Let’s face it … making music is all about the hands. Sure, we’ve got to understand what we’re actually doing if we want to get really good. (Thank you, Color Music.) But it’s just as important to have nice, flexible fingers. After all, your hands are what connect your brain with your instrument. So if your hands ain’t workin’, then everything stops.
That’s why it’s totally important to take care of your hands … and treat ‘em like babies. (That is, if you’re good with babies….) Because if your fingers are in good shape, then your music will sound better.
Don’t get me wrong … I’m not saying we all should go out and get a manicure every Saturday night. But as a rule of thumb, try doing the following and you’ll be able to make music for a long, long time:
- Try not to crack your knuckles
- Keep your hands warm (wear fingerless gloves if you have to play in cold weather)
- Use hand lotion if your skin gets really dry
- Always do finger warm-ups before you play (gently stretching your hands for better flexibility)
- Trim your nails (for better sensation and grip), and finally …
- Avoid rock climbing, fist fights, and other activities that might mangle your hands
That last one is especially good advice … in general, really. Because a broken hand is a sad hand. Of course, you’ll sometimes hear about musicians who live on the edge and do crazy stuff with their hands. (Like Richard Hughes of the band, Keane—who is an avid rock climber. Or Kid Rock—who has an odd reputation for punching people.) But most of the time, musicians take it easy when it comes to their fingers.
So the bottom line is this: Take care of your digits … because your music depends on it. As they (should) say, “Happy hands make great musicians.”