Sing those blues

Picked up my guitar today for the first time since early summer. It quickly became apparent (a) that the strings needed to be replaced, and (b) that finger-picking was going to be painful. A nice new set of Elixir Nanowebs already sitting in the case quickly resolved the first issue. The second is going to take some working on. Strumming was fine, but the third finger wasn’t picking as it should. And when I lifted my arm away after going through a song sitting down, all the wrist tendons screamed at me for a while, till I got them interested in some more music. Standing up with a strap was easier, so it must have something to do with arm position.

I could hear Tom the physio telling me this was all very good for my wrist. Stretching and strengthening in equal measure. Do the exercises. Why do you think you’re still taking those pain-killers? Well, as to that, it was interesting that the finger-tips on the left hand gave me no trouble at all – unusual after a long lay-off.

So, I’ve got that promised jamming session with Mike on nb The Great Escape to motivate me. I can feel a blues number coming on, all about irretrievable loss and great inner pain. Can a white man sing the blues? Don’t know about the singing, though the voice is suitably gravelly these day, but the wrist and fingers could write a new little number out of personal experience. Just that we'd have to get away from the marina to jam it, to avoid thoroughly depressing all the other boaters!