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10 Tips For Healthy Guitar Practicing
10 Tips For Healthy Guitar Practicing
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YOU ARE HERE: ADAMRAFFERTY.COM / GUITAR / 10 TIPS FOR HEALTHY GUITAR PRACTICING
Im gonna give you some straight talk about practicing guitar and taking good care of your
body and
hands.
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your best email here
This is especially relevant today since so many people are self taught from videos and dont
have a real life teacher for
feedback.
I WANT
THE
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Dont believe all the BS stories about so and sos endless practice. Its just a story which
is used to sell you stuff.
What you are not hearing is the endless stories about musicians with carpal tunnel
syndrome that go along with them.
The Good News
Im going to show you how to treat your hands and body with love & care so that you can
make music in the long haul.
Progress comes from mindful relaxed practice sessions which are broken into several
15-20 minute chunks, and then spread over a months and years. Think long term
planning, and go for slow, boring steady progress.
Never practice past the point where your body is telling you to stop. Its not weight lifting,
and a hand injury can totally put your playing out of commission.
Its ok to say Im done for today.
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I practice many hours a week, but I take time off and rest, and stretch, and sleep enough,
and breathe deep and drink enough water.
If anything ever twinges, feels tight I stop playing and rest up. Often I want to keep
going but I know to stop if the body says stop.
In other words I know when to call it a day.
Many pro players and adult players especially ages 35-45 have hand problems due to the
stresses of life, financial stress, lack of warm up time, before gigs etc.
And even if you are playing properly, overusing your body can cause injury. I hear about
guitarists doing 2 4-hour gigs a day and then wondering why they have hand problems.
OW!
Imagine how many times you use an index finger in one song! Some songs have hundreds
of notes, and this will tax the fingers, joints, tendons to repeat a motion 1000s of times.
So repeating perfectly normal motions over and over can lead to injury.
New Technique? New Guitar?
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Here goes
1) Make sure your guitar is comfortable to play.
Here are my measurements (for fingerstyle steel string).
1st, put a capo on the first fret.
The measurement at the 13Th fret is: Bass = 4/64, Treble = 3/64.
The measurement is from the top of the 13Th fret to the bottom of the string.
Also I try to avoid barre chords in my solo arrangements when possible!
2) Practice Finding the Buzz Point.
Try this play so light with your left hand that notes actually start to buzz from not
pressing hard enough.
Next, press just enough to make the buzz disappear.
If you are squeezing harder than the point where youve just made the buzz go away youll
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need to do a daily warmup where you repeat finding the just enough point through
muscle memory, to train your hands to play just enough to not buzz.
Any squeezing past the point you need is wasted energy, tension and can lead to injury.
3) Examine Your Hand Position.
This is too deep a topic to get into fully here in this post, but here goes.
Basically your wrists should not be bent in extremes in any direction. Many guitarists have
a left hand wrist hulking forward, and a cocked back right wrist as they fingerpick.
A teacher can help you with this.
For more in depth lessons, check out my lessons at
http://www.steviewonderguitarlessons.com
I think the hand position is is videos 2 & 3 in the series.
4) Establish Your Stretching Routine.
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I just found some great stretches for the hands arms & shoulders on youtube. I am doing
these now as preventative stretches and its helping my playing.
The expertvillage channel gave these as some results when I searched yoga for carpal
tunnel. These are a MUST for all guitarists!
Here they are, and please consult a doctor first!:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IJC0bckKBY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11bX6_dM6UQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MC1ZHSgwIS4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1ihdWRUHDI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rk4cDYoNw3E
5) Learn to Breathe Deeply.
I used to forget about this. Id hold my breath tight in my upper chest (especially if I was
nervous, before I went on stage.)
Now I know to take good slow deep breaths. It calms me and I play looser, better, groovier
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Tip have easy stuff to play with lots of open strings and slow to medium tempos.
7) Have a Sensible Warm Up & Practice Routine.
I start every practice session with a long version of my groove scales. I play very slow,
and monitor my body, make sure shoulders are loose, that I am breathing deep and not
pushing or squeezing the notes too hard.
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKDoAD0r-HM]
Its also a good idea to try not to let your head hang way forward and get it comfortably
sitting over your shoulders. A forward head causes all kinds of discomfort.
After scales, Ill play music VERY SLOW with a DEEP POCKET, and making sure nothing is
strained or stressed. Grooving helps relaxation, so I play loose as a goose!
The picture we hold in mind influences our body!
I make sure that my mental image of my body is that my whole body is like a well oiled
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groove machine, with pendulums swinging loosely and gears meshing with no effort.
If your mental image of your body is muscles pumping, hard work, aggression, strength,
veins popping out of your neck and winning a WWF wrestling match CHANGE IT.
This aint about winningits about grooving.
8) Drink enough water!
Im no doctor but my neck, back, hands and brain all feel better when I drink enough water.
Often were dehydrated and dont know itwhen I drink enough water, I feel awake, alert
and happy.
9) Stop practicing GUITAR and start learning MUSIC!
Things like speed and fluidity and techniques will simply appear when you grasp the
concepts behind the music you play.
I see people all the time practicing fasttenseI WANNA BE GOOD until they are
blue in the face! Thats meathead practice!
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Not only can this be bad for your body, but you get de-sensitized to the music. This is a
such waste of time to do it this way. Trust me, Ive tried it and lost hours.
The best practice is to understand and contemplate the musical idea you are working with.
It may then come out of your fingers with much less practice than you thought you needed.
10) Go for beauty rather than to be the BEST.
Anytime I try to be the best theres a problem.
I becomes the focus rather than the music. Then comes tension, competition, worry,
shortness of breath, and all that ego crap.
Get 2 people functioning like that and team them up on stage and it becomes a pissing
contest.
When I am focused on the music, groove, beauty of melody and sound, my body always
feels fine. Everythings ok and in balance.
Whenever the EGO takes over, the body feels tight and nothing feels good musically.
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Bio
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adamrafferty
Im Adam Rafferty a guitar player born and raised in New York City, and
currently spending most of my time on the road playing concerts and doing
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FILED UNDER: GUITAR, JAZZ EDUCATION, PERSONAL DEVELOPEMENT, SUCCESS, TOUR DIARY
Comments
Brent says
FEBRUARY 23, 2013 AT 3:43 PM
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Matthijs says
FEBRUARY 23, 2013 AT 4:55 PM
Its amazing that you take the time to write these things. You dont have to, but you do,
and you are helping sooo many people with it! Thank you very much! I bought your 2
Stevie Wonder-dvds and I LOVE it! He is my favorite musician and your arrangements
are tasteful and original. I only play my own arrangements on stage, because thats the
place to be original, and also I dont want to get complimented on things other people
made. Feels not right or something haha. But I love it and the people who I play it to
love it. Friends/family etc. Thanks again!
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Jeffro says
FEBRUARY 23, 2014 AT 4:09 AM
I completely agree with John. It is so important to know the message of what you
want to send musically than the technique behind it. Sometimes you may realize
that how so -and-so played it this way, your musical message may not be the same.
Play to enjoy music, not to impress!!!
Reply
adamrafferty says
MARCH 3, 2014 AT 11:26 AM
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lingrlongr says
MARCH 15, 2013 AT 11:51 AM
I love this:
I becomes the focus rather than the music.
I think thats a nice way to think about stage fright, well the inverse of that, actually. If
youre making good music, whats there to be afraid of! I wish web sites like this and
people like you were around 20 years ago when I started playing
Reply
Jonathan says
MARCH 22, 2013 AT 7:11 PM
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Great tips Adam thanks. One question Ive just started lessons and the teacher
insists on the guitar resting on the left knee (right handed) with the neck of the guitar
sloping upwards. It feels a bit awkward but it is supposed to be good for technique. Do
you have an opinion on this? My daughter is 13 and also having lessons and seems to
have adapted quite easily.
Cheers
Jon
Reply
Jon
THat can twist your back, but it is for classical guitar. You may want to check out
this as a guitar support on a healthy lap as opposed to a foot rest.
http://www.stringsbymail.com/store/accessories-2/guitar-supports-945/guitaropen in browser PRO version
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supports-386/
Adam
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Tariq says
APRIL 10, 2013 AT 6:45 PM
Hi Adam, Tariq here from Toronto. I see you have a busy schedule in Germany. God
luck.
As others have already commented great tips! Thanks. The stretches are great.
The one tip I did not quite understand is Tip 1. What am I measuring at the 13th fret to
get 4/64 for bass and 3/64 for treble? Why is the capo put on the first fret if I am only
measuring top of 13th fret to bottom of string? Also what units is the 4/64 and 3/64
inches etc?
Please shed some light.
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Thanks.
Reply
Crystal says
AUGUST 18, 2014 AT 3:06 PM
Youre measuring the distance between the fret and the string, if the string is too
low (too close to the fret board) it could bump the frets while playing, which will
interfere with sound quality. If the strings are too high, or too far from the frets,
youll have to push harder to get the string to firmly connect, which will tire your
hand and arm quicker, and make a buzzing sound more likely.
You use the capo when you measure, because when you push down near the top of
a string, the entire string lowers, and if youre comparing your measurements to
his, his measurements are done with that capo adjustment, so if you didnt use a
capo your measurements could be way off. You could search around online to see if
you can find measurements that dont use a capo, or create a makeshift capo out of
household items, if you dont have a capo yet.
If youre curious to see how holding down strings (or fretting) could affect that
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measurement, with one hand hold down strings at various frets, with the other
hand use a measuring tape or ruler to see how the distance between string and
fretboard changes. Pretty interesting stuff.
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adamrafferty says
SEPTEMBER 2, 2014 AT 8:08 PM
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Daniel B says
APRIL 20, 2013 AT 11:04 AM
Hi Adam! I just watched your version of Man in the mirror on youtube and loved it. I
have a book with Tuck Andress version but prefer yours. Is there any chance you have
tabs for it? Will you release a DVD or book with the tabs anytime soon?
Best regards,
Daniel
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Jerry says
MAY 2, 2013 AT 9:45 PM
Excellent Article from an excellent dude! Keep up the great work! Really enjoyed it and
where you are coming from!
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Excellent article. The tip on going for beauty, rather than to be the best is especially
important. All the greats never tried to be great they were just interested in playing
beautiful music. They became great automatically by seeking beauty in the music they
loved to play.
Reply
Ive read many articles and blog posts reference the philosophy behind playing,
practicing and performing but your blog stands out for me as succintly and without fuss
conveying a wealth of really useful tips. A couple of years ago I delved into the mystery
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of that unfortunate plateau, ones progress hindered and we cant work out why. Its
strange isnt it? Ive been playing 27 years, but I wonder how good Id be if my progress
over that time had followed the same curve as my first 3-4 years. It seemed to level off
for nearly 20 years! Only recently did I find I was practicing wrongly. Unfortunately, not
only was my structure wrong, but playing without proper warm up, or taking enough
breaks, has resulted in injury to my left arm, and Ive not been able to play for 4 months.
Recovery slow. I may have to relearn on the left knee, which feels awkward.
Check out my stuff, Id welcome your comments.
Just wanted to let you know, yours is the first blog Ive ever subscribed too. The
emphasis on beauty rather than technique was just the sort of Zen quality Ive been
searching for. The generosity you show in dispensing the benefit of your experience is
quite humbling. All the best.
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adamrafferty says
DECEMBER 17, 2013 AT 9:14 AM
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MIke I am sorry to hear about your arm, but the good news is these things do
repair with proper rest and care.
A hand doctor once put me at ease by telling me this.
I look forward to checking your channel out.
LIfe is long, and I know Fingerstyle MIke will be making lots more beautiful
music..
Reply
Hi!
Have to say.this is real stuff.I practise a lot. Not 12 h. But say 4-5. Ive recently
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sian says
FEBRUARY 2, 2014 AT 10:53 PM
Hi Adam,
Thank you for the Tips. You care every single one who love music no matter what their
level are and offer helps, tips and take time to write to them.I really appreciate it. Thank
you, God bless you!
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Sian
Reply
Az Samad says
FEBRUARY 3, 2014 AT 4:12 PM
Hi Adam,
Thank you so much for this post! Ive been telling my students tips 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
in classes for some time now & this will be great to reinforce the concepts we go
through.
Really appreciate point #4 & look forward to check out the stretching routine & links
you shared. At the moment, I do some simple stretches so this will be a wonderful area
to explore.
Thanks for these very specific posts & examples. I really dig them!
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Best wishes,
Az
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paul says
FEBRUARY 4, 2014 AT 7:01 AM
Adam,
You mentioned that video lesson 2 or 3 show the correct right and left hand
positions.I checked video lesson 2 it not therehow do I see video lesson 3?
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Excellent lesson.
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Thanks for the healthy tips. Especially the stretching and the breathing. Something l am
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too shallow with like most people. l would like to past on a book recommended to me by
another jazz guitar player and teacher Rich Severson, from California. The book is The
Practicing Mind, by Thomas Sterner. l highly recommend it ! After reading your Digital
Diet post Adam, l thought about what this book talks as how we learn anything and
how we do not focus on the process. But we are focus on the product or the end game,
instead of in the moment of what task we a doing right now. Thomas Sterner also has a
website/blog around this subject. He is a guitar player / musician. He plays several
instruments, but writes abut that whole experience of learning an instrument at a
young age then later as an adult.
Reply
Adam GREAT tips! and very very important. After several years where my left hands
pinkie and middle finger where thickening and had limited range of motion due to
overuse and bad hand position, and poor posture, I have rehabbed to the point where
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Judy says
FEBRUARY 23, 2014 AT 1:43 PM
What a great article for anyone, not just us guitar players. Being a Occupational
Therapist I know Exactly what you are saying. Breathing is very important for we all
have become such shallow breathers. Smell the roses blow out the candles with pursed
lips. The muscle groups do get taxed when there is too much repetition but it is so true
when they are under used. Find that happy median for you and your muscles.
Since Im also a liturgical musician, the ego is very dangerous.. Thoughts may run
through your mind when performing like what are they thinking about
me..etc.etc Once you start that stuff it equates to messing up. I keep a focus
when playing and keep my ego in check. Im not the best musician but Im not the worst.
And the gifts/talents I have are not mind for the keeping anyway. The great medieval
times artist understood this , such as Michelangelo. They didnt even sign their work. (
A scribbling in the sand Michael Card)
Bottom line: Good body mechanics and awareness is important.
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Thank You Adam for the info and for giving me the opportunity to comment.
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adamrafferty says
MARCH 3, 2014 AT 11:27 AM
I spend far more time on mechanics than people think and far less time on
feelings than what they think!
Thank you Judy!
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Mark says
MARCH 5, 2014 AT 5:15 AM
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Thank you Adam for the brilliant advice. I really appreciate your kindness in sharing
these lessons and look forward to each of your emails.
Sincerely,
Mark
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Frank says
MARCH 7, 2014 AT 8:50 AM
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Ravi V says
APRIL 1, 2014 AT 1:13 PM
Hello Adam, What is the best practice pattern? I can play all the major and minor scales,
pentatonic positions and open chords and barre (6th and 5th). Thats where my guitar
stopped, dont know how to proceed further. I fail to connect these and take my
knowledge to the next level. Help me.
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adamrafferty says
MAY 5, 2014 AT 10:38 AM
Sounds like you need to apply it all to songs, played for real people at this point!
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Joe says
APRIL 13, 2014 AT 11:53 AM
Great tips
Short practice time and rest I found how helped so much.
Ego does get in the way of music
Thanks
Joe
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not sure if there is something wrong with my computer or what, I get a huge black bar,
and could only see half of seven through the rest of the article. What I got led me to
believe that I am on the right path though, but on one of the comments you mentioned
barre cording. I got a late start to guitar, been playing for about 7 years now and have
avoided barre chords like the plague. got a fingerstyle guitar for birthday this year (52
now) and now I want to master them, and I am starting to get them but really
inconsistently, and the buzzing drives me crazy. is there something I am doing wrong?
why can I get them once, and the very next one I get muted and buzzing strings, am I just
too damn old to learn new tricks?
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adamrafferty says
MAY 5, 2014 AT 10:34 AM
Rick, barre chords have 2 enemies 1) a badly set up guitar 2) a curved barre index
finger. There are some great classical videos on youtube on barre chords, poke
around. Maybe I will make one. Stay tuned!
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Emlyn says
APRIL 25, 2014 AT 10:32 PM
Thanks Adam.
What you say makes a lot of sense. Im 63 and have been playing for 50 years first by
copying The Shadows (youve probably never heard of them) and the The Beatles.
Now I have arthritis and have truly playing many bar chords so am experimenting with
many open string tunings..just so that I can carry on playing!
Im lucky to have a Gibson Les Paul Custom with Fender twin reverb valve amp..but
for acoustic my Yamaha has done me well for over 40 years!
Your videos are great!..keep them up.
Em
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adamrafferty says
MAY 5, 2014 AT 10:36 AM
George says
MAY 19, 2014 AT 1:49 PM
Thanks for the tips Adam. However, I still am not certain how much time incl. warm-ups
I should practise. Alright, I just want to be good enough on the guitar, not a virtuoso I
guess I dont have too much time ;-). But my favorite guitar player and musician Tommy
Emmanuel mentioned in one of his interviews that he actually had his guitar in his
hands literally 24 hours a day. And thats why he is great. I definitely cant play 24 hours
a day due to my age but again: how much, reasonably, given all your valuable tips are
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taken thorough account of should, a person practise? Thanks in advance and keep
going!
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Lance says
JUNE 7, 2014 AT 4:25 AM
Hey Mate, what youve got hear is really great. Thanks a lot. Ive been struggling with
finger picking for years and cant seem to progress. A lot of your points look like things I
need to take on board. Thanks mate.
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Excellent article on practicing, wish that Id read it when I started studying music!
Thank you!
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adamrafferty says
SEPTEMBER 3, 2014 AT 8:57 AM
adamrafferty says
OCTOBER 16, 2014 AT 4:45 PM
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Me too!
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Ive been playing for 35-years now but I dont think Im destined to be as good
as Ritchie Blackmore. I mean theres a big difference between playing a quick
note and bringing that quick note to life.
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adamrafferty says
JANUARY 4, 2015 AT 7:45 AM
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Edeltraud says
NOVEMBER 15, 2014 AT 6:00 PM
Dear Adam,
Since I joined your workshop in Hamburg on 2nd November 2014 I am more aware of
my breathing, learning scales easier by grooving, exercise the boom chick and have
much more fun with my guitar playing. Thanks a lot for our lessons via YouTube.
All the best and thanks for your engagement
Edeltraud
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adamrafferty says
JANUARY 4, 2015 AT 7:52 AM
Edeltraud great!!!!
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shaun says
NOVEMBER 19, 2014 AT 3:34 AM
adamrafferty says
JANUARY 4, 2015 AT 7:51 AM
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himanshu says
JANUARY 21, 2015 AT 5:30 PM
I have tried your techniques and its really useful..but I just wanna ask u that can
singing can be learned or it is birth talent
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adamrafferty says
FEBRUARY 11, 2015 AT 8:22 PM
Himanshu!
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