There are some dangerous ways to get a little entertainment- sky diving, mountain climbing, and even playing the guitar safely at home. Newcomers to the guitar will find out the hard way that fingers and hands will certainly become callused, and may experience a little pain and tenderness to the touch as a result.
Professional guitar players feel no pain. Their fingers will have thick calluses, developed over years of playing. However, there are a few tricks of the trade that can help speed up the process.
Figure 1 – You won’t have the best looking hand in the world- but it can play a mean guitar!
What are Calluses?
Calluses are thickened or hard parts of a certain area of skin. This is a result of rubbing, or pressure, and no doubt they have been experienced before on feet or hands. Most people don’t already have hardened fingertips, though, specifically the index finger on the left hand (the hand you fret with). As a newcomer begins to play more and more guitar, the fingertips may well feel tender. Blisters may even form. This can even affect your guitar playing, causing pain when you press your fingers against the strings. It is best to wait the tenderness out and wait for skin to heal. As it does so it hardens. Taking a few days away from the guitar will allow your body to respond to the stress it is being put in. As a guitarist, calluses are your friend. They let you play much longer and much harder!
Continue reading Painful Guitar Calluses – Solutions and Information
