Starting Out

When taking up the guitar approx. how long does it take to build up the calluses on your fingertips? First few days have been brutal.

Originally Posted by: brett5159

When taking up the guitar approx. how long does it take to build up the calluses on your fingertips? First few days have been brutal.

In a way, it's the unanswerable question since it depends on your time practicing, how often you practice and even dependson your hands.

Not that I don't want to give you and answer. Likely within a few weeks you should notice your fingers start to toughen up a bit. It will take time though.

They key is to not over-practice your fingertips. The old story of 'playing til my fingers bled' is not really a good idea. Doing that means you don't get to practice for several days or until a blister heals. Don't believe that hype.

When your fingers start to feel tender, stop. Start again tomorrow. Even you don't completely overdo it, you might even be able to pick up for a few minutes later in the day. Pain exists for a reason, to tell us to stop doing that thing causing us pain. Listen to it.

You might want to have more progress today but you shouldn't do it at the cost of tomorrow.

It's a long haul you want to be on and your fingers will like you for it.

What JeffS65 said.

But to offer you a more finite 'average' timeline for perceiving when you''ll see that 'light at the end of the tunnel so you can psychologically prep and condition yourself for it, think weeks running into months, [u]not days[/u], and that's only if you[u] play frequently, regularly[/u].

[br]This is 'normal'.

In my observation, it's typical of human nature that most beginners will start out hard with enthusiastic application and objectives much like amateur runners in any annual fun run footrace whose enthusiasm dissipates even more quickly than their stamina once the intial start-line fanfare and crowd participation virtue signalling novelty wears off.

Pace yourself and persevere, and calluses will happen.

Hi Brett

This is a common question. I made this for another member some months back.

Finger pain

I used to teach guitar to people to; my advise for all beginners is to practice every day for 3 weeks about 10 minutes a day, even if it hurts a bit in the beginning and after 3 weeks you will have no more problem playing half an hour or more, this advise worked for all the students I had from ages between 10 and 65 years old. If you play in a cover band at a party, you will likely play for 4 hours and more and that is hard work, believe me, I've been there.

Herman

Thank you for the tips and encouragement!

I started playing a week ago, and have the same concern. I bought these little rubber finger tip things - Gorilla Tips. So for each practice, I play without them until I would want to stop for the day due to pain, then I put the finger tips on (left hand, fingers 1,2,3, not pinkie since not using it as much), and then I can play for a while longer - indefinitely, really. It might take me longer to develop good callouses, but they'll come eventually, and this way I can practice longer. I'd like some feedback on this idea ... Any thoughts??

4/14/20 - Just to follow up on my note above...

I've been playing for a month now, and my callouses have developed such that I no longer need the rubber finger tips! ( So don't buy 3 sets like I did! You won't need them that long!)

Hi Sean and welcome.

The only comment I would offer is that if they are helping you practice I would say they are a good thing.

hello there!

i am new here and i just wanted to ask if they are gospel songs that are used on this website for beginners while practicing on guitar as other songs in the play list?

i can't find them in the list song!

Thank you