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For unintentional tremolo efect caused by PD, try a concertina - the effect is rather nice.Amanda > Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2013 14:16:39 -0500 > From: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: Musical people with Parkinson's > To: [log in to unmask] > > Thank you Laureen for sharing your story. I'm glad that you were able to > find some relief in DBS. I'm very curious about your symptoms other than > tremor. Can you point out for me any benefit from the surgery other than > reduction of tremor and of medication? > > Several elements of what you've told us here are also present in my case. I > used to be able to play flashy flourishes and super fast runs and jumps and > I really had good strength and independence of the fingers. I can surely > blame myself for maybe taking a defeatist tack for a time, and these days, I > still don't spend much time on scales and rudiments. I still can rock along, > accompany singers and others, and provide those parts that are called for in > playing in a "cover band". I'm afraid I'll never match the pianistic feats > of yesteryear, especially some of the classical pieces I used to play, but > as I often say, the top has been chopped off my 'iceberg' of talent, but > there's much more that lies under the surface. > > The most curious effect that I can point to is my tendency to increase the > tempo as the music goes along. For this I really have to depend on the > drummer, or enter a super-concentrated state long enough to get through the > songs. That and the unintentional tremolo effect which is added by a twitchy > foot on the volume pedal! > > I'm interested in what you'll find when you get out the old music books. > Keep me posted! Thanks. > > Rick > > -----Original Message----- > From: Parkinson's Information Exchange Network > [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Scott E Antes > Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2013 9:38 AM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: Musical people with Parkinson's > > This from my wife, Laureen: > > Hi Rick, > I was diagnosed in 1996 when 45 years old. In 2007 I had dbs being I was > the perfect candidate--no dementia and tremor dominant. Also, I always > responded well to Sinemet--at least for 3 to 4 years --then the dyskinesias > started. They got so bad, I can't stress this enough. I was miserable all > the time--couldn't wait for meds to kick in to relieve tremors. Then I > couldn't wait for meds to wear off as my head and neck jerked so bad from > the meds. > Since dbs I have no dyskinesias and take very little meds-requip. As others > have observed, it is difficult knowing what is due to pd, dbs, or meds. All > I can do is share my experiences. > I've been a professional musician since age 16--singer, pianist and > organist. Since pd, I played at a church here in town from 1995 to 2005 but > then I began making too many mistakes. One of the worst ones was I played > the introduction to a hymn-like normal--but my right hand was in a different > key than my left! Also, I noticed much less coordination between right and > left side and loss of flexibility in hands and fingers. > I left out lots of fast notes to be able to keep up a good tempo. > Over all, dbs has been good to me. I have not kept up with playing though > so it's hard to say if dbs helped my technique. I suspect that just ridding > myself of dyskinesias had to improve my playing! > I have a goal now to break out the music and see how well I play today! > I'll write when I think of something else to add. Laureen > > Scott E. Antes > Northern Arizona University > Department of Anthropology > PO Box 15200 > Flagstaff, AZ 86011 > ________________________________________ > From: Parkinson's Information Exchange Network > [[log in to unmask]] on behalf of Rick McGirr > [[log in to unmask]] > Sent: Saturday, February 23, 2013 4:16 AM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Musical people with Parkinson's > > Hello, everyone. > > > > I'll start with a re-introduction, since I've mostly been lurking the last > few years. My name is Rick McGirr. I was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease > in 2001 and have been a perpetual pill-popper ever since. I don't know how > many different drugs I have tried, but it has to be at least a dozen. I > presently take Sinemet 50/200 and Stalevo 150 mg three times per day, and > Parcopa as needed, most typically when I am in the middle of my more active > days. I also take vitamins and fiber supplements. And how could I forget > those wonderful anti-depressants? > > > > I would like to strike up a conversation among those of you who might > classify yourselves as musicians at any level, amateur or professional. I am > a lifelong musician, and have been playing piano and other keyboard > instruments professionally since graduating from high school in 1971. I > developed my playing to a high level, and have had a certain amount of my > skills taken from me by PD over the last ten years. I continue to play in > public, but I don't move as much equipment, or play as often or as far away > as I used to. > > > > My motives in starting this conversation are to compare notes regarding the > ways PD affects your musicianship, to talk about difficulties peculiar to > musicians with PD, to learn what techniques and accommodations you use in > the process of performing in public, and especially to meet musicians who > have undergone DBS surgery. I'd like to hear what you musicians have been > through, what you found about your technique and musicianship, and I'd like > to find out if having the DBS surgery has helped you regain some of your > musical skills. > > > > As my symptoms continue to develop and become more difficult to deal with, > that little voice that's always in my head speaks a little louder: "You > could always go for DBS!" I feel like I still want to wait a long time > before having this procedure, just to keep myself from suffering any of the > discomforts and known side effects of DBS, but here is where I could use > your input - am I being too cautious? Is there a big payoff in your musical > abilities which resulted when you had the surgery? Are you less than totally > happy about the effects of DBS surgery on your musicality? If there was > initial improvement, was it followed by more improvement, or has your > condition back-tracked? > > > > I appreciate your consideration. Thanks in advance for your replies. > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn