blisters on fingers


wingman23
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Joined: 07/21/11
Posts: 68
wingman23
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Joined: 07/21/11
Posts: 68
07/21/2011 8:41 pm
Ive not been playing very long,just learning really but do practice a lot. first my fingers got sore now they have developed big blisters on them, so im wondering am i playing wrong for this to happen, too heavy or something. what do i do now, wait until the blisters go away and start again or just keep playing.

This is a video on youtube of how im playing at the moment.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfdDQhoewvM

thanks
steve ;-)
# 1
JJ90
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Joined: 01/02/11
Posts: 228
JJ90
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07/21/2011 9:01 pm
Hey Steve,

I've got the same problem currently as you have, even though I'm an intermediate/early advanced guitar player. It's summer so I have a bit more time on my hands so I went crazy practicing guitar today. I've just stopped at the right moment.

It's perfectly normal for your fingers to get sore, but when they start to hurt just take a break from it. It's better to keep your practice routines shorter over a long period of time. For example it would be better to practice 1 hour a day for 5 days, rather than practicing 5 hours in 1 day and then 4 days no practice.

When you are just beginning to play guitar your finger skin needs to thoughen up a little bit. When you still keep practicing you get blisters so that's not good. Keep away from your guitar for a little while until everything is fine again. Your guitar must not be a torture device. NEVER EVER PLAY THROUGH PAIN!

Once everything is okay you can gradually increase your practice routines since your fingertips start to thoughen up and you will be able to play longer. So first thing to do, just take a break from your guitar!

Hope that helps you out!

JJ
# 2
wingman23
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Posts: 68
wingman23
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Joined: 07/21/11
Posts: 68
07/21/2011 9:19 pm
Thanks JJ, i did wonder what i should do, i have heard the finger tips will get harder over time but nobody ever mentioned blisters first though. im glad its normal, it does stop me playing so i dont have much choice really. its painful to type let alone run my fingers over metal wires. so i think i will give it a little rest for a day or two let them heal a bit.
thanks again

steve ;-)
# 3
Matteo Miller
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Joined: 07/24/11
Posts: 63
Matteo Miller
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Joined: 07/24/11
Posts: 63
07/24/2011 1:18 pm
Hey Wingman,

As you know, after you've played guitar for a long time, your fingers develop calluses. These calluses make it much easier for you to press down on the strings, because your fingers are not soft like before... As in, imagine pressing something with a brick, rather than a water balloon... :)

Anyway, if you develop blisters on your fingers, it means your calluses are rubbing off! It means, you really shouldn't play guitar until you've healed up! :O

Hope you can recover from this quickly, but I strongly suggest to not let yourself play until and unless your fingers are totally healed up... :/
Matteo Miller-Nicolato
Free Progressive Metal-Jazz-Punk Fusion Music
www.matteomillernicolato.com/Music.html

San Diego School of Guitar
Free Guitar Playing Instructional Resources
www.guitarlessonsinsandiego.com/Resources.html
# 4
wingman23
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Joined: 07/21/11
Posts: 68
wingman23
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Posts: 68
07/24/2011 3:12 pm
This isnt like body building then.. "No pain no Gain" :-)
I dont think ive been playing long enough yet to have developed these calluses,blisters are gone now though, still a little tender but there is defo some slight hardening going on now, not a lot but my finger tips feel different almost like the skin on them is thickening up.
# 5
Matteo Miller
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Joined: 07/24/11
Posts: 63
Matteo Miller
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Posts: 63
07/24/2011 4:03 pm
Well, yeah here's something you can do to speed up the process of calluses: you can simply rub your fingers across the strings furiously for a few minutes... naturally, it's not as fun as playing, but it is much less stressful on your fingers and it's very much faster. sort of like grinding exp in a computer game haha

definitely tt'aint like wrestling.. more rather it's like singing. once you hurt your vocal chords... :P can't sing!

:)
Matteo Miller-Nicolato
Free Progressive Metal-Jazz-Punk Fusion Music
www.matteomillernicolato.com/Music.html

San Diego School of Guitar
Free Guitar Playing Instructional Resources
www.guitarlessonsinsandiego.com/Resources.html
# 6

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