Death Grip

feadogin · Post by **feadogin** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 7:32 pm

You're scaring me....

Post by **Nanohedron** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 7:41 pm

That's my hands after playing for a while.

Cynth · Post by **Cynth** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 7:45 pm

What's that outfit you're wearing? That's scaring me....

feadogin · Post by **feadogin** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 7:46 pm

Oh, I thought you were about to tickle someone!

Post by **Nanohedron** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 7:47 pm

Cynth wrote:What's that outfit you're wearing? That's scaring me....

Please, Cynth. Try to stay on topic.

Cynth · Post by **Cynth** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 7:48 pm

Nanohedron wrote:
Cynth wrote:What's that outfit you're wearing? That's scaring me....
Please, Cynth. Try to stay on topic.

feadogin · Post by **feadogin** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 7:50 pm

She is on topic! We are talking about the scary picture!

Post by **Nanohedron** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 7:50 pm

Seriously, though, any recommendations for "death grip"? It's getting better, but it seems to me I'm at the stage where I have to really pay attention to relax. And sometimes it actually works, too.

Post by **Nanohedron** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 7:53 pm

feadogin wrote:She is on topic! We are talking about the scary picture!

Death Grip is scary. Baron von Raschke (the gentleman in the photo) looks like a rather charming fellow, if a bit eccentric.

feadogin · Post by **feadogin** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 7:55 pm

Aww, so serious!

I recommend you get a light reed. That helps a lot. Whenever I am having reed problems, that's when my death grip gets worse.

I also try practicing while keeping my thumbs off the chanter, since that's where I get the most pain.

J.

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 8:00 pm

He's (baron, the CLAW) actually a really nice fella. I met him many, many years ago at an Italian fast food joint (Sbarros, at Towne Square in downtown St. Paul MN) where I worked as a chef. He and his family came in fairly often for lunch on the weekends. Nice family.

You get rid of the death grip by forcing yourself to not hold the chanter tightly. It takes a concerted effort at first, but eventually as you become more accustomed to piping, you can focus less and less on the death grip.

Post by **Nanohedron** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 8:05 pm

feadogin wrote:Aww, so serious! :

I thought I was being "dry".

feadogin wrote:I recommend you get a light reed. That helps a lot. Whenever I am having reed problems, that's when my death grip gets worse.

Thanks. I can see how that would do it. My reed's playing medium-to-light right now, I think. I'm seeing my grip woes are more along the lines of, "Oh, crap. Here comes that triplet again"...

feadogin wrote:I also try practicing while keeping my thumbs off the chanter, since that's where I get the most pain.

J.

Double thanks! I hadn't thought of that. Someone also mentioned to me the idea of controlling the chanter with the left hand, which paradoxically tends to relax both. Anyone heard of this? Any credence to it?

djm · Post by **djm** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 8:05 pm

Same old advice - try playing without the thumb on the bottom hand touching the chanter. That usually helps for the bottom hand. For the top hand, try playing back d with just the corner tip of the thumb instead of the flat of the thumb. Its not as effective for death grip, but you have to cover the back d hole. Its uncomfortable enough that it will discourage you from squeezing too hard.

djm

Cynth · Post by **Cynth** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 8:08 pm

Okay, I can see the one hand, your right I think, that is being held out in front of you. But what is it that you do while playing the pipes that would result in your left hand gripping your forearm that way?

Seriously. Here is an article that ausdag gave that I found very helpful for learning to relax:
http://galaris.com/modules.php?op=modlo ... =0&thold=0
The idea is that you do have to really pay attention to relax.

This was a discussion about death grip that I bookmarked, it had some good ideas I thought:
http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=32408

I think it is good to take breaks. These are some hand care exercises for flute players, but I use them when I practice the whistle:
http://www.mindspring.com/~shin-on/handcare.html

Since I have never played the pipes, I think you can feel confident that my information is quite unbiased.