sore fingers

Barbie_666

i started playing the guitar just after christmas and I have really sore fingers...dose n e one know how 2 get rid of the pain, swelling and hard skin?!?

seamus

Keep playing. It'll go away eventually. Although the skin on the tops of your fingers will remain hard (calloused) for as long as you continue to play.

feylya

Mmmm, callacous (sp??). The greatest thing about being a guitar player. You don't want to get rid of the hard skin unless you want to be in pain everytime you play. Try putting Rubbing Alcohol (methylathed spirits??) on your finger tips. That'll harden them some more. As for the pain and swelling, it's part of playing. I've been playing about 5 years at this stage and my fingers still get incredibly sore after a couple of hours. You'll get used to it. Acoustics are harder to play than electrics so that might be why you're in a lot of pain. You will get used to it though.

Barbie_666

hey, thanx 4 dat...I'll b in pain 4 ever...i love my guitar!

feylya

Do you play an acoustic?

Barbie_666

yeah.wot bout u?

feylya

Electric, bass, acoustic anything with strings and pickups basically.

the next time you change strings, try a lighter guage. They shouldn't be so harsh on your fingers for the time being.

Gordon

Bloody strings are a sure sign of a dedicated guitarist.

Giblet

It's just part of learning, the more you play, the harder your fingers become, and the pain goes away.

After a few hours playing though, I wake up the next day and my fingers are raw, but I still play on anyway.

Doctor J

Just practice, practice, practice and eventually your fingers will get used to it. The hard skin is a good thing and it acts as a buffer between the strings and your nerve endings.

Lighter gauge strings will be easier to play and easier on your fingers. As your technique develops you will put less pressure on the strings and achieve the same results and drag your fingers on the strings less. it just takes time.

Different brands of strings will also grate your fingertips at different rates. Generally, I would use Rotosound steel strings on my 4 string basses and they are very hard on my fingers. I did a rehearsal and two gigs on New Years eve and had blisters on my fingertips at the end of the night (I play bass with my fingers, not a plec). I recently bought a 6 string bass which has Elixir strings on it and can play for hours with no ill effect. Elixir strings have a coating on each string which makes the string last much longer but also stops your finger connecting directly with the metal of the string. I'm pretty sure they do sets for acoustic guitar, though are are more expensive than regular sets.

You've only been playing for just over a month, this time next month you won't feel half as much pain, just practice your technique and don't overdo it.

D!ve^Bomb!

try puttin a small bit of glue on your fingertips, i never tried it but it supposedly does the trick,, either that or use nylon strings, but this would be pointless, u have to use steel strings sooner or later so just stick with em, the more u play the quicker it'll go away..

BaZmO*

I got my first real six string
Bought it at the five and dime
Played it til my fingers bled
Was the summer of '69

Unbelievably cheesy quote from a song by Mr. Canada. But it does prove that it's just a fact of life when playing a guitar.


I've been playing acoustic guitar for the past 3 years and my fingers have toughened up. But I did find it quite funny over the Christmas to see my friend in a lot of pain trying to form a D Chord on his new guitar. It brought me right back!!
Just stick with it and you'll be fine.

B.

M@lice

Play through the pain! The more you do it the quicker your fingers will toughen up and the sooner you'll stop feelin pain!