datamusicata

On Friday night last, Corky Siegel (www.chamberblues.com) and I did a house concert in Napa, California. The show was sold out and we had forty people on the waiting list. I love it when that happens. And it was the first time that Corky and I actually did a show together. He as sat in with me, but I’ve never actually sat in with him, and for those of you who are unfamiliar with his work, he is one of the greatest blues harmonica players in the world.

I rarely use the blues scales in my work, though I believe that my compositions are informed by traces of the blues, as that is the ubiquitous and original musical form to evolve in America. In any event, I was a little daunted to be playing my lame solo’s against what he was bringing to the party, so I played lot’s of fun rhythmic stuff to support what he was doing , I played too hard at some points. I ended up tearing the nail on my right index finger right back to the quick. Ouch.

Avery sensitive area and I played so hard ( I don’t use picks anymore) that it was throbbing and bleeding, and Corky and I had four more shows to do.

I was in a quandary as to how to play like I play with this finger that I couldn’t bear to touch. I have used finger picks and flat picks too on occasion, but I play the way I play with my fingers, so I was really worried that I couldn’t be as good as I am.

The first thing that I did was to soak it in apple cider vinegar for an hour. It smells not too wonderful and it stings, for about half of that time, but it really heals your soreness in a hurry. It is great for burns, cuts and abrasions, though it really does sting. But it takes the hurt away, so that I could go to the next step in my emergency “get a nail” routine.

I have used crazy glue in the past so first I tried that, but it didn’t last thru a song at rehearsal the next day and it hurt like hell. Corky offered some transpore tape, which I had never heard of. As he handed it to me, I thought it looked a little like the fiberglass they use on surfboards and I got an idea.

I glued my nail down again, then I cut a piece just a little longer than my damaged nail. I put some more glue on my nail and put the tape over that. Then patted it down and put more glue on top of that, after which I put another layer of tape and glue. I did this three times and then let it set for several hours without touching my guitar.

I know that crazy glue adheres in moments, but it takes several hours for it to really harden. That night I did my show and the nail was so hard that my finger didn’t even hurt playing against the strings in a variety of strums, pickings and hammering on.

I don’t know why I never thought of it before, but I offer it to you. If you break, bend or tail a nail, try the transpore tape and several layers to build a laminate. It will hold up for a three hour concert and after the show, repair the damage.

By the next night it will be hard as a rock and you can continue.

At the end of the run of shows, I peeled it off and filed the excess glue off because, though it works great, it does make your nail look creepy. Small price to pay for being able to do a good show.