**** that tough love! Doesn't seem fair, but exactly what I would have said to any number of the athletes that I coach and have coached over the years.Sorry to hear about your arthritic fingers, but I’m not going to let you off the hook so easily. I understand the index finger and pinky of your left hand are fully functional. You can play, period! Just because you think your condition doesn’t make for quality bass playing, you’re gonna deprive yourself of the pleasure to play? You want to quit?
You’ll never know how good you can get if you quit now. Even if you can’t meet your own expectations, that’s no reason to give up. I’m sorry, but it sounds like an excuse to me. I can’t be as good as (name your bass player) so I’ll quit. Well, most of us can’t be as good as whoever. Otherwise, we would be up there with them.
Let me tell you about condition and frustration. You know, it’s been bugging me for a long time, and I think it’s a good time to share it with everybody. Maybe it will change your mind MikeB and you won’t give up after all.
I’m 52 now and about three years ago I was stricken with bilateral Meniere’s disease. Most people are not familiar with this incurable condition, so let me explain it briefly. Unpredictable vertigo attacks, fluctuating tinnitus (ringing in the ears), pressure or fullness in the head and ears, nausea, balance problems, and progressive deafness. That’s what the disease leads to. Symptoms can be alleviated with medication, but not all of them and not completely. I am one of the rare cases with both sides affected so surgery is not recommended.
So how do I cope with it, and how can I even dare engage in music? I do use hearing aids and headphones over them. It sucks I tell you. Fluctuating tinnitus and distortion it introduces, gives me the most frustration. Playing guitar, bass or piano brings relief though, and briefly improves the hearing itself. It doesn’t always work this way, but music does seem to have some healing properties. It’s my therapy for keeping sanity, and I will keep playing for as long as I am able to. Quitting is not an option.
Most of you are probably not familiar with Steve Krenz and Gibson’s Learn & Master Guitar, but let me tell you something. He does live lessons and invites outstanding guitarists from time to time to share their knowledge with the students. Some of them have physical disabilities, one was born blind, and yet none of those disabilities prevented them from becoming great players.
Don’t judge yourself or your progress MikeB. Don’t do it for me or anybody else. Do it for yourself. Don’t quit!
You guys suck ( but I mean that in the nicest way )
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