Playing guitar is a favorite pastime for many, but the finger pain associated with playing often turns people off. In order to play the guitar, you must press your fingertips along the strings which are often made of metal. The constant pressure from the guitar strings causes pain and often bleeding or blisters. There are steps you can take to help protect your fingers while playing the guitar.
Alternate your practice days. While practicing is important, too much practice when you are first starting to play guitar can cause blisters. Alternating can give your fingers a chance to form calluses, which will protect them from the strings.
Tape your fingers. If you do not want to lose a day of practicing, you can use medical tape or bandages to protect your fingertips. Taping may provide protection, but can cause difficulty when playing as your fingers may slip off the strings or cause disruption in the pressure on the other strings.
Practice the fingering without applying pressure to the strings. This allows you to continue working on muscle memory while giving your fingers a much-needed break.
Develop calluses. This is the best way to protect your fingers while playing guitar and it will happen over time. Each day you play, your skin will begin to create its own protection in the form of calluses. These will allow you to play without pain.
Tip
Some people feel that dipping the fingertips in rubbing alcohol or drinking alcohol will help toughen up the skin.
There are products on the market such as finger pads or covers, which can be used in place of tape or bandages.
Warnings:
- The use of lotion will slow the development of calluses which are the best protection for guitar playing.
Writer Bio
Carrie Currie began writing professionally in 1997. She has written for the "Statesville Record and Landmark" and various online publications. After spending seven years in Los Angeles working with film and television writers, Currie spent two years writing in a health care setting. She has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in communications.
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