New to Guitar

Any suggestions on how to build callouses up quickly? Want to advance in learning the guitar but my fingers hurting is what is holding me back. Thank you for any ideas or suggestions. And Rock On!!

Hi,

I recently started playing again after a long break from guitar and I was unable to play for more than 20 minutes without finger pain. I was also unable to bend the strings more than a half step. However, I found the quickest way for me to "callus up" was to play through the pain for a good 30 minutes to an hour, forcing myself to bend with the goal of a full step.

If I remember correctly, it took less than a week with one day of rest in the middle, so around 4-5 hours of torture. It helped that I had some experience and could pick a couple of songs to play repetitively to kind of take my mind off the pain rather than just bending for half an hour.

Hi bk

Here is my experience after a year of practice

Good luck with your journey

Callouses

Took me 5 weeks to build good callouses.

Sometime in learning to play, trying to get something to happen "quickly" will come back to bite you.

The very BEST way to learn, and develop the physicalcality (callouses, pressure, smoothness and clairty in chord changes and in strumming) is to GO SLOW. Be thorough, observant, patient-but-also-determined.

The body takes time to adjust, and as it does, the learning goes deep into your physical memory, where it will never be forgotten. (may get rusty if you dont work it, but it will never be forgotten).

So, let the process take the time it needs. You'll be SO glad you did as your skils and abiltites continue to advance.

Be well - Lisa