Blisters and finger playing

[Queg]

Let's not overdo the softer touch thing.
Part of the fun of playing fingerstyle is the wider range of sounds you can elicit from the instrument. When you're playing parts in rock music.. wait, ANY music, occasionally you may want to dig in on certain notes or sections for a desired effect (depending on tone shaping.. could be going for a twangy clank, grindy overdrive etc). I don't believe anyone would claim it's bad technique to do this, but it will cause blisters if you're not in the habit of it.

 

[totallyfrozen]

Am I unique or do callouses only take about 4 days to a week to form?

My advice: If you don't have to play for hours everyday (to make a living), then take your time with it. There's no rush to try to make callouses or become a great player. Just enjoy the experience of playing. It should be fun, not painful.

 

[Robert Rollins]

Tbh, I'd give it rest and let some skin reform first, callouses form gradually over time. I've had to play through gigs with burst blisters, I don't recommend it

I agree with Skitch it! on this one. Don't take so much time off that the skin begins to harden, but time off would help. I know it sucks. But it's just something to live with. Let the skin toughen up a bit, and maybe put petroleum jelly (Vaseline) on your hands to keep them from drying up and cracking. Not so much that the spots begin to get too soft, just once a day right after showering.

 

[aglide]

+1 on the "tear a small hole in it" method. It drains and the outer skin dries up and acts as a shield to the raw skin underneath.

 

[BassOfSpades]

The first few days of my playing when I had blisters I put a band aid around it the some cotton dollar store gloves on. I didn't feel a thing. But as soon as your fingers stop hurting take them off just play regularly.

 

[Stumbo]

I do dig in somewhat hard; I usually pluck the bottom "side" of the string and then pulling up (like a hook) while playing though I figured that's how everyone else plays.

I usually play with a pick but I'll pluck hard like using a hook that to add some spank to a funk tune. My bass has dead round wounds on it. Other than that I pluck more across the top of the strings in a firm manner, maybe getting a bit of the side of the string.

I did a 3 hour jam using finger style the whole time for the first time a couple of weeks ago. I'll adjust the volume/tone before I start whacking on the strings for 3 hours. Didn't get any blisters.

 

[Acapla34]

It happens. It happens less if you play more (callouses and all that).

I did briefly attempt to learn to play with a pick as a result of this, but I just got used to playing with fingers, mainly because I keep forgetting where my picks are.

if you just need to practice fretting, playing with a picks fine

 

[matthewbrown]

Tincture of Benzoin. "It is used in the U.S. military to treat blisters. A common treatment utilized by medics in the U.S. Army is to drain the fluid from a blister and to inject the same amount of compound tincture of benzoin, to help seal the space created by the blister, to serve as a local antiseptic, and to prevent further abrasion or loss of skin. This is commonly known as a "hot shot" amongst military personnel due to the extreme burning sensation that will be experienced for several moments when the tincture is applied."
Wikipedia

 

[Clef_de_fa]

Light touch , avoid practice slap for 2h everyday and it will be ok. I had a few blister but nothing major, my fingers aren't hard at all, they look normal just a little more thicker

 

[Clef_de_fa]

Let's not overdo the softer touch thing.
Part of the fun of playing fingerstyle is the wider range of sounds you can elicit from the instrument. When you're playing parts in rock music.. wait, ANY music, occasionally you may want to dig in on certain notes or sections for a desired effect (depending on tone shaping.. could be going for a twangy clank, grindy overdrive etc). I don't believe anyone would claim it's bad technique to do this, but it will cause blisters if you're not in the habit of it.

the idea is to not play a whole song while digging in so much that it sounds like you slap all the notes of your 4min song. it kill the effet and you'll be exhausted after one song with your finger in blood

 

[PJSShearer]

I find that if I start to feel the tingle that things are begining to get sore, I reach for a pick and finish the set and/or gig with it. I no longer play enough to have any callouses at all on my fingers and - I do the odd gig once a month or so and we usually end with a few songs that the pick fits better with anyway.

However, I used to play professionally - 5 hours/night 7days/week and so I developed callouses, but I was always careful if I hadn't played for a week or two as they go away almost as quickly as they arrive and was on the lookout for the tingle as it takes a few days to get them back again. As mentioned earlier in this stream, I recall fiddle players telling me that rubbing alcohol hardened the skin on your finger tips, but I've not tried it.

FWIW, I only ever had blsters twice - once the week I got my first bass (I had blisters on my left hand as well) - think "Summer of 69" and another at a folk "gathering" when I was thumping the daylights out of a double bass whilst drinking far too much Beer and whisky (and I was 17 @ the time).

 

[devnulljp]

The blisters I got when I started playing upright! Looked like my hand had gone through a meatgrinder. Piano player thought the roof was leaking when they popped (ewwwww!).
Rubbing alcohol (once no longer completely raw) and more practice/playtime. They'll harden up in time.

 

[nysbob]

I hate going through the process of developing callouses to the extent that I never take more than a week off gigging. I'll take a marginal gig if necessary just to keep my hands in shape.

 

[Daedraziel]

This is the result of 3 straight nights at 4 hrs each of gigging. My fretting hand is perfectly fine. I play regularly during the week but my fingers aren't as tough as they have been...I'm out of commission at least for a few more days because of this but I try hard not to pop them since it takes forever to heal and they tend to peel after.

The ring finger popped midway through the 2nd set and made life more difficult (and painful). I'm going to blame my technique primarily as I tend to pull/pluck hard on the strings but it sucks nonetheless. Just something we need to work through I guess

 

[static0verdrive]

Technique is a big part of this, too. How hard are you digging into the strings? I play a lot, and I haven't had blisters for a long, long time. My touch has gotten a heck of a lot lighter with both hands. I find I can play much cleaner and faster that way.

The only time I start feeling some pain in my fingertips is when I'm trying to compete for volume - much better to just turn up the master a bit!

+1. This is what I came in to this thread to add. Let your amp do the work. I'm not against digging in when the tune calls for it, but even the most I dig in causes only a little tenderness, not full-on blisters (anymore! It takes some corrective practicing in the technique realm).

 

[CatZak]

This works! Just started playing bass and got a huge blister on my right hand finger. Web MD said, don't pop it and stop activity that caused it...uh...no. Saw home remedies list and decided to try this and it reduced my blister tremendously the same day. I made a mug of green tea, added some baking soda (I didn't measure, probably 1/2-1 teaspoon) As soon as it was cool enough, I soaked the blister for awhile. Saved the tea, reheated it awhile later and soaked it again. It's almost completely gone. Might have one go with it before the end of the day.

 

[pacojas]

Technique is a big part of this, too. How hard are you digging into the strings? I play a lot, and I haven't had blisters for a long, long time. My touch has gotten a heck of a lot lighter with both hands. I find I can play much cleaner and faster that way.

read this. memorize it. proper technique should give you callouses, not blisters, imo.

Let's not overdo the softer touch thing.
Part of the fun of playing fingerstyle is the wider range of sounds you can elicit from the instrument. When you're playing parts in rock music.. wait, ANY music, occasionally you may want to dig in on certain notes or sections for a desired effect (depending on tone shaping.. could be going for a twangy clank, grindy overdrive etc). I don't believe anyone would claim it's bad technique to do this, but it will cause blisters if you're not in the habit of it.

who said the "light touch" crowd doesn't dig-in? we have a larger spectrum in which our "digging in" can occur!

 

[Joebassist0524]

I haven't played since 2013. I feel tapewound strings are a LOT easier on the finger without stripping the bass strings of a nice clean sound. I used tapewound strings on my Tobias deluxe iv back in 2013. I recently aquired a Dean edge1 from a friend. Made a bad decision of buying metal strings. I might just go back and buy tapewound strings again.

 

[molkoorn]

when I get a blister i just put a band aid or something over it when I play just so it doesnt pop when im playing and also cos i hate the feeling of being able to feel my blister when I play

 

[Russell L]

Never a blister here on my plucking fingers. Maybe I'm from Mars, but never ever have I had a blister since becoming a regular electric bass player in bands in 1988. Retired now, but I giggedand rehearsed a LOT. I think it has to do with technique. Or maybe it's that I use a bit of fingernail, being a guitar player, too. Now that I think about it I believe that using that little bit of nail changes how the string rolls off the fingertip, perhaps lessening the likelihood od causing a blister. A fingernail too short to contact the string would put more pressure behind the meat, causing more friction. Hm, just a thought.

I also use a fairly light touch, but not too light.