Guitar chord forum - chordie — Help I have very sore fingertips

Re: Help I have very sore fingertips

null@example.com (bensonp) — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 02:56:21 +0000

Pain is good

Re: Help I have very sore fingertips

null@example.com (ruthgree) — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 01:43:00 +0000

try soaking your hands in warm water and something like oil for softening, and then filing the thickened part with an emery board--try lighter strings-- or try playing for a shorter time but daily. it's great that you are playing and you deserve to enjoy it!

Re: Help I have very sore fingertips

null@example.com (Tomokofreer) — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 09:05:34 +0000

Pain is the body's way of telling you to stop doing something. Most times we ignore it when it's finger pain, but it may make sense to try to use alternate fingerings for chords or try not to use that finger too much if it's at all possible to avoid.

Re: Help I have very sore fingertips

null@example.com (bensonp) — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 14:41:39 +0000

Go Harvey. The fingers any better?

Re: Help I have very sore fingertips

null@example.com (Riverdales) — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 13:49:50 +0000

Good for you sir, guitar keeps you young....At heart anyway!!! I find that doing some hand stretching for a minute or two helps with the pain and the cramping!!! Now if your gonna play for 3 hours straight then you might experience some pain. Try stretching your fingers before playing and I recently had the action on my guitar lowered, got some medium strings on it and tuned down half a step now this thing is like butter it flys now. Hope some of these suggestions help out some!

Re: Help I have very sore fingertips

null@example.com (danzigi) — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 04:22:50 +0000

Another thing to try Harvey would be Flatwound strings. I've heard they are easier on the fingertips. Never used them myself , so I can't say firsthand.

Re: Help I have very sore fingertips

null@example.com (danzigi) — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 00:30:28 +0000

Good on ya Harvey! You lend fact to one of my favorite beliefs. "You don't stop playing because you grow old, you grow old because you stop playing!" One more believer here in checking the action to start. Maybe switch to lighter gauge strings. Proper technique is important. Wrist and hand positions that strain can do damage. Carpal Tunnel for one. And if the fingertips aren't sitting on the fretboard as they should you may be putting too much pressure on a sensitive spot. Also , no offense, but as we get older our skin thins out a bit. If you have a harder spot in a callous, like a corn on your toe, that presses down into uncalloused flesh , it'll hurt like hell. I know. See your Doctor because it may be possible to remove it or shave it down. Everyone is right though. If it hurts something's wrong. Take breaks. Play different songs. I've found making sure the songs I'm playing don't have a lot of the same chords, gives my hand a bit of a break from straining. I don't play too many songs in a row with full Barre chords. Switching to a few songs with more open chords, or playing lead for a while, practicing scales and such keeps my hand from getting .... bored I guess. Welcome back to the wonderful world of making music. But get the offending fingertips checked out by a physician. If it hurts so much you decide to stop playing again you'd be losing a great source of enjoyment. Take care sir.

Re: Help I have very sore fingertips

null@example.com (bensonp) — Sun, 22 Jul 2012 17:28:15 +0000

Most of us agree with this theory also, Dean. We were talking about it in another thread sometime back. It is something I practice sometimes when I notice I am pressing too hard. the problem for most of us is we don't think about it enough and tend to do it the way we always have by p[ressing hard and not thinking about. Awareness of the issue is the answer.

Re: Help I have very sore fingertips

null@example.com (Newbie Dean) — Sun, 22 Jul 2012 16:27:13 +0000

A wise old guy (re: smart a$$) told me "lighten up!!". You don't need to press the string thru the frett board. Learn to press just enough to get a good sound. Once the string is firmly on the frett wire, more force won't make up for poor technique. My calouses have actually softened a bit since I concentrated on technique instead of force. Keep It Fun, Dean

Re: Help I have very sore fingertips

null@example.com (sighman) — Sun, 22 Jul 2012 12:14:33 +0000

hi from England guys my tip is this: you need two glasses in the 1st put a measure of surgical spirit in the other double the measure of jack daniels(for example) ,now drink one and dip your fingers in the other i'll leave you to figure out which one glass will harden your fingertips while the other will make you feel mighty fine about the world!.Seriously though ive just started again after a break and my fingers hurt more than ever! perhaps its age related after all ive just passed my half century (thats not old is it people? . I like all kinds of music really like cowboy junkies and green on red and classic rock folk roots etc

Re: Help I have very sore fingertips

null@example.com (jaygordon75) — Fri, 04 May 2012 15:05:54 +0000

Good Info from the others! My input would mirror the suggestion to check the set up of the guitar and make sure the action is not to high and hard to handle. Then check your fretting pressure...many of us (especially when performing and nervous) use far more fretting pressure than needed. I've known several folks who would sometimes dab a little bit of super glue on the tips of fingers to harden them up and help them get thru a playing session. I think the main thing is to play a little every day and eventually you'll develop the callouses needed to protect your fingers. Glad to have you back playing and hope you really enjoy! jg

Re: Help I have very sore fingertips

null@example.com (deadstring) — Fri, 04 May 2012 09:50:21 +0000

Hi Mr. Harvey. At least your playing a good guitar. Welcome.

Re: Help I have very sore fingertips

null@example.com (beamer) — Fri, 04 May 2012 03:36:56 +0000

Harvy,
have you had it set up in a while? maybe you need a adjustment so your nothaving to press so hard?

Re: Help I have very sore fingertips

null@example.com (harveyw) — Fri, 04 May 2012 02:08:38 +0000

Thanks all you good guys.Guess I"ll just tough it out.Mainly it is my ring finger that bothers me the most.I am playing an old yamaha Fg180 i bought 40 years ago and never got to play it.I was always busy doing other things. Harvey old/young guy

Re: Help I have very sore fingertips

null@example.com (dino48) — Fri, 04 May 2012 01:35:27 +0000

Hello harvey nice too see you here hope you find the site usefull, you may want to go have that checked out. It is great too see someone 88 playing guitar!!!