For the musos with broken bones ...

Vantec · 19th November 2012, 4:15 PM

Are there any other unlucky sobs out there who's music talents have been sent off rails due to broken bones, and/or other injuries ?

Broke/crushed my thumb

nearly 2 months ago. I'm going through stages, from full cast all the way to elbow, to small local cast on thumb with metal pins through my bones, to now cast fully off, but with a massive nail-bed damage exposed...
Yes, it's affected most aspects of life, from not being able to wipe my ass properly to taking showers like a statue of liberty (cannot get the wound wet), and doing most other things with the left hand. Not to mention it took it's toll on work and finances. Seriously I had no bloody idea how much the thumb meant ...
But the most hurtful thing was the fact I cannot play the piano/keyboards properly... Which is something very dear to me. And looks like I won't be for a fair while longer either. Thumb means a lot. Yes I attempted playing without the thumb but it ain't sounding too good. Only positive thing out of it is that my left hand got a hell of a practice since the injury. Now that the thumb is fully free, but with a open wound (sort of), i can try playing but it doesn't feel too good. Pain gets the better of me...

I've been a massive contributor to the OCremix community for years now, and not being able to be a part for it a little while is taking it's toll. Now that one hurts the most.

Surgeon and hand therapist tell me the thumb will never be the same, especially when it comes to piano playing as I will never have the fast knuckle movement i once had. This eliminates proper fast phrases on the keyboard and proper 5-finger chords.

Anyways, any other injured poor souls out there, whos music got sent to the backbench due to injuries, how did you cope ? Would love to hear your story.

Agg · 19th November 2012, 6:16 PM

I don't have a story of my own, but maybe take some inspiration from Django: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Django_...rdt#The_injury

Teamk1ller · 19th November 2012, 6:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Agg

I don't have a story of my own, but maybe take some inspiration from Django: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Django_...rdt#The_injury

I've read that before it is most interesting.

oculi · 19th November 2012, 6:26 PM

i'm not a musician but this guy hangs out with musicians. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi.../RickAllen.JPG

Vantec · 19th November 2012, 7:16 PM

Yep the Django story is very interesting.

Boneman · 19th November 2012, 7:22 PM

Tony Iommi, who cut off 2 of his fingertips, also took inspiration from Django. Then theres Rick Allen, the drummer for Def Leppard, who lost his arm but kept playing.

self_slaughter · 19th November 2012, 7:48 PM

I don't have very good luck with my hands lol

Shot myself in the left hand with a nail gun pinning two and a half fingers together Hahaha
That made playing the guitar rather painful for a while.

Broke my right hand pretty good with a bit of a dodgy punch and had to have that fixed up with metal plates n screws n whatever the hell else they done to it :/

Been over a year and still hurts pretty bad sometimes if I bang it on the screws or something.

Pain in the ass but you adapt and continue on

Actually my mate cut off a good chunk of his thumb. Still just enough there for his nail to grow though so he uses that as his guitar pick now

karigan · 19th November 2012, 10:25 PM

Wowww dude bad luck!

How did that happen?

I'd hate if I couldn't do the things I love coz of injury

Vantec · 20th November 2012, 7:11 PM

I suppose the moral of the story is to harden the f' up and solider on. Adapt or fail. lol

self_slaughter · 21st November 2012, 1:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vantec

I suppose the moral of the story is to harden the f' up and solider on. Adapt or fail. lol

Bingo!

(too soon? )

Don't push too hard while the injury is still fresh though, but don't leave it too late either

bobbth · 21st November 2012, 12:16 PM

I used to play bass (/guitar, drums and a little keyboard) in highschool, only a few years ago, I was in a semi active prog band and several other projects a few of which giged semi-regularly. About six months after I graduated I developed chronic RSI in my left hand and now I can't play for more than an hour a day or my thumb and index finger kills, the pain is incredible.
I am currently in a quite inactive rock band but I have all but given up on anything technical.

Recidivist · 21st November 2012, 12:50 PM

My condolences. I too used to me a musician until a bad car crash tore the cartilage apart between my index finger and my middle finger. I tried to play guitar for several years whilst undergoing hand therapy but ultimately my hand got no better and I had to face facts. Many years for naught. I had to find a new life direction and now am about to embark upon post-graduate study in pursuit of that. It has been impossible to find something that gives me the same sense of satisfaction and there is no replacement for the language of participating in music.

Agg · 21st November 2012, 12:59 PM

Could you learn a different instrument, which has a lower requirement for dexterity in your affected hand? Or play the guitar other-handed, so your injured hand simply has to hold a pick, or even just a thumbpick? Sorry if you've already considered all this, I just wondered what I would do in a similar situation.

Recidivist · 22nd November 2012, 1:05 AM

I tried it all hehe. I tried left handed but the finger picking and plectrum technique was never going to cut it. I tried piano but couldnt do much left handed playing and also drumming. The only instrument that is really open to me is the trumpet as I can play that with just the right hand more or less. But I am not a huge fan of the trumpet and I was about 28 by the time I came to this realisation (I was 22 when my buggered my hand). I can practice for about 20 minutes a day tops. I needed 2 hours just to maintain my standard at the time of the injury. Just couldn't make it happen.

19th November 2012, 4:15 PM	#1
Vantec Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Melbourne Posts: 370	For the musos with broken bones ... Are there any other unlucky sobs out there who's music talents have been sent off rails due to broken bones, and/or other injuries ? Broke/crushed my thumb nearly 2 months ago. I'm going through stages, from full cast all the way to elbow, to small local cast on thumb with metal pins through my bones, to now cast fully off, but with a massive nail-bed damage exposed... Yes, it's affected most aspects of life, from not being able to wipe my ass properly to taking showers like a statue of liberty (cannot get the wound wet), and doing most other things with the left hand. Not to mention it took it's toll on work and finances. Seriously I had no bloody idea how much the thumb meant ... But the most hurtful thing was the fact I cannot play the piano/keyboards properly... Which is something very dear to me. And looks like I won't be for a fair while longer either. Thumb means a lot. Yes I attempted playing without the thumb but it ain't sounding too good. Only positive thing out of it is that my left hand got a hell of a practice since the injury. Now that the thumb is fully free, but with a open wound (sort of), i can try playing but it doesn't feel too good. Pain gets the better of me... I've been a massive contributor to the OCremix community for years now, and not being able to be a part for it a little while is taking it's toll. Now that one hurts the most. Surgeon and hand therapist tell me the thumb will never be the same, especially when it comes to piano playing as I will never have the fast knuckle movement i once had. This eliminates proper fast phrases on the keyboard and proper 5-finger chords. Anyways, any other injured poor souls out there, whos music got sent to the backbench due to injuries, how did you cope ? Would love to hear your story. __________________ i7 2600k, P8P67 Pro, 16GB, Asus 6950 2GB, VE278Q, SilverStone FT02 + Strider Gold 850, Intel 520 240GB SSD, W7 Ulti x64 Nearly $11k in Trades

19th November 2012, 6:16 PM	#2
Agg Lord of the Pings Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: A Reported Post near you Posts: 25,563	I don't have a story of my own, but maybe take some inspiration from Django: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Django_...rdt#The_injury __________________ www.overclockers.com.au - also now on twitter and facebook.

19th November 2012, 6:26 PM	#4
oculi Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 5,028	i'm not a musician but this guy hangs out with musicians. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi.../RickAllen.JPG __________________ Reality or nothing

19th November 2012, 7:16 PM	#5
Vantec Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Melbourne Posts: 370	Yep the Django story is very interesting. __________________ i7 2600k, P8P67 Pro, 16GB, Asus 6950 2GB, VE278Q, SilverStone FT02 + Strider Gold 850, Intel 520 240GB SSD, W7 Ulti x64 Nearly $11k in Trades

19th November 2012, 7:22 PM	#6
Boneman Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Tokyo Posts: 3,097	Tony Iommi, who cut off 2 of his fingertips, also took inspiration from Django. Then theres Rick Allen, the drummer for Def Leppard, who lost his arm but kept playing. __________________ My Guitar blog My Youtube My Soundcloud

19th November 2012, 10:25 PM	#8
karigan Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Sydney, NSW Posts: 41	Wowww dude bad luck! How did that happen? I'd hate if I couldn't do the things I love coz of injury

20th November 2012, 7:11 PM	#9
Vantec Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Melbourne Posts: 370	I suppose the moral of the story is to harden the f' up and solider on. Adapt or fail. lol __________________ i7 2600k, P8P67 Pro, 16GB, Asus 6950 2GB, VE278Q, SilverStone FT02 + Strider Gold 850, Intel 520 240GB SSD, W7 Ulti x64 Nearly $11k in Trades

21st November 2012, 12:50 PM	#12
Recidivist Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Posts: 4	My condolences. I too used to me a musician until a bad car crash tore the cartilage apart between my index finger and my middle finger. I tried to play guitar for several years whilst undergoing hand therapy but ultimately my hand got no better and I had to face facts. Many years for naught. I had to find a new life direction and now am about to embark upon post-graduate study in pursuit of that. It has been impossible to find something that gives me the same sense of satisfaction and there is no replacement for the language of participating in music.

21st November 2012, 12:59 PM	#13
Agg Lord of the Pings Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: A Reported Post near you Posts: 25,563	Could you learn a different instrument, which has a lower requirement for dexterity in your affected hand? Or play the guitar other-handed, so your injured hand simply has to hold a pick, or even just a thumbpick? Sorry if you've already considered all this, I just wondered what I would do in a similar situation. __________________ www.overclockers.com.au - also now on twitter and facebook.

22nd November 2012, 1:05 AM	#14
Recidivist Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Posts: 4	I tried it all hehe. I tried left handed but the finger picking and plectrum technique was never going to cut it. I tried piano but couldnt do much left handed playing and also drumming. The only instrument that is really open to me is the trumpet as I can play that with just the right hand more or less. But I am not a huge fan of the trumpet and I was about 28 by the time I came to this realisation (I was 22 when my buggered my hand). I can practice for about 20 minutes a day tops. I needed 2 hours just to maintain my standard at the time of the injury. Just couldn't make it happen.