• Registered: 2006-07-15
  • Posts: 1

Topic: Black and Blue Fingers

Okay, so I'm one of those stupid "on-again, off-again" guitar guys.  I'll play hard for 2 weeks, then stop playing for months, and pick it up again.


Now, I'm on an "on" stage.  I've been playing for a few days now, few hours a day, and I just looked at my fingers.  They're black and blue.


Here's the question: do I stop playing or keep going?  Nevermind the pain; it all *sounds* good.  I just wanna get my calluases (sp*) on my fingers, get 'em nice and hard so I can press the strings better.  I dunno what'll make 'em come up faster: let 'em heal as is, or to just keep going.


What've ya'll found works best?


Thanks,

`Sket

  • From: Renfrewshire, Scotland
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 1,359

Re: Black and Blue Fingers

Keep going man! <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_eek.gif" border=0 alt="Shocked">

Your problem is you are giving your fingers the chance to recover and soften again. Play through the pain at the start - it'll be worth it. I no longer have sore fingers and mine were in tatters when I started.

Keep going man!!

Is anything really made up of zeros and ones??

alvee33's Website

  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 2,662

Re: Black and Blue Fingers

I'll second what alvee says and add something that is often overlooked. Make sure you avoid prolonged hand exposure to water before playing.This softens your skin and makes it easier for the guitar strings to tear the fingertip tissue.

Give everything but up.
  • badeye
  • The Blues Fixer
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  • From: Cape Breton Island, Canada
  • Registered: 2006-09-02
  • Posts: 3,381

Re: Black and Blue Fingers

keep at it.no pain no gain.it does get easier.lots to learn on this instrument we call guitar and lots of fun to.              .badeye

one caper after another
  • Registered: 2007-01-29
  • Posts: 533

Re: Black and Blue Fingers

<b></b><font color="crimson"></font>Hmmmm...several things come to mind. Keep playing everyday if you can...just a few minutes a day will keep your callouses built up. Also you can cheat a bit and tune the guitar to Eb and put a capo on to reduce the string pressure. Make sure that you wipe down the strings after playing...some of us have a high salt content and the strings will tarnish and get rough! Really eats up the fingers...also make sure your hands are dry and clean... playing while the callouses are soft will eat them up. Also check the set-up of your guitar...there is a tremendous diffence in the playability of a guitar that is properly set-up and one that's not! Hope this helps...

Middleaged Redneck sorta guy who refuses to grow up...passion for music, especially Southern Rock but like bout everything cept Gangsta/Hip Hop. Collect guitars, mandolins, and love to ride Harleys.
  • Registered: 2007-03-13
  • Posts: 7

Re: Black and Blue Fingers

<table border="0" align="center" width="90%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td class="SmallText"><b>jaygordon75 wrote on Wed, 14 March 2007 20&#58;00</b></td></tr><tr><td class="quote">
<b></b><font color="crimson"></font>Hmmmm...several things come to mind. Keep playing everyday if you can...just a few minutes a day will keep your callouses built up. Also you can cheat a bit and tune the guitar to Eb and put a capo on to reduce the string pressure. Make sure that you wipe down the strings after playing...some of us have a high salt content and the strings will tarnish and get rough! Really eats up the fingers...also make sure your hands are dry and clean... playing while the callouses are soft will eat them up. Also check the set-up of your guitar...there is a tremendous diffence in the playability of a guitar that is properly set-up and one that's not! Hope this helps...
</td></tr></table>

You brought up great points jaygordon. But what did you mean when you said to check the set-up of your guitar? Can you elaborate a bit? I'm a beginning player as well with soft hands. I don't want to get discouraged because my fingers feel like they're being amputated. <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_wink.gif" border=0 alt="Wink">

  • tee80
  • Junior Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2006-05-03
  • Posts: 1

Re: Black and Blue Fingers

my dad is a painter n decorator who also plays guitar n he told me to dip my finger tips in metholated spirits to keep em hard...dunno if anyone else has heard of or tried this but it seems to work for us.

  • Registered: 2007-01-29
  • Posts: 533

Re: Black and Blue Fingers

<font face="Courier"></font><font color="royalblue"></font><font color="crimson"></font><b></b>Set up refers to how the guitar is "set up"...hmmm, that doesn't say anything... most guitars can be adjusted to be much easier to play and to sound better...the neck has a truss rod and adjustable bridge that can determine how high or close the strings are to the fret board...most players want strings as close as possible without buzzing or rattling...if the string nut is too high then it can be taken out and adjusted to lower the strings...if the neck has a bow then the truss can be adjusted to counter that...some times the frets can be a bit rough or even misaligned or too tall...frets can usually be polished some...I hope that helps! An example is that I bought a Martin several years ago that has a great sound but was hard to play...I took it to an authorized repairman and he made some suggestions and then worked on it...it still has that great sound and is much, much, easier to play...

Middleaged Redneck sorta guy who refuses to grow up...passion for music, especially Southern Rock but like bout everything cept Gangsta/Hip Hop. Collect guitars, mandolins, and love to ride Harleys.
  • From: Nova Scotia, Canada
  • Registered: 2007-03-07
  • Posts: 99

Re: Black and Blue Fingers

I Start playing the guitar every day within about 10 minutes of waking up, that gets your energy flowing and gives you more drive for playing later in the day.  Maybe try something to that effect.

DJ Cormier
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  • From: Camden, SC
  • Registered: 2006-03-19
  • Posts: 95

Re: Black and Blue Fingers

What I would do is try soap and water. The black stuff on your fingers is just a residue comming off the guitar strings. Also try changing the strings and keeping them clean.


I play every day for hours on end and I never have gotten any bruises on my fingertips. I have been playing for 20years and never met anyone that did.


It is just pain you are experiencing. It will go away.

  • From: Murphysboro Il
  • Registered: 2007-02-10
  • Posts: 292

Re: Black and Blue Fingers

Just gut it out. It's what bluesmen call payin ya dues. It will only last a couple of weeks if you keep at it.

"Nobody paints by ear so why would I play guitar by sight?" hmm
  • From: Pico Rivera, Calif. U.S.A.
  • Registered: 2006-10-26
  • Posts: 785

Re: Black and Blue Fingers

No brains, no pain!, I mean no pain, no gain. As A.C.T (abbrieviated) your just paying your dues. Keep practicing.


Bootlegger.

Bootlegger guitars.

  • Registered: 2006-12-11
  • Posts: 82

Re: Black and Blue Fingers

Play a little often.  Set aside a regular practice slot and increase the time a little every day.  Also don't squeze so hard, you ain't tryint to choke it!!  Keep the nails short as well it's easier to hold the strings then.

My ambition far exceeds my ability
  • Registered: 2006-08-15
  • Posts: 80

Re: Black and Blue Fingers

<table border="0" align="center" width="90%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td class="SmallText"><b>SouthPaw41L wrote on Wed, 14 March 2007 16&#58;42</b></td></tr><tr><td class="quote">
I'll second what alvee says and add something that is often overlooked. Make sure you avoid prolonged hand exposure to water before playing.This softens your skin and makes it easier for the guitar strings to tear the fingertip tissue.
</td></tr></table>



Nick Drake refused to do the washing up apparently. Mind you so does Quentin Crisp as far as I know and he doesn't play anything.

  • Registered: 2007-03-08
  • Posts: 2

Re: Black and Blue Fingers

I'm with you. I play hard (3 or 4 hours) once a week and at the end of that me fingertips are screaming. It seems to help to alternate tough and easy songs. (Somehow I think if I really know a song I am more relaxed and press less hard).


Here's my secret. SUPER GLUE! If you put a little on the tip of your fingers and rub it around quickly you will get a nice coating that doesn't interfere with playing. Has anyone else ever heard of this? Did I make it up?

  • From: Pico Rivera, Calif. U.S.A.
  • Registered: 2006-10-26
  • Posts: 785

Re: Black and Blue Fingers

<table border="0" align="center" width="90%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td class="SmallText"><b>dwvallance wrote on Fri, 23 March 2007 16&#58;43</b></td></tr><tr><td class="quote">
<table border="0" align="center" width="90%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td class="SmallText"><b>SouthPaw41L wrote on Wed, 14 March 2007 16&#58;42</b></td></tr><tr><td class="quote">
I'll second what alvee says and add something that is often overlooked. Make sure you avoid prolonged hand exposure to water before playing.This softens your skin and makes it easier for the guitar strings to tear the fingertip tissue.
</td></tr></table>



Nick Drake refused to do the washing up apparently. Mind you so does Quentin Crisp as far as I know and he doesn't play anything.
</td></tr></table>


But do wash your hands the oils and any other matter on them can cause shorter string life


Bootlegger.

  • From: Canada
  • Registered: 2007-07-26
  • Posts: 13

Re: Black and Blue Fingers

I just got back from a trip without my guitar for 2 weeks and my fingers have noticeably softened. i've been playing for five years which shows how easily not playing for a while can affect your fingers. I just played for like 5 hrs on and off so now they're blue with small canals. My point is, when your fingers start to hurt, play a few more songs before giving them a break

18 Reply by mlk (edited by mlk 2007-07-26 12:33:13)

  • mlk
  • Junior Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2007-07-26
  • Posts: 1

Re: Black and Blue Fingers

dan_cuetara wrote:

Here's my secret. SUPER GLUE! If you put a little on the tip of your fingers and rub it around quickly you will get a nice coating that doesn't interfere with playing. Has anyone else ever heard of this? Did I make it up?

The glue trick was supposedly used by Stevie Ray Vaughn due to the higher string gauges he played

I haven't used it myself

  • From: USA
  • Registered: 2007-07-08
  • Posts: 32

Re: Black and Blue Fingers

As bizarre as this sounds...my buddy has a cement block in is house and he regularly taps his fingers against the block to make his fingertips harder.  He says it works great, but I have never tried it.  This guy is a phenomenal guitar player, even though he's a lefty.  I just keep on playin and use a lot GHS Fast Fret.  It helps a little,

Rock on!

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big_smile
  • Registered: 2007-01-29
  • Posts: 533

Re: Black and Blue Fingers

patrickthered wrote:

Play a little often.  Set aside a regular practice slot and increase the time a little every day.  Also don't squeze so hard, you ain't tryint to choke it!!  Keep the nails short as well it's easier to hold the strings then.

Great advice! Do remember to relax and check your breathing and also your grip...we all have a tendency to grip/fret way harder than needed...

Middleaged Redneck sorta guy who refuses to grow up...passion for music, especially Southern Rock but like bout everything cept Gangsta/Hip Hop. Collect guitars, mandolins, and love to ride Harleys.
  • From: North Carolina
  • Registered: 2007-02-08
  • Posts: 1,914

Re: Black and Blue Fingers

There has been alot of good advice given here! I'm not sure how long you have been playing in all but alot of beginners have a tendency to apply too much pressure to the strings when chording. Try sitting down and forming your chord shapes and experiment with how hard you really have to push to get a clear tone. Make sure your finger tips are close to the fret, as this will reduce the amount of pressure needed also. Chances are alot of your discomfort can probably be avoided by lessening the abuse to your fingertips. Hope it helps! Peace!

[b][color=#FF0000]If your brain is part of the process, you're missing it. You should play like a drowning man, struggling to reach shore. If you can trap that feeling, then you have something.
[/color][/b]         [b]Peace of mind. That's my piece of mind...[/b]

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  • Registered: 2007-07-31
  • Posts: 2

Re: Black and Blue Fingers

In the end the pain is minor in comparison to the pleasure. When you can't go anymore take the break. The fire burnin in your guitar pickin soul will bring you back. Playing daily is the answer doesn't have to be for long.

23 Reply by HannahBeth (edited by last_rebel 2007-07-31 19:31:00)

  • From: Texas
  • Registered: 2007-07-31
  • Posts: 950

Re: Black and Blue Fingers

hey no pain no gain dude.... u just gotta keep playing anyway. If you keep going at it steady they'll eventually get calloused. But if you quit and come back again you'll probly have to start all over.
  by they way i dont know what kind of guitar you're playing but alot of times beginners get a cheap acoustic to start out on and the strings on some guitars are farther from the fret board than others. Its better for a beginner to play a guitar with strings closer to the neck... getting soft strings is another way to make it a little better.

All You Need is Love smile

HannahBeth's Website

  • Registered: 2007-07-06
  • Posts: 6

Re: Black and Blue Fingers

Oh... So how often do the strings need to be changed? A few years ago, my dad bought a new acoustic guitar for the family. (Though I play it more than 90% of the time it is used.) It still has the same strings it had when we bought it, and they seem perfectly fine. Should I change them or wait until I see signs of corrosion?

25 Reply by Tone_Obsession94 (edited by Tone_Obsession94 2007-08-10 03:38:08)

  • Registered: 2007-07-14
  • Posts: 25

Re: Black and Blue Fingers

I suppose that would depend.  Most people including myself change the stock strings, mostly because a lot of the time the stock strings are crap.  BUT, if it is a nice guitar like a Gibson or Martin, or even higher value Epiphones or Ibanez it might have nice strings on them to begin with.  I would definetly change them if you have had this thing for a couple years.  If you're gonna change them then may I suggest Takamine lights?  I prefer these because they last a long time, they are strong, and they "break in" extremely fast.  I just changed my accoustic strings last night and they are fully broken in tonight after only 2-3 hours of play.  Hope this helped.

Tone Obbsession