cold hands

[*punk_rock_sophie*]

does any one else find it really hard to play when they cold hands? must be something to do with stiff muscles!
i was bored so just thought i would menchion that!

[kong88888]

my theory:

when you're cold, your veins contract, so less heat is lost as they are further from the surface of the skin (vasoconstriction i think its called), so theres less blood flow...meaning less control. Makes sense i think.

[PDWAB]

Yeah, that happens to me all the time. I just usually make myself a cup of hot cocoa :D

[doogul]

Yup, I have the exact same problem...especially if it's a faster piece that requires a lot of precision. Good suggestion PDWAB! :) I usually just wait until my hands are a little bit warmer. It usually hits me in the morning and in the evening, and in cold weather of course!

[Cecillianne]

I hate it when I perform in somewhere really cold, and it strikes me right before I start playing. Screw ups are very inevitable :(

[Random_Anibas]

There's a little trick you can use when you have cold hands... if you stand with your arms out in front of you and concentrate just past the ends of your fingers as if they're slightly longer than they are, I find it helps them warm up. You might look like a twat, but at least when you sit down and play you can make anyone who laughs at you eat their words :D

[Speedy Fingers]

I use that trick too, it does it fairly fast too!!

[*punk_rock_sophie*]

ok, i just tried it, and it didnt work, i dont really get it! i have to stare at the ends of my fingers?!

[Random_Anibas]

You stare just past the ends of your fingers, as if you're trying to mentally stretch them...

[*punk_rock_sophie*]

oh i see! wow, yer, good tip!

[Shagz]

I find a what a good think to do is just to do some chords to get the blood pumping or pump my hands so the blood comes through but that works for me at times but everyone has their own way of warming up cold hands though.

[*punk_rock_sophie*]

i just try to wear gloves before i play

[Pastry Man]

i hate having cold hands and playing cos it makes me play really unevenly and i find it difficult to play fast trills and things like that. which is annoying. it happens wen i play the guitar or bass as well. coldness, grrr. i find if i jus go through some scales my hands warm up.

[PianoDan]

It usually takes me about 20 minutes of good solid playing before my hands are properly warmed up. It's annoying when I'm in some concert or competition or whatever and they're cold. Sometimes I don't have too much of a problem, though, I think it's because I get nervous and my hands start to sweat... it's weird.

Scales are good for warming up.

[Pastry Man]

if your at a concert, competition or doing a big performance then you want to take extreme measureses to ensure warm hands.

[PianoDan]

You do want to take extreme measures, but sometimes you simply can't. The best you can do then is wear gloves and sit on your hands, but this only keeps them from getting cold, it doesn't "warm" the fingers up to playing.