billkilpatrick - 6-19-2004 at 03:07 AM
i've been playing my charango almost solidly for the past few months and have rarely - and only for short periods of time - picked up my oud.
yesterday, however, i had a good go, running through the repertoire and after a while i had to stop because the joints of my fingers on my left hand
were throbbing.
this is bad. i wasn't aware of how much pressure is required on the strings in order to play the oud - much more than with the charango.
could it be the lack of frets that causes this?
could it be galloping old age?
could it be the dreaded arthritis?
am i doing something wrong - something basic?
arrrrggghhh!!!......
stressed - bill
palestine48 - 6-19-2004 at 08:10 AM
I have been playing the oud for three weeks and one of the biggest complaints my teacher has is im pressing on the fingerboard too hard. He says i
shuouldnt, but rather gently slide my finger on there. maybe u should do the same.
Charango v. oud
Sasha - 6-19-2004 at 09:35 AM
Bill -
What you say is rather surprising - could it be that the action on you oud is waaaaay too high? Or tuned too high?
I'm wondering, because of all of the instruments I own, my oud is the second kindeest, action-wise...
I hope it is a simple solution - we'd hate to lose you all the time to the charango - it isn't a armadillo shell charango is it? I am
thinking if such is the case, the armadillo may be jealous!
)
Sasha
Elie Riachi - 6-19-2004 at 09:41 AM
Hi Bill,
Which string set do you use?
I am thinking maybe lowering the tension will help.
nadir - 6-19-2004 at 10:45 AM
Actually I was pressing too hard on the fingerboard after a while, especially when you suddenly switch instruments you need a little period of time to
adjust. I think it won't be a big problem. 
All the best. 
Joints Hurt?
LeeVaris - 6-19-2004 at 01:39 PM
Hey Bill,
I feel your pain buddy...
I've been having the same problem with my left hand! Its definitely not an issue with the pressure required on the strings - I'm used to
playing an acoustic 12 string guitar and I gotta tell you NOTHING is worse than that. My own feeling is that its partly age (I'm 50), partly an
unfamiliar hand position (your left hand approaches the neck at a different angle) but mostly that I'm loving the instrument so much that I
don't put it down long enough between practice sessions and I'm practicing too long at one time.
I suspect that you overplayed yourself a bit there with your last practice session. You'll recover. My finger joints have been hurting for over
two months now but it is getting better and I haven't really been giving it any rest (too stubborn).
billkilpatrick - 6-20-2004 at 11:03 PM
how often is it that one gets several pieces of advise - all of them are accurate?
i lowered the tension, checked the action, eased-up on the pressure and bit the bullet...
my hand still hurts, though.
many thanks - bill