Musical Practice and Performance Stack Exchange
Musical Practice and Performance Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [health]

Questions about how playing or listening to music affects a person's mental or physical condition or vice versa, how a state of health affects the ability to play or perform music.

92 questions
35
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7 answers

How can I safely extend my vocal range?

What type of vocal exercises should I be looking for? Are there any temporary influences to the vocal range, like having had a drink?
Tamara Wijsman
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35
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14 answers

Arthritis In Hands (Playing With Pain In Hands) - Are There Recommended Approaches?

I have been playing guitar for 12 years now and I'm 28. I am under treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis (R.A.) and was wondering if anyone who has R.A., or other pain in their hands, has any approaches they have used to reduced their pain when…
bn01
27
votes
7 answers

Why does my thumb hurt when I play bar chords?

Certain chords cause my thumb to be sore. How can I play in a way to prevent this?
gak
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21
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4 answers

Is cold water bad for the throat?

Will cold water affect our throat / voice if we drink it before singing? Also, in the long run (say if you drink cold water everyday), will cold water cause the throat / voice to be "lousy"?
Pacerier
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19
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4 answers

Ways to warm up vocal cords?

What are some safe ways to get my vocal cords without over using them before a practice or performance?
Tyler Brown
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16
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6 answers

Causes of sharp pain in a fretting finger after playing guitar or bass?

I have been playing guitar and bass for about 20 years now and I have noticed that sometimes, particularly in the last five years, I will do something with my fretting hand that causes a sharp pain in the finger that leaves the tip very sensitive…
glenatron
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16
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9 answers

Can smoking allow a singer to sing in a way a non smoker couldn't?

A lot is said about how singers shouldn't smoke because smoking ruins their voices. However, there are certain singers known for being smokers who also have a typical hoarse smoky voice. When I listen to them I can't shake off the feeling that there…
gaazkam
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16
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3 answers

Why can't wearing both ear muffs (whether passive or active) and earplugs simultaneously yield more than 36 dB noise reduction ratio (NRR)?

I read on Wikipedia: Using both ear muffs (whether passive or active) and earplugs simultaneously results in maximum protection, but the efficacy of such combined protection relative to preventing permanent ear damage is inconclusive, with evidence…
Franck Dernoncourt
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13
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2 answers

How do I know when to stop singing?

Assuming you complete a vocal warmup, I'm wondering how you know when you've overdone it and should stop singing. Is it normal to feel a bit of strain in the vocal chords? How much strain should you feel?
bobobobo
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13
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18 answers

How can a guitarist treat and avoid lateral epicondylitis in the fretting arm?

I've been playing guitar (both electric and acoustic) pretty seriously for about a year, 2-3 hours a day most days. I couple months ago I developed tendonitis in my fretting arm, which my doctor diagnosed as lateral epicondylitis, i.e. tennis elbow.…
Scott Barta
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13
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9 answers

Should I worry about painful fingertips?

I just started to learn playing the (electric only for now) guitar, and I love it! I've read on a few pages that it was normal for my fingertips (those that I use on the fret board) to hurt in the beginning, but I was wondering whether or not I…
Anthony Labarre
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11
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11 answers

What to do when we have back pain from playing guitar after a while?

What should I do when I start having back pain every 10min after playing? I sit down and change position but the pain continues. Every player has to support the weight of the guitar if playing electric guitar right? Are there lightweight guitars?…
user3533
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11
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5 answers

Playing trombone with a beard?

I've just picked up trombone, for the first time. I find it really enjoyable to play, but I'm having trouble with my beard and mustache. As far as I can tell, it doesn't affect the sound at all, but after a while playing, the area above and below my…
naught101
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14 answers

What instruments can a four-year-old with left-side paralysis begin to learn/hope to ever learn?

My four-year-old sister has tragically suffered left side paralysis from a brain injury. Because she's so young, her brain is remarkably plastic, and a lot of functionality has returned. She can walk, she can talk, and cognitively, she's fine. Her…
General Nuisance
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11
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4 answers

What can I do to minimize damage to my picking hand wrist as I practice guitar?

My right hand (picking hand) is showing signs of carpal tunnel syndrome, and is slowly, but surely, degrading. I continue to practice guitar, but it's beginning to be difficult to do so. What can I do to reduce any (additional) damage to my wrist…
blueberryfields
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