Last week I was beginning to feel more confident with my playing and was able to play through several tunes with a guitar player without huge mistakes while keeping a decent although, not up-to-speed tempo. Then, I tore up my fingertips (see my post on slides) and I realized I am going to have to lighten my touch, not only to do slides but also to increase my speed.
I took a couple days to heal but I feel I’ve lost whatever mojo I had. I’m almost afraid to play since I expect that paper-cut type of sensation while fretting (Amazing how painful a paper-cut feels). I also can’t get into a groove since I’m thinking so much about pressing lighter--I forget what I’m playing.
This is my first major obstacle at learning. I always felt I would get better with time and practice but now I’m unsure. I’m afraid to practice slides, which are hard for me to do without looking and I’m wondering if I’ll ever have the right “touch”. I’m wondering how to continue from here, what should I practice? How should I practice? How can I even get psyched?