262 - Keep Progressing on Guitar When You Can’t Play: Injury & Surgery Edition

In this episode, Paul Andrews tackles a common challenge faced by many guitarists: how to keep developing as a musician when an injury or surgery keeps you away from the guitar.

Inspired by a question from student Jim Fochs (recovering from left shoulder surgery), Paul Andrews shares practical ways to stay motivated, continue progressing, and set up for a strong comeback—even if you physically can’t play.

Key Topics Covered

1. Mindset Shift

• Your identity as a guitarist doesn’t pause just because you’re injured.
• Shift focus from physical playing to musical development.
• Maintain your regular practice times and fill them with musical activities that don’t require the guitar.

2. Skills to Train Without the Guitar

• Ear Training: Use apps like EarMaster or music theory resources. Train intervals, chords, rhythms, and overall aural skills.
• Music Theory: Take advantage of recovery time to learn theory in bite-sized pieces—chord families, key signatures, scales, and how theory influences songs.
• Song Studies: Analyze songs you want to play when you’re back. Break down their structure, chords, rhythm, and get familiar through intense listening.
• Visualization: Imagine playing. Visualize chord shapes, riffs, picking patterns, and finger placements—high-level athletes use this technique to rehearse mentally.
• Intentional Listening: Listen purposefully to music, live recordings, interviews, and documentaries. Focus on tone, timing, and technique.

3. Practicing with Limited Mobility

• If medically safe, work on right-hand only skills like muted strumming, rhythm drills, or picking.
• Practice rhythm by tapping, clapping, or counting along with music, even without holding the guitar.
• Try gentle mobility exercises for your recovering hand—only with professional clearance.

4. Planning Your Comeback

• Start slow: aim for 50% of your previous practice load, focusing on basics like chords and slow strumming.
• Gradually reintroduce technical work, prioritizing quality over quantity.
• Trust that your progress will come back—and may even be accelerated by your musical development during recovery.

News & Updates

• Member Q&A: This month’s Q&A recording is now available in the Beginner Guitar Academy dashboard and the members-only podcast.
• Guitar Gear: New designs and a range of hats, mugs, and stickers added to the Guitarshirts.Shop.
• Gift Subscriptions: Now available for Beginner Guitar Academy—give the gift of guitar to a friend!
• One-to-One Lessons: Book private sessions with
• Paul Andrews
• to get personal help or build a recovery/practice plan.

Final Thoughts

If you’re currently injured or recovering from surgery, you’re not alone, and your time away from the fretboard can STILL be productive. Focus on the musical side of learning, strengthen often-overlooked skills, and know that you’ll return to the guitar with a stronger foundation.

If you’d like help building a recovery plan, need motivation, or want to share your own experience, join the Beginner Guitar Academy community at beginnerguitaracademy.com.