Hi, so I've taken a bit of a hiatus from playing and my pizzicato hand calluses have gone away. Just wondering if anyone out there has good tips on how to get them back the least painful way, how to properly handle blisters, etc. Or do I have no choice but to play through the pain? Thanks
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Double Bass Best way to form calluses with out bleeding/pain
- Thread starter leskjbass
- Start date
What I do is I got back to playing for no more than half an hour a day, for 3 or 4 days. That usually does it. And I play upper on the neck and with the 2 fingers at the same time. When I feel I'm starting to get a blister, I stop. Don't let the blister form. In 3 or 4 days the fingers are ready to play more.
It’s funny - for me a hiatus doesn’t result in issues with pain from lack of callused skin, but rather I feel it in the tendons/ligaments/joints.
After a few days of not overplaying, things come back.
After a few days of not overplaying, things come back.
I am not a medical professional so don’t take this as medical advice but what I used to do in my college playing days to rebuild calluses quickly was to take a long hot shower until my fingers got wrinkly and soft, and then went and played as soon as I got out. That would do it for me quicker than just playing. Bass calluses are different, guitar strings cut so their calluses tend to be hard, bass strings are more abrasive than cutting so our calluses tend to be more leathery, usually.
As far as blisters, and remember I’m a random internet guy not a medical professional, what I was taught to do was sterilize a needle, and poke it on the trailing side, not the side that contacts the string first, but the back side where the string will release from your finger. The reason is that you don’t want your continued playing to rip it. So, after you poke it and drain it, leave it to dry as long as you can. It will dry and get hard while the the soft injured skin underneath heals. Hopefully it will stay there until the underneath is healed. Once you get to that point get some cuticle nippers and clip off the old hard stuff as close to the edge as you can. Use a nail file to clean up the edges after clipping. That did the trick for me. If you need it, the fabric band aids or fabric hockey/athletic tape will provide some good protection if that fails or you clip into fresh skin getting to the edges. Good luck.
Also, those were tips from when I was playing 12+ hours a day and my hands were taking a beating, it was overuse not non-use. If your skin isn’t hard enough to tolerate that level of playing maybe your tendons and muscles and ligaments and stuff aren’t ready either and could use a slower build up to increased playing time. Be smart, make good choices and work up your whole system together. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a lot worse than some blisters.
As far as blisters, and remember I’m a random internet guy not a medical professional, what I was taught to do was sterilize a needle, and poke it on the trailing side, not the side that contacts the string first, but the back side where the string will release from your finger. The reason is that you don’t want your continued playing to rip it. So, after you poke it and drain it, leave it to dry as long as you can. It will dry and get hard while the the soft injured skin underneath heals. Hopefully it will stay there until the underneath is healed. Once you get to that point get some cuticle nippers and clip off the old hard stuff as close to the edge as you can. Use a nail file to clean up the edges after clipping. That did the trick for me. If you need it, the fabric band aids or fabric hockey/athletic tape will provide some good protection if that fails or you clip into fresh skin getting to the edges. Good luck.
Also, those were tips from when I was playing 12+ hours a day and my hands were taking a beating, it was overuse not non-use. If your skin isn’t hard enough to tolerate that level of playing maybe your tendons and muscles and ligaments and stuff aren’t ready either and could use a slower build up to increased playing time. Be smart, make good choices and work up your whole system together. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a lot worse than some blisters.
Simple as limiting practice time at first to prevent getting any sort of blister in the first place. And make sure you are not playing too hard and that the bass is setup to play comfortably.
I practise until I feel a slight irritation, then stop and come back next day or half a day later. Wash, rinse, repeat. I also noticed some time ago that I was playing way to hard. Master Damon Smith said something in the lines of “using the power that lives already in the bass, playing it like a bow under tension” what I find to be an excellent metaphor.
If I need to play longer than I should I try to change the physics (angles, places, forces) in places where the skin meets the strings. There are many ways to get to the notes, and experimenting with different approaches leads to a better control for the sound too.
If I need to play longer than I should I try to change the physics (angles, places, forces) in places where the skin meets the strings. There are many ways to get to the notes, and experimenting with different approaches leads to a better control for the sound too.
I play somewhat sporadically (usually on weekends). I have found that a particular cloth tape I have found is a real lifesaver. I start playing without the tape on my plucking fingers but when they start to feel tender I tape up. Over time I can play more and more untaped.
The really nice thing is that with this particular tape I maintain pretty much the same feel and sound as playing with untaped fingers - and I can make it through a 4-hour gig without blisters.
https://www.amazon.com/Nexcare-Dura...pd_rd_i=B001TSJ8XC&ref_=pd_bap_d_rp_43_i&th=1
The really nice thing is that with this particular tape I maintain pretty much the same feel and sound as playing with untaped fingers - and I can make it through a 4-hour gig without blisters.
https://www.amazon.com/Nexcare-Dura...pd_rd_i=B001TSJ8XC&ref_=pd_bap_d_rp_43_i&th=1
As an Amazon Associate, TalkBass may receive commissions from qualifying purchases made via links on this site.
Agree with this - start with whatever your comfort level is w/o blisters or pain - if 10 minutes, do that for a few days then go to 15. Build up slowly over a few weeks. Then make sure to play every day for at least 15 minutes to maintain what you have built up.
I like to garden frequently and I find that really getting my hands dirty — like weeding a flower bed or planting things — helps to keep up my callouses.
Do MLB Players Pee on their Hands to Prevent Blisters | TSR
I worked for a landscaper in Highschool, and several of my co-workers, day laborers from Mexico, did this. So did a conga player who I played with in Detroit. They said that it was knowledge handed down from their elders.
I worked for a landscaper in Highschool, and several of my co-workers, day laborers from Mexico, did this. So did a conga player who I played with in Detroit. They said that it was knowledge handed down from their elders.
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What strings are you using?
My first bass came with some high tension steel nonsense on it. I would guess that it was a student bass being bowed mostly. It was tearing up my right hand. I ditched it for synthetics, then eventually gut. Rarely do I ever have problems now. When I do, it's usually a humidity and sweating issue. I'm sure even a nice hybrid would have done the trick if I knew any better then.
If you're in a similar situation, don't be afraid to play something with lower tension provided your bass is set up well for it. If you're not, then disregard everything I just said!
edit: Also, I have no experience peeing on my hands intentionally...so I can neither verify nor discount this method.
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