Re: Any Guitar Players, ADD is an up hill battle

[Anonymous]

I began playing in the early 1970s, when along with everything else I got M.S. But my doctor said to keep playing the guitar and typing on my manual typewriter. Today I have much stronger hands than I used to. Instead of having a problem staying focused, however, I would sit down to play and get up 5 hours later (quick pause for the cause). Once I start, I must go through everything I know and all that I forgot, too!

I’v had a few bands, done a lot of solo work, and never had the patience to do lead guitar (even though I can hear every lick in my head and heart). I play rhythm guitar, keep a really steady beat (if I don’t speed up) and use my voice as my lead. I keep my songs on 5/8 cards w/chords so I can remembe what I know: I’ve got 5 little binders and one big one to hold them in. I still love to perform, and do informal jam sessions where I live (in the foothills, off the grid) at our local (and only) store a couple times a month. Of course, we al take turns and nobody “takes over” or plays over anyone else…we’re all a bunch of players from way different backgrounds and genres.

Knowing when to stop is an issue to me. If my left arm or fingers don’t clue me in sharply, then I only tend to notice the pain when I stop playing. So…I keep on playing!

No drugs. I use diet, homeopathic, nutritional, and mostly I have learned to control my mind and my body. I have been like this for all my life, only didin’t know it until my youngest son was born ADHD. He still is, and so am I, so we get along well. Once I knew what to work on, I just got to work on myself. It truly is a “do it yourself” job for me. And I finally have a very patient husband. How lucky can one get?

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