Tired of hurting fingers and need to build up your callouses quickly? Try This
One of the biggest frustrations when you are either getting started or you had been playing for a while and then stopped for months or years is painful fingers caused by non-existing callouses or muscle weakness in your fingers and hands.
So what do you do when your fingertips start to hurt? Is there a way to numb, dull or eliminate the pain? How can you prevent your fingers from straining so you can get back to practicing?
Here are a few tips and some advice to help you get through, and even sometimes eliminate, your pain!
Go through these tips, and by the time you’re done with your article, you’ll be able to handle any finger pain that comes your way!
TIP #1: ALCOHOL!!
Not the drinking kind, the rubbing kind!
I usually use disposable cups or a mug, pour about 1/4 cup of isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol into it, and dip my fingers in for about 20-30 seconds.
WHEN TO APPLY IT:
This is especially helpful when my fingers start getting raw from playing extended periods of time, if I need to play guitar within an hour or so after a shower.
WHY IT WORKS:
The alcohol dries out your fingertips, causing the callouses to form much more quickly, and its healing properties repair worn callouses, fingertips and restore proper sensation to your fingers.
Another pro: Eric Clapton is rumored to use this technique 3-4 times a day to keep his fingers in a constant state of readiness to perform. If it’s good enough for Eric, it’s good enough for me!!
TIP #2: WITCH HAZEL
No, this is not the name of an ex-wife or girlfriend of mine, but a product like rubbing alcohol, which is sold in the same aisle in the grocery store or pharmacy as the rubbing alcohol!
Guitar strings are usually made of nickel and steel, the same stuff used in building bridges and construction projects, so continued contact is going to do 2 things: wear out your budding callouses and start digging into your nerves, causing sharp pain to radiate through your fingers.
WHEN TO APPLY IT:
When I want to repair my fingers FAST, I pour about 1/4 cup of witch hazel in a cup, dip my fingertips in for about 20-30 seconds, then pour it out and replace it with rubbing alcohol to rebuild my callouses.
WHY IT WORKS:
The active agents in witch hazel will numb your pain, moisturize and repair any damaged tissue in your fingertips that lead to finger pain.
TIP #3: TAPPING YOUR FINGERS
Here’s one of my favorite ways to build my callouses when I don’t have access to rubbing alcohol or witch hazel – tapping my fingers on hard surfaces.
TIP #4: PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE
The biggest tip I can possibly offer you is when your fingertips start to hurt, take a small break, then practice again.
Happy Practicing!
Written by: Marcus L. Diaz
Owner, Mentor, Trainer, Coach
Master Your Guitar Music Academy
enrollment@masteryourguitar.net
The typical, average, logical approach to learning guitar that most instructors follow is NOT the best way to learn to play. My students come to me week after week because they learn faster with me than with any of their previous instructors! Why? Because there is madness in my method and a method to my madness! Learn how to prevent YEARS of frustration when you book a free trial lesson.