Bruised fingers

[luvmyshiner]

I think I've mentioned that the last month or so I've really been trying to work on my barre chords. I realize the only way I'm going to get them down is to play them . . . a lot. So I've been concentrating on songs that utilize them, and worrying less about how they sound at this point and more about building muscle memory so I can eventually transition smoothly and fret them cleanly. Then I ran into a problem.

We all remember the first few months of playing when we had to build our callouses, and how painful it was. And there have been a few occasions when I bruised a fingertip (yes, I know, I tend to fret to hard) and had to lay off for a few days. But apparently this weekend I bruised the side of my barreing (is that a word?) finger and now it hurts like hell when I play.

I'm open to any suggestions. I suspect y'all are going to tell me to lay off it a few days, and then try not to fret so hard. But at this point it seems like I have to use a lot of pressure on that first finger to fret cleanly.

[just strum]

Well, I don't have any suggestions except maybe come over to the dark side. I never thought I would have to actually practice lightening up on the pressure exerted in my fretting hand, but I still catch myself firming up the grip when fretting. In doing so it makes the objective that much harder to achieve. I even find I tighten up on the pick when I'm trying to learn something new (more about that in another thread).

So, put down those acoustic guitars, pick up the electric guitar and give your fingers a break. Learn those barre chords on an electric and have fun.

I have yet to start barre chords, but I was curious if the same "light touch" fretting applies?

[sunvalleylaw]

About light fretting on barres, yeah it does. Spud showed me. Just takes us newbs a while to get there. I am thinking that the work on my electric is helping with learning to lighten up on my acoustic too. My big dread makes plenty of noise and doesn't need for me to bang on it or strangle it so hard I think.

[R.B. Huckleberry]

Lots of folks over the years have advised newbies to "get an acoustic & learn on that".

Huck's rule #1: play what suits you, play what inspires you. You don't have to start on an acoustic with telephone lines for strings. Put some light strings on a well set up electric & have a go at it.


...after you rest that hand up a day or two.

[just strum]

Lots of folks over the years have advised newbies to "get an acoustic & learn on that".

Huck's rule #1: play what suits you, play what inspires you. You don't have to start on an acoustic with telephone lines for strings. Put some light strings on a well set up electric & have a go at it.


...after you rest that hand up a day or two.

Yep I've heard "get an acoustic & learn on that" many many times. I bought an electric and a month later purchased an acoustic, then another and then another. I enjoyed them, but IMHO if you start out with an acoustic, buy a really good one. Electric on the other hand are easier to play, and because of the amp, you can get away with a cheaper guitar and really enjoy it.

You're right, pick what suits you. I guess the best thing to do is learn to play and be good at both.

[tjcurtin1]

I posted a very similar complaint a few months ago. I must have bruised a nerve on the thumb-facing side of my index finger. Whenever I laid it on the strings just right (or wrong) - yow! - what a pain! Then my finger tip started to go numb - I thought my guitar playing days were over before they had barely begun... From the advice I got here, I backed off the barre chords for a while but kept playing, and after a few weeks it started to go away. Now its perfectly fine... Keep playing and good luck!

[YerDugliness]

I started learning barre chords on a classical and found it to be a pretty painless procedure. When I did finally get a steel string acoustic (32 years after I picked up a classical), I had the mechanics down pretty well, but there was a short period of tenderness, anyway. Only after I had played a steel string for another 2 years did I get an electric.

Having never really experienced the phenomenon Ted and Shiner mentioned, I suspect my fingers were pretty well toughened up by all my playing on that classical. However, now, when I want to learn a new lick or chord, and particularly a barre chord, I go for the steel string dreadnaught with medium gauge Dean Markley Alchemy strings. I find that if I can barre a chord on that one, I can do it on any of my other guitars. Sometimes it amazes me how much easier it is on the other guitars after I have mastered it on the dread--I wonder if it would be as easy if I followed the reverse sequence.

Just goes to show there is more than one way to skin a cat, eh?

Dugly

[Katastrophe]

I suspect y'all are going to tell me to lay off it a few days, and then try not to fret so hard.

Yep, you're right, LMS. I had this problem for a while. Make sure to rest your hand, to keep from aggravating the bruise. When it gets to feeling better, try to lighten up on the death grip you're putting on the fretboard. Index finger placement, IMO, is more critical than force. It's natural for the index finger to want to go too close to the frets, and it will cause you to have to grip harder to make the notes sound clean. It helps me to make sure that my thumb is vertical, in the middle of the back of the neck as well. When I was learning, I would fret the chord and try to pick each note out. If I heard the telltale "clunk" of a note that wasn't ringing out, I'd adjust from there.

In summation, ol' Doc Katastrophe prescribes rest, 2 Shiners and some neked tractor driving. You'll be refreshed and ready to go in no time!:

[just strum]

Yesterday I pulled out the gear at 8:30 in the morning and didn't put it away until 11:00 PM. Played/practiced almost the entire time, only taking breaks for the necessities, the occasional post/PM, and one short trip to go put gas in the car. If I added up the interruptions and breaks, I would say I probably got in 12 hours of playing yesterday.

The fingers feel great and I'm ready to put some time in today. A testimonial for the electric and the soft touch.

Unfortunately my playing still sucks, but it doesn't suck as bad as it did at 8:29 AM yesterday.

Everyone, have a great day.ude:

[tot_Ou_tard]

Well, I don't have any suggestions except maybe come over to the dark side. ISo, put down those acoustic guitars, pick up the electric guitar and give your fingers a break. Learn those barre chords on an electric and have fun.

I have yet to start barre chords, but I was curious if the same "light touch" fretting applies?

What JustStrum sez.

I'm always amazed at how light a touch is required to fret & barre my short-scale electrics.

Like butta' as they say.

For me pressing too hard comes from a lack of precision as if I'm trying to use force to overcome poor technique.

* You're gonna ring true or I'll strangle ya' damnabbit! *

[just strum]

For me pressing too hard comes from a lack of precision as if I'm trying to use force to overcome poor technique.

BINGO!!!

[sunvalleylaw]

Yesterday I pulled out the gear at 8:30 in the morning and didn't put it away until 11:00 PM. Played/practiced almost the entire time, only taking breaks for the necessities, the occasional post/PM, and one short trip to go put gas in the car. If I added up the interruptions and breaks, I would say I probably got in 12 hours of playing yesterday.

The fingers feel great and I'm ready to put some time in today. A testimonial for the electric and the soft touch.

Unfortunately my playing still sucks, but it doesn't suck as bad as it did at 8:29 AM yesterday.

Everyone, have a great day.ude:

Man Strum! I could never get away with that!! Maybe if my family was out of town I could. Glad you had such a great day! ude: :

[wingsdad]

When your barre, your index finger is actually doing a capo's job of 'moving the nut', so it does have to clamp down pretty firmly. Eventually, the barres will come easier as you build the muscle memory & hand strength, and you’ll be able to fret them fairly lightly.

If you want to work on barre chords on the acoustic, then consider dedicating one acoustic to that exercise and setting it up with Extra-Lights instead of Lights (generally .010-.047 vs. .012-.053). You’ll trade the sacrifice of a little tone or volume for ease of finger pressure.

That gauge set will also be closer in feel & tension to electric Lights (.010-.046), and make switching back & forth from acoustic to electric less dramatic. The main difference in pressure will be the 3rd string, electric’s plain .017 vs. an .023 or 24.

[just strum]

Man Strum! I could never get away with that!! Maybe if my family was out of town I could. Glad you had such a great day! ude: :

Steve, my family is getting older and both kids have their drivers license. My wife worked until about 3:00 yesterday and then was in and out of the house. The kids off doing their thing, school activities and hanging with friends.

So now I tell the wife I only got in maybe an hour or two of quality time yesterday and I need to put some time in today

I'm suppose to paint the master bedroom and bath, but maybe next weekend.

[R.B. Huckleberry]

When I first sold off my amps...before "giving in" to the idea of borrowing my daughter's Micro-Cube...I played acoustic exclusively for a month.


When I plugged in an electric after all that time, my fingers were mighty ball-pean hammers of suck, that threatened to punch through even the sturdiest of rosewood fretboards. My vibrato was quick & warbly, and I could breal concrete with a fingertip!

Okay almost all that is true, but the benefit of getting used to these techniques on an acoustic is being able to perform all but but the concrete shattering techniques with less effort on a well set-up electric.

[luvmyshiner]

Hey guys, thanks for all the input. I broke out the electric this weekend and I've been taking things slow. Finger is feeling much better today.