What Are You Working On Right Now?

I just made a connection (that should've been obvious), in that when I feel like I'm falling behind the beat, I flex my bicep, and that transfers directly to the tendonitis in my elbow (the bone on the inside of your elbow.)

I know I need to eliminate tension in general, but this is the first time I could feel it contributing to this pain, directly. That, and I'm pretty sure, dairy. Every time I eat some ice cream, it tends to be worse for a couple days. Fuck me.

What'd DLR say, "Everything I like will make me sick or poor or fat."
Is it tennis elbow??
 
Is it tennis elbow??
More or less. My understanding is "tennis elbow" is tendonitis, but on the outer area of your elbow; mine is on the inside, right where you can feel the corner of the bone. Mine might be considered "golfer's elbow...?"
 
More or less. My understanding is "tennis elbow" is tendonitis, but on the outer area of your elbow; mine is on the inside, right where you can feel the corner of the bone. Mine might be considered "golfer's elbow...?"
Yeah I think it is golfer's elbow - I had some struggles with tennis elbow for a while last year and it sucked. Grabbing a $15 Theraband Flexbar from Amazon and doing some exercises got me straightened out after a while, maybe they have some similar exercises for golfer's elbow too.
 
More or less. My understanding is "tennis elbow" is tendonitis, but on the outer area of your elbow; mine is on the inside, right where you can feel the corner of the bone. Mine might be considered "golfer's elbow...?"
Ugh. I had that shit when I was working in the coal mine. It’s not fun. Hope you have a speedy recovery.
 
Ugh. I had that shit when I was working in the coal mine. It’s not fun. Hope you have a speedy recovery.
I suppose it'll never heal, since I ain't gonna lay off the guitar!

But seriously, I'm hoping that if I really focus on the tension thing, and cut way back on certain foods (and add some better ones), that that will help.

I've been taking breaks every 20 minutes or so and stretching too, which seems to help.

Uh..., "the coal mine"?
 
A little song I call "Millin' Some Maple".
;)
I've been a carpenter and guitar player for about 45 years, yet I'm practically illiterate when it comes to knowing my wood species! :rofl

I know framing lumber, and can tell Poplar, but that's about it. Can't match Red Oak or White Oak to an existing hardwood floor if my paycheck depended on it.

And I couldn't tell you what the body of any of my guitars are made of. :facepalm
 
I suppose it'll never heal, since I ain't gonna lay off the guitar!

But seriously, I'm hoping that if I really focus on the tension thing, and cut way back on certain foods (and add some better ones), that that will help.

I've been taking breaks every 20 minutes or so and stretching too, which seems to help.

Uh..., "the coal mine"?
It will heal, but you would need to give that area a break.
 
I've been a carpenter and guitar player for about 45 years, yet I'm practically illiterate when it comes to knowing my wood species! :rofl

I know framing lumber, and can tell Poplar, but that's about it. Can't match Red Oak or White Oak to an existing hardwood floor if my paycheck depended on it.

And I couldn't tell you what the body of any of my guitars are made of. :facepalm
I know enough to be dangerous. :grin
The most common species we use are white oak, soft maple, black walnut, alder, cherry, poplar. Sometimes red oak, hickory and wormy chestnut for more rustic tastes. I work with my brother, and he also has some older wood stash like the chestnut and Brazilian cherry, some other exotic stuff like tigerwood, goncalo alves, and some rosewood species. Some of these he got from an old fellow in NC about 10 yrs. ago, and they had already been air drying for at least 50 yrs. at that point. He has two beams that are about 10 to 12" X 96" a piece that are solid rosewood! One might even be Brazilian, not sure. I'm guessing they're at least a 100 yrs old in their current state. Need to get a sample sent off to confirm though. They're heavy AF needless to say.
 
Hello! Just wrapped up a one-hour practice routine to prepare for a weekly jazz jam session tonight.

practice1.jpg


I made a playlist in iReal Pro on a tablet, using the keys most often called at jams, and sort the tunes randomly to play through each tune and then move on to the next one. I have iReal set for bass and drums only, no click or piano; a bit more challenging, but getting the hang of it. The tunes include "Beatrice," "Shadow of Your Smile," and "You and the Night and the Music," among others. Each tune plays for 5 choruses: 1) theme, 2) ad-lib, 3) comping, 4) fours, and 5) theme, so all the aspects are covered, though what actually happens at a jam varies among these five elements.

This playlist is for tunes that I've already internalized and so now I am working on developing some fluency with melody, soloing, and chord variety in comping so I can call them at jam sessions. I've made other playlists, too, including one for tunes that I am still learning, with slower tempos at first. Choice of tunes on these practice playlists is mostly those I like to call, and those called by others.

The guitar is my regular jazz box, a 1970s Gibson Johnny Smith, full hollow body with the original pickup, strung with Thomastik-Infeld BeBop round wound 11s. The practice space is a small 3 x 3 meter room at home, which holds most of my gear. I don't use an amp to practice and the venue has a backline of several amps, including a Fender Tonemaster, as well as piano, PA and drums.

practice2.jpg


The venue for tonight holds a weekly jazz jam session, three hours and open to anyone. Entrance is the equivalent of around 5USD, plus a one drink minimum. It's one of several regional venues that hold jazz jam sessions, some monthly, others twice a month and this one weekly. Tonight's venue is about a 40mn drive each way. While other jazz jam sessions around here may be hosted, the jam at this venue is not hosted, so here we worked out an etiquette for who plays what when. There is no house band nor an opening set; we just dive right in on arrival. There is a core of participants, of which I'm a regular, but every week some different people will show up as well, locals as well as out-of-towners, semi-pros, hobbyists and students alike. The skill range is generally intermediate, with some advanced and beginners joining on occasion, too. A typical jam session here has horns, guitar, piano, bass, drums, and vocal, with the number of players on each varying week-by-week.

session.jpg


I am not a gigging musician, so jazz jam sessions are my primary musical activity. I have a full-time job, so can't attend all the jams in my area, but try to make time each week to practice and go to at least one. Retirement is coming up soon, so I'm also hoping to join more jam sessions in the future!

Thank you for reading, and I hope you found it interesting. I'd like to hear about your jam sessions.
 
Hello! Just wrapped up a one-hour practice routine to prepare for a weekly jazz jam session tonight.

The venue for tonight holds a weekly jazz jam session, three hours and open to anyone. Entrance is the equivalent of around 5USD, plus a one drink minimum.
A typical jam session here has horns, guitar, piano, bass, drums, and vocal, with the number of players on each varying week-by-week.
That sounds fun!

I'm currently kind of out of the scene, but we've had restaurants in the past (going back 10 years or so) try to get a weekly jam together, but it never seemed to last. But our area has grown quite a bit lately, population-wise, so I wouldn't be surprised if there are one or 2 going on now that I'm just not aware of.

I've sat in a few way back, and it's definitely a rewarding time. I'm not a good improviser, but I should check it out, and if they do exist, start going to a few again, to help get me in the swing of being able to join in to a jam, and be able to make something that sounds like I know my way around! :rawk
 
It is fun, thanks! Restaurants sound like an interesting possibility. I would imagine bars and/or cafes, too. The places I go to are similar, but they are primarily performance spaces for small concerts and events, that serve coffee, food, and drinks. I hope there's something in your area that you can join!
 
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