Musical Instruments

donnaf · Post by **donnaf** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 10:58 am

Does anyone have any real trouble playing musical instruments?
I'm ok ish on a keyboard...one handed only lol once the left hand comes into play it all slows down...but I have real problems with the guitar. I really, really wanna learn and I tried and tried many times, mainly before I knew I was dyspraxic. I find that my fingers on my left hand aren't strong enough to hold the strings in place, it feels like I have stumps instead of fingers and I find it really frustrating cos I feel like there's a good guitarist trapped in a useless body! Does anyone else have this kind of prob, and do u have any suggestions for overcoming this?

Post by **Pooky** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 2:02 pm

I could never play a musical instrument.

The main thing I suffer with is I can't do something different in both hands at the same time.

Have you ever tried that pat your head and rub your stomach game? It is comical watching me trying to do it as it is just impossible.

Besides I can't even comprehend rhythm.

donnaf · Post by **donnaf** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 2:08 pm

Oh yeah I'm terrible at the patting head game! Coordination is one of my main probs...I kno its a main symptom of dyspraxia, but my co-ordination n balance really are terrible, I spend all day stumbling about lol. So I kno that will make guitar playing really difficult but this is one thing I really, really dont wanna give up on...I can accept most of the limitations that dyspraxia makes to my life, but this is one thing I wanna win on!
Any suggestions anyone can make will be appreciated...one of u must be able to play lol...I really need to improve the strength of my fingers in order to progress at all, I think!

Nicky · Post by **Nicky** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 10:51 pm

I can sympathise with this one, guitar and string instruments in general probably require more dexterity than any others! For some reason I can play some chords, but just can't keep my fingers down for bar chords at all. If you're into music, but your heart isn't too set on guitar, I suggest trying a wind instrument, I personally find them a lot easier, as they require less coordination and less dexterity, but still sound great! Keep us posted with how the guitar playing goes, it's great that you're giving it such a good shot! Practice makes closer to perfect I suppose!

BrainThrust · Post by **BrainThrust** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 11:02 pm

I used to play violin and viola (badly) but gave them up at school.

I'm trying to be a drummer this summer for a tribute band but it's not likely to go well, sadly.

Wilf

donnaf · Post by **donnaf** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 5:51 am

Thanks for your feedback and great suggestion Nicky bout tryin a wind instrument, but, sadly, yep my heart is set on the guitar!
I got my guitars nearly 10 years ago and haven't been able to bare to part with them, there's somthin about guitar playin (well, tryin to play) that feels really natural. I love music and I'm also a bit of a "dirty greebo" lol as the kids used to shout when I dressed like one, so it's gotta be guitar!
My finace is a great musicain which is whats made me wanna play so much after tryin for so long, he can teach me, but I need to find ways to get past the dyspraxic side cos he aint ever taught anyone like me!
My dyspraixa is pretty bad, I'll never be able to drive any sort of car and I can accept that...this is somethin I'm determined to win on. I get scared to try again in case I fail, again, cos that really hurts, but I think I'm just gonna go for it, it's about time I stuck 2 fingers up to my dyspraxia and beat this trait!
Will keep u posted

Nicky · Post by **Nicky** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 8:58 am

Good for you!

donnaf · Post by **donnaf** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 9:03 am

My moods changed towards playin since I wrote that!
My bloke picked up one of my guitars this mornin n started playin...how dare he lol...I just thought, hell, I can never play. He insists he'll do everythin in his power to teach me, but dyspraxia completely deflates me sometimes, I'm not sure I'm up to failing again.
Sayin that, my mood mite well swing back later. At mo I'm fighting the urge to take my guitars up to Cash Convertors!

donnaf · Post by **donnaf** » Thu Jun 29, 2006 9:50 am

I started learnin guitar last night!
I couldn't stand not knowing if I could do it anymore, so I finally let my fiance teach me a few things.
My advice for any dyspraxics wanting to learn something like this is to get a good teacher, cos my fiance watched how I tried to play and then found ways to get round my problems. And, so far so good! He thought I wasn't that bad once he found ways to help me, and he thinks I can actually do it if I work hard enough!
My arm aches today but I don't care, there's a chance here that I might overcome this and I can't wait to practise more!

Post by **Daniel** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 9:14 am

Well done, it's good to hear! Keep at it and let us know how you get on!

I've never learnt to play any instruments but would like to learn guitar or piano at some point.

donnaf · Post by **donnaf** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 6:52 pm

It's going really well!
I look at my fingers doing what I want em to and feel amazed! I'm loving it and wish I'd got a decent teacher sooner, see u in Kerrang lol

Ruth · Post by **Ruth** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 12:53 pm

good for you - enjoy the strumming $\:D/$

nick · Post by **nick** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 1:07 pm

good for you Donna. I've enjoyed reading this thread. I've never been able to play a musical instrument and part of me would love to beable to sing in tune and play a guitar as well.

this thread is a good reminder that even though we might be challenged by havind dyspraxia we are not necassarily limited by our dyspraxia.

Nicky · Post by **Nicky** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 9:20 am

Well done Donna, glad it's starting to pick up.

donnaf · Post by **donnaf** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 10:04 am

Thanks for your lovely comments!
I can't believe how well things are progressing for me. This is the first new skill I have learnt since discovering I was dyspraxic. I really wanted to learn some kind of new skill, just to prove to myself that dyspraxia doesn't completely control my life!
My dyspraxia is pretty bad, if I can learn something new, anyone with dyspraxia can, even if it's not a musical instrument!
I honestly thought I wouldn't be able to do this, I thought even my fiance would write me off as a bad job lol.

Take me as proof people, some of our traits CAN be overcome