and slipped or something silly, and get a big damage on the picking arm nerves.
He needed to invent something to be able to play again.

https://www.guitarplayer.com/players/im ... -at-a-time