Q As a longtime fan of David Wilcox, I have found your guide to his tunings in the November/December 1994 issue indispensable. Could you tell me what tunings he used on East Ashville Hardware and Turning Point, as well as on the re-release of his first album, Nightshift Watchman?
John I. Gray, Richmond, Virginia
A We contacted Wilcox's management, and they were able to provide us with the following tunings, which ought to keep you busy for the next few years.
East Asheville Hardware
"Blow 'em Away": D A D G A D, capo II
"Johnny's Camaro": dropped D
(D A D G B E), capo I
"East Asheville Hardware": dropped D
"Top of My Head": standard
"Dangerous": D A D G A D
"Roadside Art": standard
"You Should See the Way": D A D G B D
"Catch Me if I Try": D A D G A D
"Down Inside Yourself": standard
"For Real": dropped D, capo I
"Mango": open C (C G C G C E)
"Levi Blues": standard
"Fearless Love": dropped D
"Barbie": D A D G A D, capo II
"After Your Orgasm": D A D G A D, capo II
"Golden Day": C G D G B D, capo III
Turning Point
"Show Me the Key": C G D G A D, capo II
"Silent Prayer": C G D G A D, capo I
"Western Ridge": C G C F G C
"Glory": standard, tuned down a whole step
"Kindness": D A D F# A D
"Spin": D A D G A D, capo I
"Tattered Old Kite": D A D E G C
"Right Now": B G D G B D, partial capo IV, strings 1Ð5
"Human Cannonball": dropped D, capo II
"Secret Church": G D G A B G
"Turning Point": E A C# E A E
"Waffle House": dropped D, down a whole step (C G C F A D)
Nightshift Watchman
"Nightshift": D G D G B D, capo V
"Frozen in the Snow": D A D F# A D
"Daddy's Money": dropped D, capo I
"That's Why I'm Laughing": D A D E A D
"Come Away to Sea": C G C F C E, capo IV
"It's Almost Time": C G D G B D, capo II
"Gone to Santa Fe": E A D F# A E
"Golden Key": D A D F# A D
"Do I Dare": D A D G A D, capo IV
"High Hill": C G D G A D, capo IV
"Sunshine on the Land": dropped D, capo II
--Teja Gerken
Q Can you put nylon strings on a steel-string without damaging the guitar? If so, what gauge would you suggest?
Blake Merken, San Diego, California
A Putting nylon strings on a guitar that is designed for steel strings won't do any harm, but there are several factors to consider. Unless your guitar has a pinless bridge, you will have to use strings equipped with ball ends, such as D'Addario Folk Nylons or La Bella Folksingers. Furthermore, the treble slots of the nut will have to be enlarged to accommodate the thicker strings. Other necessary adjustments might include loosening the truss rod to straighten a neck that is back-bowed due to the lower string tension.
Most guitars that were designed for steel strings end up sounding bad when strung with nylon strings because there isn't enough tension to move the top properly. Some saddle-mounted pickups may also produce problematic results on such instruments, as they are designed for the stronger downward pressure of steel strings. Unless your guitar has a wider-than-usual neck, you might also find that the string spacing feels uncomfortably narrow when you use thicker strings.
If you are looking for greater ease of playing, I would recommend that you try silk-and-steel strings. These combine the qualities of nylon-string basses with the trebles of an extra-light steel-string set. If you are switching from a standard set of light-gauge strings, you probably won't need any modifications to your guitar, except for a possible truss rod adjustment.
--Teja Gerken
Q I sometimes find that my neck and right shoulder become achy or numb and continue to be so long after I set down my six-string. What can you tell me about proper guitar-playing posture and physical therapy for instrumentally induced injuries?
J. S. Yauck, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
A This important topic has been neglected by many of us. Musicians stress their bodies just as much as athletes do, but we are often unaware of the need to tend to the ramifications. There are numerous variables to consider, and it's impossible to estimate your specific problems without seeing you. How big is your guitar, and how heavy? Is your strap narrow or wide? When you sit down to play, do you use a footstool? Do you cross your legs? All of these issues and more will affect your physical health.
The age-old rejoinder "sit up straight" will certainly serve you well. The underlying idea is that you don't want to contort your body when you play. Do you grimace or twist when you emote or pull off a difficult passage? Such gestures are a sign that you are straining. When you are playing correctly, your moves will appear effortless. Try practicing in front of a mirror. Watch for the moments when you tighten or contract. The signs may be subtle. Does an elbow drop at a certain spot? Do you squinch your face? Does a shoulder come up? Check out your entire body at the instant such things happen. It's likely that you are tensing muscles somewhere without even realizing it. Continue playing while you consciously relax the area. This is one simple solution that yields very good results. You are taking control and building new habits. A teacher should also be able to identify the areas of your body that are tensing when you play. In my experience, classical teachers are the most educated in this area.
If you experience numbness or tingling in your body when you play your guitar, it is very important that you stop playing right away. Put your instrument down, walk around, and gently stretch. Some people like to shake their hands to loosen their muscles and encourage circulation. If you do this, do it gently. I see students whip their hands around as if they were trying to shake them off at the wrist. If you have chronic pain or a pre-existing condition, you should see a doctor, preferably one who specializes in music medicine. The aching is probably due to unperceived and unwanted tightening in your muscles while you are playing. The numbness and tingling suggest nerves that are being pinched. You shouldn't play through such messages from your body. It is possible to damage yourself permanently. Again, see a physician specializing in the issues of instrumentalists to investigate what is going on in your situation.
Take a ten-minute break every hour that you practice. Be as disciplined about this as you are about the other aspects of your practice routine. Lee F. Ryan has written an excellent book, The Natural Classical Guitar (Bold Strummer), that provides information useful to players of any style.
--Gary Joyner
Q In the December 1997 For Beginners column, Dale Miller advocates the importance of building up strength and coordination with the left-hand pinky. Could you discuss exercises (sans guitar) that increase strength and dexterity in the pinky and other fingers?
Jeff Fehn, Richmond, Virginia
A Exercises away from the guitar can be very beneficial, especially if your lifestyle and/or job keeps you separated from your instrument for long periods of time. One technique for warming up I learned from the late French guitarist Marcel Dadi is to shake both hands vigorously before playing. Cellist and Alexander Technique teacher Julie Russell talked about the importance of having your entire body support your fingers. "Freedom of movement in the elbow and shoulder joints and wrist will allow freedom of movement in the [finger] muscles," she said. She also suggested the following exercise. Place your left hand on a wooden tabletop with your fingers arched so your calluses are in contact with the wood. Tap your fingers one at a time on the tabletop and work so that each finger produces the same tone--so that a listener would not be able to tell which finger was which. Begin by tapping in a set order like 1, 2, 3, 4. Then vary the order: 3, 1, 4, 2, etc., while continuing to make sure that all your fingers are producing the same tone.
I also checked in with the U.C. San Francisco Medical Center's hand clinic. Hand therapist Judy Bray was very high on a device called the Digi-Flex, which is available from North Coast Medical ([800] 235-7054). Bray told me this gizmo puts your fingers into the "intrinsic minus" or "hooked fist" position, which is evidently good. She also mentioned exercise putty as a valuable aid.
There are also other gizmos and books sold through guitar shops. Devices include the Grip-Master, which works much like the Digi-Flex, and the Gripp Hand Trainer. A good book for guitar-related finger exercises is Isometrics for the Guitarist (Hal Leonard).
--Dale Miller
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