Why I wear GLOVES. The real reason... (my journey of dealing with Focal dystonia)
"Why do you wear gloves?" is a really commonly asked question across all of our platforms, and truth be told, I don't always do a good enough job at telling that story, and how it ties into this KZhead channel and the SBL Academy.
But with the recent release of "The Devine King Project Volume 1", my first solo album, I felt it was a good time to talk about it, especially because the gloves also play into why I've waited so long to actually put out any music of my own.
-Scott
🔥 Enter the FREE Giveaway now → sbl.link/3EXegni
🎵 Listen to "The Devine King Project, Vol. 1" → open.spotify.com/album/7po5Z8...
📖 Get the FREE album eBook → sbl.link/469YfGj
===
GET MORE BASS TIPS 👇
_________________________________________________________________
🙌 Be the first to know - SUBSCRIBE now → bit.ly/sub-to-sbl-yt
🔓 Unlock your FREE trial to transform your bass playing → bit.ly/3fXt4cI
ABOUT SCOTT’S BASS LESSONS (SBL)
_________________________________________________________________
As the largest online bass education platform in the world, with an ever-expanding course library and 40,000+ active members, Scott’s Bass Lessons (SBL) has everything you need to master the bass, all in one place.
Featuring beginner level bass lessons, engaging courses from expert instructors, step-by-step development curricula, direct feedback on your playing, real-time mentorship from A-list bassists and a thriving and incredibly supportive community, SBL is the perfect platform to uplevel your bass playing, whether you’re a total beginner, or an advanced pro-level bassist.
Try SBL Membership today! → bit.ly/3fXt4cI
RECOMMENDED BASS PLAYLIST
_________________________________________________________________
Catch up with SBL Content you’ve missed:
➡️ • SBL Full Video Playlist
#bassguitarlessons #bassforbeginners #easybasslines
LINKS & OTHER RESOURCES
_________________________________________________________________
Tune in to our Weekly Podcast:
🎧 sblpodcast.buzzsprout.com/share
Explore our free courses:
🎸 freebasscourses.com
Try our FREE GrooveTrainer App:
📱 scottsbasslessons.com/groove-...
I shared the old video of your diagnosis and solution with my physician wife. Years later, she saw a patient who was exhibiting a focal dystonia, but the patient was really only annoyed that she couldn't apply makeup anymore. My wife remembered your video, put a nitrile exam glove on the woman's hand, and to her surprise the dystonia subsided. Huge win for the patient, thanks to your sharing!
Thanks so much for sharing that, so glad to hear that your wife managed to apply the glove sensory trick to her patient!! 🧡🧡🧡
That's great to hear. All the best to the patient
Praying for you.
I do hope that the people who were being cruel have the understanding after this video that this is a serious problem. Thanks for being so open and kept going as your a great bass player and this is one of the best channels on KZhead with the variation of content! Keep the faith 🙏🏼
an you please tell me what is the brand or exact type of gloves you use?@@devinebass
Man, I guess I've been hanging around for too long. I thought everyone knew why you wore the gloves. I guess it's always a good idea to get the new folks caught up to speed. Good video!
Here I am thinking that there was some unknown truth....and I don't feel like I was around for that long...... ....but then again....I've been around over 4yrs. Wow.
Hey there! We're all about spreading the bass knowledge to both new and seasoned players. Thanks for being part of our awesome bass community! 🎸🤘🎶
Same! I thought it was common knowledge and everyone was hip to it by now!!
Yeah, so did I until I tipped my best friend on his album and he told me « Erf, I don’t like him playing with gloves » and I had to explained him
I never even thought twice about it. I'm a "you do you" kinda guy. I've played with gloves on for outdoor shows due to poor circulation. Keep up with the great videos man!
3:56 The beginning of the answer. 7:17 The technical term for the issue 12:00 Discovering a solution 13:44 How the solution works
Or.. I don't mean this in a nasty way, people could just watch the whole vid? Sounds like it was a pretty rough thing to go through so don't think taking up 27 minutes of my time to watch it all for all the amazing content Scott's provided is that much to ask, and hats off to him for talking about it
@@alangrafton923nah get to the point.
@@alangrafton923 I watched it all as I always do, and didn't take your comment as an insult. It was, however, a passive aggressive approach in letting me know that you would've preferred that I not mention key points and their timelines. Fortunately, I made it all day without concerning myself with other's opinions and will probably make the rest of the way as well. Of course, I didn't mean that in a nasty way. 👍😉
@@alangrafton923some people (like me) have attention issues, so that comment us actually really nice
@@alangrafton923 The video really did start off like a "one weird trick" advertisement. He waffled on for a solid 4 minutes before coming close making any kind of traction towards any kind of point. The "there's one weird problem that countless musicians don't know they have, and I'm going to tell you about it in a minute" narrative could reasonably set off the spam detector in a lot of people's minds. Adding the timestamps in the comments shows that the video isn't a deliberate waste of time - which it isn't. It's a good video, with a poorly executed intro.
I am a clinical psychologist that works in traumatic brain injury rehabilitation. This is not something I have encountered but I will pass this along to my PT and OT colleagues. One incidental benefit for your audience is, when you're teaching, the white gloves help to highlight where your fingers are on the frets! So happy for you and grateful that the glove correct the issue, seemingly like eye glasses correct eyesight. We love ya brother!
🧡🧡🧡
Dystonia is *very* common following severe brain trauma, typically affecting areas on the right side of the body: hand, foot, neck/upper back and jaw. There is a great deal of literature on the topic.
Agreed. The white gloves work great for a teaching scenario whereas if I were playing live in a club, I'd probably opt for a more subtle neutral look or even black gloves.
As a bass player of 32 years with 3 separate physical disabilities (tendonitis, arthritis, and a nerve disorder), I'm extremely grateful that you talk openly about this. More people need to understand that they aren't alone.
Guitar player here with the same problems. I play in pain!
Similar here and I also developed a nickel allergy so my fingertips open up with cuts if I play bare handed. Need to try some nickel-free strings, but I'm very ill in many ways so performing is certainly out of the question.
Okay blind guy here with a similar problem. what kind of gloves are these and where can I find them?
@@vandalorianvandalorian4769 Yeah, me too. I still get far more joy from playing than the pain can take away, so I deal with the pain.
@@brute2171 I don't know about that. My nerve disorder is different (more about sensitivity and increased pain), so I don't use the gloves.
Not only did you not give up, you kept your dream alive AND helped thousands of aspiring bass players to boot. That's quite an inspiring story! Good on you, brother. ❤
Never gonna give (bass) up. Never gonna let (bass) dowwwwn.
@@nugboy420 Expertly-played, good sir.
@@BacheweyChomp5150 my 9 year old son just learned the joys of the Rick Roll, so it’s been in my head lol.
Hey Scott, I'm a professional jazz pianist and I've had severe focal dystonia since I graduated college in 2017. I took 3 years off playing, and during that time I moved to NYC to study the Taubman Approach with Edna Golandsky. I completely left my old technique in the past, and I had to stop any of the movements that caused symptoms (isolated finger movements for example) both on and off the piano. Since 2021 I've been back to gigging, and I sure do appreciate it now more than ever before! Currently recording my 2nd album with my trio and some horn players on certain tracks. I 100% relate to what you said about not feeling good having everything riding on one or two recording days back to back. For this reason, I've spent the past few years building a home studio to record in so I can take all the time I need (among other reasons!). No gloves for me, and I definitely have FD still, but I've learned how to do what I need to do on and off the piano without those movements. I've changed how I type, hold a cup, shake hands with folks, and more. The good thing about solving it this way is that when I play with 100% correct technique, I have crazy endurance because it feels effortless. The hard part is trying to stay 100% without going back to any old habits while in the moment improvising haha. Definitely still on the journey. I'd be happy to chat sometime more about it if you're curious. Cheers.
Wow Scott... 6 years ago??? That's about a year after I started playing the bass, you were my first teacher and you also taught me English! I started when I was like 13 yrs old and I had some level of English and knew nothing about music, but watching you for hours and hours I learned scales, chords and also English Grammar and pronunciation. It took a few days but I started watching your videos without subtitles! Thank you so much!
The glove is a game changer. The guitar player in my band gets really bad eczema every winter, to the point where he couldn't play. I saw your videos and we talked about the glove. He tried it and it really helped. You do what you have to to keep making music. Thanks for putting yourself out there.
Interesting. I also play bass and guitar while dealing with eczema (although my playing is not at a high level). I've experienced things like the webbing between fingers splitting in mid-session when playing with friends. Do you know which gloves your guitarist is using?
@@lockharthorsburgh8601 You and the OP's guitar friend should get a nickel allergy test if you can get in with a dermatologist. I had years of the eczema you described and that ended up being the answer. If there's a long wait time to see a dermatologist, a less reliable DIY way to test I've heard about is to tape a nickel coin to the back of your hand for 24 hours or so and see if anything crops up. If your results come back positive, let me know and I can go into the laundry list of de-nickeling tips.
I'll have to try that. I get really bad eczema in the winter too. I've found that applying a very thick hand cream like okeefe's often throughout the day and washing it right off before playing makes it mild enough on my fingers that I can play with minimal issues but combining the two might fix the issues I do still have. Is there a specific glove he uses?
For those asking, he has tried a few and found them to be comparable, like this one from Sweetwater, "Musician's Practice Gloves Guitar/Bass Glove" for $10.
I have a nickel allergy, my fingertips literally open up in cuts if I play guitar with bare hands. You can get nickel-free strings but I haven't tried them yet.
A real serious issue. I know a professional violin player who Is affected by focal dystonia and he gave up playing violin except for teaching (just a few demonstrating during his lessons) and he's now even a conductor. You're brave, and you play so good even though you're not allowed to practice a lot. I support you! Ciao from Italy
Man, I knew why you wore the gloves from way back, but I didn't realize that even with the gloves you could only play so little. Considering your amazing bass prowess, I am incredibly inspired! You are one tenacious dude!👍 Fun fact: Scott Kinsey and I went to Berklee together in the 80s and played together quite a lot. I think I still have a VHS recording of my first recital with Scott in the band!
I went to Berklee back in the 80s as well, and your name sounds familiar, so I'm thinking that we may know each other, I'm Glenn Navia, and I was an MP&E guy (and, of course, a bass player). LOL, do we know each other? :)
Thanks for sharing your story. I play bass, synths, guitar, and a little bit of classical guitar. I was run over by a truck and broke my left shoulder and right wrist. I now have a degenerative issue in my right wrist and I still have a broken shoulder after 2 years and have nerve issues in my left arm that particularly affects my left hand. I have few other disabilities too. It's cool to see other musicians out there doing it who are working around the issues they have and sharing their music with the world. I had to start playing a short scale bass for a couple of years and just recently I'm back on the jazz bass. I still can't play my Steinberger. I practice every day and little by little I'm getting back to things. I have also recently picked up the classical guitar. I can reach the 3rd fret with my current range. I believe I need music to live. It's got me through so much in my life. Congratulations on the new music. Can't wait to see the doco and hear all the songs. How exciting!
Scott have helped teach and instill a love of bass to hundreds of thousands of players. You have made more music, through your viewers, than most people on this planet.
You really are an inspiration Scott! The fact that you did not give up on what you love and found a life hack to continue playing is amazing within itself, but to also creat SBL, which is without a doubt one of the greatest educational music platforms in existence. Well that just goes to show how much you love people. To take the time that you can play, and use it to educate. I know there are many of us that are grateful for the site. So thank you!!! And the album is fantastic!!!!!!!!
As a longtime, lifelong subscriber and supporter of SBL and the Team at SBL, kudos for this video!!!! I can't imagine how many times Scott has been asked and how many times he has ANSWERED the question about the gloves. As a healthcare provider, kudos to you for bringing the awareness of the condition of Focal Dystonia to light and educating those with and without the condition. From a production and PR perspective, you should leave a link in all future posts (and even previous posts) on social media, leading back to this video, which is a fantastic and thorough explanation and solution for Focal Dystonia. Second, start a non-profit to assist musicians, and others, not fortunate enough to have the health coverage or financial means to treat Focal Dystonia. Kudos and godspeed Scott and the SBL Team.
The only thing I wanna say is “Respect”. Such courage and devotion to music. I salute you!
Scott, thanks for sharing. My heart sank hearing what the 1st specialist told you. I'm glad you didn't give up! This is by far my favorite KZhead channel, and it's been such a joy watching it grow the past 7 or 8 years since finding it. Congratulations on the album, cant wait to hear it! Much love from the USA 🇺🇸 ❤️
It speaks to the insane level of dedication and love you show for bass and music in general by pushing through such a mentally exhausting disorder. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for continuing to be the inspirational figure you are. Bassists like yourself are the reason we have such a strong and beautiful community of love and respect! BTW the new album is absolutely amazing! Been on repeat since I got access!! 🤙🤙
It seem to have gotten worse, from the first time I saw you talk about it. But you are still going AND recorded an album. Your motivation and persistence are astounding!
🧡🧡🧡 Thanks for the warm words!
Thank you, Scott. I am sharing this with a musician friend who is suffering from this; I hope this helps. You have my complete sympathy with your affliction. I hope they find a cure.
You're very welcome! We're glad you found this information valuable and hope it can provide support and inspiration to your musician friend. 🎶🤝 We appreciate your kind words and well wishes. 🙏
So there it is folks: dont let the challenges beat you! Nice one Scott. You do amazing content!
🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻
I feel emotional about this, I really believe that you Scott have a very unique voice on bass and eventually you get to talk to us with it. The passion and love for art and music (and life) is visible from miles, and i guess you will manifest it through that album. Can’t wait to give it a listen❤
Scott I started watching your videos back in 2012 because I wanted to level up my bass playing. Your videos provided me with such strong fundamentals and great practice routines. 10 years later I'm playing in bands and hopping in on jam sessions with confidence. So grateful for all you've done and continue to do for bassists around the world!
Ahhh that's awesome, glad to hear the videos have helped!! 🙌🏻🧡🔥
This is good to talk about. It's very difficult to rock for close to 40 years and get "the claw" from arthritis. This could help a lot of afflictions. Thanks for being candid about this.
I always assumed that you did it to save your string life. Had no idea you were going through something like this. Your knowledge and talent at music in general is inspiring! Thank you for your videos!
Never knew why you used the gloves, but I actually, after checking this channel, started to play with a left glove. On my right I play with bare hands, but on the left I pretty much enjoy gloves. They don't mess with tone in a fretted, and my style asks for old strings, so slides were so painful. Not anymore, took me little adaption and made my left hand much more fast and crazy, slides became the norm, and I still practice barehanded, but live I play with a glove. Sorry for your condition and happy you found a solution. Your solution actually made me find a solution for my situation, so, from the beggining and specially now knowing the story, respect for the gloves!
Mate, credit to you for hanging in there and I can see how much you love playing! I'm sure this will be an encouragement😊 to many
🧡🧡🧡
I have a tremor which I've had for as long as I can remember, very different to yours. But I am always comforted by your story and to know that actually it's not just me out there, who has that challenge of overcoming a hurdle before being able to play freely. ❤
We're glad to provide comfort and inspiration through Scott's journey. Music transcends challenges, and your dedication to overcoming hurdles is truly admirable. Keep playing and grooving! 🎶🤗
I just thought it was because your bass was ON FIRE.
🧡🧡🧡
i am so angry with my self because i am perfectly healthy and i am lazy. i admire your courage and your quality as a human .
Don't be too hard on yourself! We all have our journeys and challenges. Scott's story can be an inspiration to push through and pursue your passions. 🎸👍
My heart goes out to you and I am so glad you found this workaround. If there was a list of the most important bass players in the world you name should be on that list, simply for what you have done for all us bass players. Creating SBL is such a monumental thing and opening up about your condition and how you kept going because of you love for music, people need to know that. I suffer from essential tremor, I've had it for most of my life and I'm 67 now but I'm still here and still playing the bass. There are some things that I cannot do well because of my condition and I hate to watch myself play on video because all I see is my shaky fingers but I am able to play with some great musicians in my area who love my playing and not a day goes by when I don't pickup my bass.
Scott I deeply appreciate your story, and what you've been through, and sharing this with the community. I've had occasional spasming and wierd unexplainable finger wonkiness, movement issues, when playing which I attributed to just overworking the muscles, but sometimes it's happened without pushing hard. So this video you've put out is a great bit of information going forward. And yes fusion!! Mahavishnu Orchestra!! All of it. Your presense in the world of music is such a gift. Thank you!!!
That’s so tough Scott. I’m really sorry to hear this story. I’m glad to see you’ve figured out a trick that allows you to enjoy your instrument still. I love your courses and your instructors. Thanks for everything.
Scott, it was one of your vids that gave me my initial boost in learning and playing bass. It was where you described the "box" on the fretboard. I appreciate all that you've done, and even your prior explanation of the gloves. Blessings to you for ignoring the trolls. You don't owe anybody jack, but you're awesome for explaining anyway. Salute.
Thank you for the kind words and support! We're here to help and inspire bass players like you. Keep rocking that bass, and never hesitate to reach out if you need any guidance. 🎸🤘
You are amazing my friend. Such a positive and uplifting approach to a condition that nearly ripped away your life’s work. I’ve seen the older videos but had no idea about the whole story. Thanks for sharing and helping to inspire us all.
your story is an incredible journey of persistence and sheer will. God bless you and good on you. this is such a challenging video because i can play 24/7 without issue but of course i only play 30 minutes and call it a day. this is such a blessing. thank you for this great video
Scott congratulations on the album! While I knew about your condition, your full story brought tears to my eyes. I can't imagine going through what you did and I'm a novice player at best.
This is one of the most remarkable videos ever. Dude..... I'm all, "who is this Mario looking Brit????" Absolutely knocked out. Thank you for your courage and your drive. Love this so much. Thank you, brother. You changed me, today.
To be honest, I never knew the reason. But I never bothered to ask. You do it for a reason. Private. Not a problem. I'm just happy you're sharing the journey of music. Brother. For what it's worth, I've been curious, but that isn't the reason why I'm here. Love your journey. Much love. Xxxooo
I wish there was something that could be done about tinnitus. Imagine being a musician, but a 10,000hz high pitch in your left ear that never goes away. My father was a musician and he changed from piano to trumpet because he couldn't use his left hand due to a sawmill accident. Thank you for this content. I have a friend with tendonitis, and will pass this along.
The tone of your voice when reliving the memory of your diagnosis really captures how hard it must’ve been. Your channel has been a wealth of knowledge that challenged the way I look at the bass. Thanks for sharing your story.
Dude , that is absolutely an amazing story , Im very sorry to hear this condition you have been diagnosed with. I have RA , diagnosed last year , I'm nothing but a rocksmith bass player , but I play every night for a hour and a half sometimes longer. I do exercises before I play by stretching my fingers , doing waves with my fingers rolling them forward and back and for the first 4 or 5 songs , its rough. Some nights its worst than others. Eventually my fingers start doing better and I go on the rest of the night. I might actually try a glove to see if there is a noticeable difference. Im just playing for myself and my passion and my wife likes to listen to me play but I would like to improve as I go along , I hate those nights i'm having trouble. I could not tell you where a single note is on the bass or a chord , other than E standard or Drop D open strings. However my ear has gotten a lot better , and my accuracy is pretty good. I'm just enjoying the music and the feel of it till I can not. Keep rolling man , glad you found a solution and I wish you the best. I know this sounds stupid but about a week ago , I restrung my bass and I just tuned the strings the best I could by ear. Profoundly enough I was only off like a quarter step in tone. I was proud of myself for that little accomplishment. Silly I know but I felt great about it.
For RA, an ant-inflammatory diet (mostly avoiding alcohol and the dreaded glutens) would probably work better than a glove.
My wife has a pretty bad case of RA. Once a month she gets an infusion of Orencia. It is amazing what Orencia has done for her RA. She's 90% better. You should check it out. Talk to your RA doctor.
@@Pywacketfrog No doubt. There are many, many monoclonal antibodies on the market now that stop RA dead in it's tracks.
Thanks so much for sharing your journey and passion for bass! 🎶 Your dedication and love for music shine through, and every small accomplishment counts. Keep grooving, and we're here to support you on your musical adventure! 🤘🎸
Scott, you found a way to get around it. I'm glad for you that it allows you to continue doing what you love. That love shines through in all your videos.
Massive respect for not giving up on your dream job and finding a solution that works for you. Super inspiring. Keep up the good work!
Scott you rule! Just to say that getting through all this is shows your love, dedication and greatness! Cheers mate!
I'm really glad you posted this to raise awareness for other people. I knew there was a medical reason, but not the details. Posting this video is going to help somebody, I'm sure of that. Good luck with this new album project.
Late to the party (two times), but I figured you had a reason to wear them, and that’s good for me. Thank you for sharing this. I also have a couple of neurological disorders that developed during my late 30s and early 40s. I can’t play music anymore, and can’t type for longer than a few minutes at a time. Not all disorders can be “worked through,” “gutted out,” or tricked with clever workarounds. Invisible disabilities are a real thing when it comes to the brain: thanks for telling us that the gloves don’t CURE focus dystonia; they allow you to play some a few days a week. Getting to play at all is a wonderful thing, but people need to also understand you can’t just beat, will your way through, or tough out any problem. Your original diagnosing neuro might have been off about “your music career is over,” but he wasn’t wrong that everything was going to change. We have to be honest about that part as well.
I have been watching you for many years, and I remember when you made your first video on this. This video is so much more revealing and in depth than the first, and obviously it hasn’t gotten better. I, and and many others I am sure, truly appreciate your openness in sharing this personal stuff. You are an educator in so many ways. I know you studied with Gary Willis, and my listening matured in a huge way discovering bands like Tribal Tech in the late 90’s…completely changing the way I listen. So glad you got together with Scott Kinsey for this project…almost full circle. Thank you sir for being a part of why I listen 🙏🏻
Brilliant. Thanks Scott for your authenticity. I found that wearing gloves is also a great way to deal with injuries and blisters for when you’ve played too much!
🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻
Been following you since the start of your channel, has been very Inspiring to see how you moved forward by starting your teaching and become the most successful online platform! This proves that Anything is possible, if you put your mind into it enough! You had to go for a different career path! I’m sure this will help others who might be suffering, realising they can still work with music in some capacity. Well done! 👍
We love you, Scott and your team. Thanks for making my bass journey interesting.
Thank you for explaining. I have horrible trollish tendencies and watched another video of you, I was just about to make a snarky comment when I noticed this video. I decided to find out the reason. I am so happy for you that you found a way around this problem. You are an awesome musician and it would be a sad day if you couldn’t play anymore.
Bro your a fighter!! I hate to say it I woulda quite. I quite at 23 because of MS and I got all my feeling back but I wouldn’t play because I was afraid of losing it again. At 50 I can tell you that was a huge mistake I’ve missed out on almost 30 years. Keep going brother your more inspiring then you realize. 🙌🙌🙏
You’re a great musician and an even better human being. Thank you for sharing your story. You are an inspiration.
Your vulnerability is everything! Thank you, Scott. Your beauty as a human being shines through in everything you say, and play. ❤
Thank you for this very informative video. I started learning electric bass two years ago because I had similar symptoms after a severe wrist fracture in 2008 and there are days when the wrist just won't move because the nerve impulses are simply not transmitted, which means that playing guitar with pick (16th note alternate picking, staccato) or drums falls completely flat. Alternate finger picking on the bass always works because there is no strong movement of the wrist and I am so happy to have found this channel. You definitely have my support!
Scott, didn't realise I'd been watching you that long. I remember the first time you explained it, but it's amazing that you are willing to put this information out there to help others going through the same frightening condition. Also... that album is bloody amazing !!! Love Snarky and Lettuce so was sucked in after the opening bars of Game Theory. Can't wait for Vol 2 😉
If anyone ever told me I could never play bass again, I would die. And I'm nowhere near your level. Glad you found a solution and were able to lay down some tracks, keep rockin dude! 🤘
We appreciate your support and enthusiasm for bass playing! 🎸🤘 Scott's journey is a testament to determination, and we're glad he's still rocking out and inspiring others. 🎶🙌
Scott/album!!!! Wha-hooo!!! I’m on it!!
The matching hat and bass + the white gloves definitely give a Mario vibe.
This is an underrated part of your responsibility as one of the best tutors! This could be an amazing series. Victor Wooten has touched on his struggles with this in Bass Mag. You can reach out to guests from the correct background as you've done before with standing posture with Dr. Randall Kertz. Staying healthy to continue playing to the best of your abilities long-term is a real struggle and any advice is welcomed! My Dad has Dupuytren’s nodules that affect playing, I've had weird fingertip pain that felt like splinters a few times, there's trigger finger, tendonitis, arthritis... The advice to not practice through focal dystonia could help so many people in future.
Victor Wooten and I were discussing your/his condition. I think I have something similar that I got from typing(I'm a programmer of 40+ years) but thankfully mine isn't as advanced as your own but it has gotten worse. I remember your original video and that's what started me to even looking into what was going on with my hands.
I feel for you. What an inspiration. I long ago gave up excuses as to why my bass playing is not where I want it to be (not putting in the required hours). Your talk has given me a bit more impetus to be thankful that's it's just my own laziness that's holding me back and to be more positive and put the hours in. When I do I notice the improvements. So thanks for the motivation.
Scott you are an inspiration. Overcoming this and being so positive and helping so many people become amazing bass players. I deal with some dizzy and balance issues from concussions. It’s not easy I get it but sometimes you have no choice but to move on.
I already knew the reason but I'm actually curious about what kind of gloves they are or where they're from because they clearly fit so well and I think it would be cool (or not cool) to have such fitted gloves that work for playing when or where it's cold. Seriously. I've seen people ask for suggestions for playing in cold weather situations on the TalkBass forum.
I would also like to know the type of gloves. I have an off and on skin condition and sometimes playing really shreds my fingers up. Those don’t look like cotton or silk, clearly rubber, but much thicker than medical gloves.
I'm glad you're speaking about this at length, Scott. That said, I wanted to mention that if your goal is to help people who are might be suffering from the same problem, and that it might be affecting their career - the clickbait title and vague description probably undo that hard work. Consider a title like 'Being a professional musician with focal dystonia' and a description which gives some indication of potential therapies (gloves) and approaches. Otherwise, it feels like a very SBL-exclusive discussion to appease the curiosity of people who don't actually have to deal with the problem.
Thanks for sharing your journey, and I'm so happy for you that you were able to get this music out! Congrats!
Your response to what happened is amazing man, it's a real inspiration! Thank you!
Thank you so much for this, Scott. Back in the 80's and 90's, a fellow that played some killer saxophone with several college groups I was in was diagnosed with Focal Dystonia. It was one of the most heartbreaking things to watch his hands and fingers decline at the same time as he was also reaching his peak playing years. At the time, no one really knew what was happening, or what strategies to even try. Watching you over the past few years, I could tell exactly why you wore the gloves as soon as I saw them--and I'm so glad that you have found a strategy that is working, even if in "tightrope" fashion.
I shared it with a few teachers who work in music schools, I am sure they will find it instructive, and helpful when necessary ! Keep it up Scott ! I love your channel !
Thanks for that!!!
I might have missed the old video of you explaining the gloves and I had no idea why you're wearing them, but i'm really thankful you shared your story. I found your channel about 6 years ago when i first started playing guitar. Even if you made bass content, i still found it useful on my musical journey. You've been such a big part in my learning experience. Thanks for being so strong, Scott! Sending love from Romania!
Thank you for sharing this. I'm sorry you had and have to go through this. I'm glad you found a way to be able to play a bit. It's inspiring. I hope it inspires others and helps others who might not know about this condition. Congrats on the album. All the best
Держись чувак! Ты крутой музыкант, здоровья тебе....
I hope we get a version of this video every 6-7 years.
Thanks for the recommendation! We're always inspired by stories of resilience in the music world. 🎶🙌
Bless you Scott...much love...thanks for sharing this with us 🙏
Scott, thank you so much for sharing your story. Great video! I'm going to check out your new album.
Want to look at your brain in London, Scott? Happy to offer you a QEEG Brain Map, which is based on an EEG. And you can maybe try some neurofeedback to boost your brain's ability to manage sensory input / output, if you want to tune something other than your bass ;)
You blow me away dude. It scares me to think what it is like to have that condition. I cannot thank you enough for your work and expertise. I played for 20 years then finally started to understand the bass thanks to your channel. Utter respect. Thanks so much Scott.
Hey Scott, you are a true champ! Thanks for sharing your story. It's incredibly inspirational. Here's wishing you continued success and wonderful music-making. I love The Devine King Project album!
🙌🏻🧡🔥
Can't believe I searched for this answer. I think your white glove is really cool! And the trembling is lovely! And the way to immediately stop it is miraculous! Beautiful hands!
Im so sorry this touched me. You guys are so pleasant to watch so much positive energy.
Hey Scott, longtime watcher and fan here. Just wanted to say, it is so awesome that you not only found a solution to your problem, but have also pushed onward and continued with your work- sharing your passion and knowledge with other bassists. Also, a personal observation, playing with different textured gloves adds a unique attack to ones playing
I'm turning 50 this year, a couple of motor vehicle accidents messed up my lower back and broke my C2 in my neck. I sorta have most functions of my limbs . I've been playing guitar since I was 12 years old or so and started Bass just over a year ago. However for the past 2 decades things get worse and I obviously can't play at all like I use to. Can no longer work, with nerve impingement and spinal stenosis it just doesn't work, but still love playing whatever I can. This is an absolutely fantastic, informative video thank you. All the best, Cheers!
This is heavy! Really feel for you. Super smart move developing SBL when you did. I hope it stays successful for you forever. I hope to be a member for life, myself. Absolutely love everything about it.
I am super pumped to check out the album. Just listened to the first few bars and it immediately went into rotation. Thanks man, for this vid, the album, the transcriptions, for being a real good dude.
Thanks so much for sharing. I'm sorry you suffer this and pleased you have some respite from wearing the gloves. I suffer peripheral neuropathy in my feet and the pain affects my sleep massively. Out of curiosity I was inspired by your video to wear a pair of socks to bed. 1 week and I have repeatedly found a decrease in the nerve pain waking me during the night and the discomfort in my feet when awake for other reasons in the night, is low enough that I can get some more sleep. Thanks so much for sharing your experience, it has actually helped me.
My heart goes out to you Scott. I did know this before from your older videos, but thank you for sharing this larger story. I’m sure it will be a help and encouragement to many. I’m sorry you have to suffer through this. I love your account man, been following for ages. I know it sucks, but you are SO MUCH more than just your playing! But I know it must be painful for an accomplished musician like yourself. I’m sorry man. I appreciate you tons and know millions of others do as well. Praying for you. Wishing you all the best! SBL fan for life!
🧡🧡🧡
Thnx fot posting this. You are an amazing guy! 🙌🏻
My heart sings on rare occasions where you are able to play without them. Well done Scott you are an inspiration to us all and a guide through this debilitating condition when you could've just said it was to extend string life and brightness!
Thanks for the honest update, always interested in why, but always felt like it was rude to ask. Game changer, pleased you got help and in effect saved your career.
So sorry you have to go through all that Scott. Thank God you have tenacity because I absolutely love your KZhead channel and have not only inspired me for years now as well as others. Thanks for sharing even though you have discussed this briefly but this time you really went into detail which I appreciate and sympathize.
🧡🧡🧡 Thanks so much!
You're a legend. Your enthusiasm and love for music and bass is contagious. Always enjoy this channel so much. Thanks for powering trough your issues and giving us your music and charisma!
Being "a tenacious little shit" is a good thing, don't noone ever forget that! And thanks for sharing your story with us! ❤
Where respect is due here is, Solutions! You encountered a problem, life changing & you found a solution, kept it moving. Have to give props & full credit for that. That’s inspiring
So pleased for you Scott! You’ve been through so much, but you have never let this diagnoses get in the way. You are an inspiration, and I’m glad that you could fulfill one of your dreams. The music is awesome! Hopefully more to come.
🙌🏻🧡🔥
All my respect, Scott. And after all you became a master of the instrument and a teacher for so many people. Very inspiring story!
Thanks so for this video. I was around before and knew some of the details. So thankful you were so tenacious in finding a fix. Every once in a while, I will end up with arthritis in my left hand, and it freaks me out, because playing bass and guitar is so important to me. My wife is a yoga therapist, and helps me with stretches and therapy to help battle this issue. BTW-your channel is a gift to all of us no-name, “just a hobby, that we love” bass players out here. We’ll continue to soldier on!
Hi Scott, thank you so much for sharing this with all of us, I am a bass player and absolutely love and follow you and Scott's Bass Lessons when I get the chance. My story is not about me but about my wife who is not a musician but she has cervical dystonia. She was diagnosed with it in April of this year. Her dystonia is in her neck muscles and is very painful and has been hell for her. We are just now learning about all the different types of dystonia, thank you for putting this video and your story out there!!!
Thank you for your courage and honesty in sharing this (I've seen the earlier explanation on YT, but it was worth repeating).
Absolutely amazing! I'm so happy you have found at least a modest work around.