Music and Hands and Stuff

Fret

Write a new post in response to today’s one-word prompt.

The fret is the space between the fret wires.  The placing of the fingers determines the note or chord one plays.  Why is it called a fret, or a fret board? Well, I’m not sure, and a quick search didn’t help much.  One archaic use I found of this word is that it is a repeating ornamental design of interlaced vertical and horizontal lines, such as the Greek key pattern. So maybe that’s why it’s called a fretboard on a guitar.

I always wanted to play the guitar, but then I wanted to know how to play any and all musical instruments.  I had a cheap guitar for a while, and I did manage to teach myself a few chords.  But here’s my problem:  my pinky finger is very short. It doesn’t even reach the first knuckle of my ring finger.  So it’s really hard to wrap that stumpy pinky far enough around the fret board to reach some strings.

Same with the violin, which I did play for several years.   I really had to strain for some positions, moving my entire hand in order for my pinky to reach the right position.

I never realized I had an unusually short pinky until I started learning instruments that required a normal-length finger.

 

My hand looks like the first one in this picture.  According to the theory that goes with this illustration, the size of your pinky says something about your personality.

When your little finger reaches the first line of your ring finger you belong to the first kind of personality. This means that you have a personality which inclines towards balance. You are inherently inclined towards order and peace. You are organized, not to the extent of OCD, but you need your things to be in their proper place. You instinctively move away from chaos and if there’s something that gets on your nerves, it’s the disequilibrium in life.

(I tried to copy and paste the link where I found this.  Wouldn’t work. I’ll try again later)

 

And that really isn’t too far off base for me.  I’ve taken that right-brain/left-brain test a few times over the years, and I always, always end up right smack in the center.  Surprises me, since my skills tend to me language- and word-oriented, but I guess that’s not all that counts.  True creatives are more right-brained, while those with logical and mathematical skills are more left-brained.  Then there’s me, plop in the middle.  Huh.

Anyway, I think it’s an interesting word, fret.  It applies in other ways besides musically, such as being inclined to worry and fret.  I used to do more of that when I was young.  I’ve learned that it’s a waste of time and energy.  Maybe one just becomes more balanced with age 🙂

 

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/fret/

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