[MusicTlk] Guitars

[Kociaba Fitness]

Hay Tony,
Man you  are exactly where I was about 8 months ago. I hadn't played for many years and wanted to pick it up again but now without sight.  I started with a couple of pieces of tape on the back of the neck at the 5th fret, the 8th and the octave. It helped a bit but an exercise I came up with helped more.  This will both improve your ear and build muscle memory for those hand shifts, play the B on the second fret of the 5th string with your index finger then try to find it on the 6th string.   Once you can find it consistently just keep going back and forth between the two notes. First slowly and then once you hit it at least a half dozen times gradually speed it up. Do the same thing with a couple other notes until you get comfortable moving your hand. Another one I like is to just play chromaticly up one string. Fretting a note with each finger then once you have laid down your little finger shift the whole hand up and start with your index finger again. You can shift your hand at least twice before you get up into the really close frets then reverse the process.  This one works well with a metronome.  Actually both exercises do. The metronome will help you keep things moving at a smooth tempo.
Good luck
And most importantly have fun.
Bill

-----Original Message-----
From: MusicTlk [mailto:musictlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Tony Malykh via MusicTlk
Sent: Sunday, June 30, 2019 5:33 PM
To: musictlk at nfbnet.org
Cc: Tony Malykh
Subject: [MusicTlk] Guitars

Hello musicians,
I am now re-learning to play guitar and I was wondering if there are any 
techniques/tips on how play it without sight? I have about 10 years of 
experience, although I haven't been playing much all that time, but now 
I'm trying to relearn how to play it without sight.
For example, my biggest problem is to position my hand correctly at a 
certain fret, especially when that fret is far from either ends. I was 
thinking of putting some sticky bump dots on the back of guitar  neck, 
so that I'd be able to feel them with my thumb. Has anyone tried 
anything like that, and does it work? Or are there any other tricks?
Another question is about new guitars - I am looking to buy a new guitar 
for myself and I am wondering if there is anything I should know before 
buying it? I am not looking for general advice - I have a few guitar 
experts among my friends, who know a lot about guitars, I am rather 
interested if there is anything a blind guitarist should know before 
buying a guitar. Like for example maybe some models are easier to play 
for blind people than others.

Thanks
Tony


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