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☖ Forums → Music Discussion and Showcase → Sore guitar fingers
Sore guitar fingers
2006-04-29, 4:52 AM #1
I've been playing electric guitar for the past 2 and a half years, I play a range of stuff but especially now i'm playing a lot more metal, including a lot more shredding.

The only problem is, my fingers have NEVER toughened up completely. I still get sore fingers to this day and I play a lot, at least an hour a day, more on weekends. I've heard vinegar is supposed to toughen them up? Does anyone have any tips on how to toughen them up?
/fluffle
2006-04-29, 7:25 AM #2
Soak them in urine overnight.
Ban Jin!
Nobody really needs work when you have awesome. - xhuxus
2006-04-29, 8:41 AM #3
what if you keep burning your fingertips over and over again until it forms a million layers of thin blisters.

its harsh friction like that which gave me bass fingers back when i used to play it.
2006-04-29, 3:29 PM #4
Switching to a higher guage string set will help toughen up your fingers. Also, soaking your fingertips in pickle juice will help with the sore fingers.
2006-04-29, 4:24 PM #5
That would be vinegar.
nope.
2006-04-29, 4:31 PM #6
BUT IT HAS DILL AND GARLIC TOO.
2006-04-29, 8:07 PM #7
An hour a day isn't enough, the more you play the tougher your fingers willl get. Also, raising the action a bit may help you out, but it will make shredding harder.
2006-04-29, 9:32 PM #8
play more.
"NAILFACE" - spe
2006-04-30, 4:42 AM #9
Yea i'm just going for the play more option at the moment, i'll try out vinegar, see if it actually works. I never thought it would take YEARS to get my fingers calloused....
/fluffle
2006-04-30, 6:59 AM #10
Originally posted by Sats:
Yea i'm just going for the play more option at the moment, i'll try out vinegar, see if it actually works. I never thought it would take YEARS to get my fingers calloused....


It doesn't, it could take a month if you play a lot. Your skin will just adapt to the wear on your fingers. Unless you're doing some really intense playing for that hour you play a day, it's not going to really build up. Especially for low-action playing like shredding in which only a slight pressure is needed to fret the note, not a lot is going to get worn off.
2006-04-30, 7:12 AM #11
go rock climbing.

It toughens up thy hands
Code:
if(getThingFlags(source) & 0x8){
  do her}
elseif(getThingFlags(source) & 0x4){
  do other babe}
else{
  do a dude}
2006-04-30, 7:16 AM #12
We have band practice sometimes up to 20 hours + a week, plus when I'm at home I practice on my own. It didn't take long for my fingers to adjust. I remember when I first got my bass, my fingers hurt half way through a song, now at band practice we're playing 10 or 15 songs before we take a break.
Think while it's still legal.
2006-04-30, 7:34 AM #13
higher action makes notes sound much better and tighter. not too high and not too low though. it helps the sustain and i think it gives much control over string bending.

also. why is everyone so stuck on gimmicks? screw vinegar pickle whatever. just play.
"NAILFACE" - spe
2006-04-30, 8:53 AM #14
I'm with Seb. Just play! And then... play some more.
2006-04-30, 11:00 AM #15
Play a crappy mandolin. Toughens the fingers like nothing else>.> (Well, a crappy 12 string may come close also)

o.0
2006-04-30, 12:23 PM #16
Originally posted by matrixhacker:
It doesn't, it could take a month if you play a lot. Your skin will just adapt to the wear on your fingers. Unless you're doing some really intense playing for that hour you play a day, it's not going to really build up. Especially for low-action playing like shredding in which only a slight pressure is needed to fret the note, not a lot is going to get worn off.


Generally an hour a day on week days , and often 3 hours straight on weekends including a lot of physically intense stuff (at least by my standards)

Speaking of which, playing right now :p
/fluffle
2006-04-30, 5:33 PM #17
Sit down and play until your fingers bleed.
Epstein didn't kill himself.
2006-05-02, 7:24 AM #18
If you ever need to keep playing when your fingers are dead, use superglue on the tips. It's a studio trick.
"Those ****ing amateurs... You left your dog, you idiots!"
2006-05-02, 7:48 AM #19
Or saw off your hands and get Lukeskywalker prosthetic ones. It's the trick of a genius.

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