Fingers bleeding/Blistering after playing.

[misslynn909]

I'm a teenage beginner bass player. (15 at that, I started sorta late)
I've been playing bass for about 2 months now. (on and off with guitar, I can't seem to make up my mind between the two)
Anyways, I usually practice about 30 minutes or less every day. (but I am guilty of skipping) Yesterday I played for an hour. Today I stayed home and decided to practice for 3 hours.
My fingers went numb, (I wasn't using a pick, I prefer no pick) I stop playing to look at my fingers and see that my finger's bleeding, and it's weird because it looked like a round blister thing filled with blood. (I wasn't pressing really hard on the strings either, which I found odd) It was small, but I was sorta scared cause that's never happened to me. My question is, for a beginner, what can I do to stop myself from wanting to play 24/7? It's almost like an obsession, haha. I practiced more after finding the blister but not using that one finger that was bleeding. How long should a young person as myself practice for? I don't want this 'finger bleeding' crap to keep going on!

 

[wvbass]

I'm a teenage beginner bass player. (15 at that, I started sorta late)
I've been playing bass for about 2 months now. (on and off with guitar, I can't seem to make up my mind between the two)
Anyways, I usually practice about 30 minutes or less every day. (but I am guilty of skipping) Yesterday I played for an hour. Today I stayed home and decided to practice for 3 hours.
My fingers went numb, (I wasn't using a pick, I prefer no pick) I stop playing to look at my fingers and see that my finger's bleeding, and it's weird because it looked like a round blister thing filled with blood. (I wasn't pressing really hard on the strings either, which I found odd) It was small, but I was sorta scared cause that's never happened to me. My question is, for a beginner, what can I do to stop myself from wanting to play 24/7? I practiced more after but not using that one finger that was bleeding. How long should a young person as myself practice for? I don't want this 'finger bleeding' crap to keep going on!

Practice 'til it hurts, then stop. So long as you don't overdo it, your fingers will toughen up pretty quickly. Then you'll be able to play as long as you want.

EDIT: Welcome to TalkBass! Best advice I can give you is to stay away - practice instead of post! TB has a way of making things get expensive really quickly. On the other hand, it is a truly great resource.

 

[Warpeg]

I was 12 when I started playing and I remember this same scenario fairly well. The first thing I tried was to put lotion on my fingers after playing. Although it did make my fingers feel better, it seemed to inhibit callous growth. In the end I found that putting my fingers in ice water off and on helped the most.

 

[CTBassGuy]

Welcome to TalkBass and Bass in general! 15 is not late by any means; it's a very good time to start your journey.

This still happens to me if I play a lot and/or very hard (happened last week, in fact, due to 2, 3+ hour practices and a 2 hr gig all within 4 days, and I've played on and off for 30+ yrs). It's a blister, or in your case, a blood blister, your body's natural response to skin being rubbed raw. It will happen similarly if you have to use a shovel for a long time; your palms will get these too.

Basic guidance, play until it starts to feel uncomfortable and then stop. If you get a blister like you describe, take a break for a day or so and let it heal. Consider it a minor injury. It will be more detrimental to you learning your playing technique to try to practice and not use the injured finger.

Over a relatively short period of time (a few weeks usually), those blisters will stop and your fingers will develop calluses. This is ideal, as you will then have hard pads on your fingertips that can take finger style playing for a long time. At some point though, they may peal off and you may have to do it all over again. It's just part of a bass player's life.

That said, there are a couple of things you can do before you play to help avoid the situation. Some people put a dab of super glue on their finger tips and let it dry, to put a hard barrier there to help lessen the effect (simulated calluses). Others will purposely play to get a blister and then pierce the very edge of it with a needle; it will then become a callus very quickly afterward (need to be really careful here or you may get it infected, so I wouldn't recommend).

Good luck!

 

[Ostie]

When i started on guitar i used play till it hurt then ice my fingers. Another thing you could do is use flatwounds until your fingers get tougher.

 

[Jazz Ad]

Beginners tend to play to hard and have soft skin.
Over time, skin gets tougher and you learn to play more delicately.
Then blisters be gone.

Another thing you could do is use flatwounds until your fingers get tougher.

Flats are worse than rounds for blisters.

 

[Keger Jupit]

I'm a teenage beginner bass player. (15 at that, I started sorta late)
I've been playing bass for about 2 months now. (on and off with guitar, I can't seem to make up my mind between the two)
Anyways, I usually practice about 30 minutes or less every day. (but I am guilty of skipping) Yesterday I played for an hour. Today I stayed home and decided to practice for 3 hours.
My fingers went numb, (I wasn't using a pick, I prefer no pick) I stop playing to look at my fingers and see that my finger's bleeding, and it's weird because it looked like a round blister thing filled with blood. (I wasn't pressing really hard on the strings either, which I found odd) It was small, but I was sorta scared cause that's never happened to me. My question is, for a beginner, what can I do to stop myself from wanting to play 24/7? I practiced more after but not using that one finger that was bleeding. How long should a young person as myself practice for? I don't want this 'finger bleeding' crap to keep going on!

This happened to me...on stage! It sucked big time.

One word of advice is lighten your touch a bit. In other words, how hard you pluck the string. When I started (same age BTW), my amp was underpowered & to compensate, I would dig in real hard & viciously pluck...haha, I might put that in the overheard band name thread...I digress...

Trust us, you callouses will develop. It just takes a few months.

BTW, why would you want to stop wanting to play 24/7? That makes no sense to me Welcome aboard!

 

[misslynn909]

This happened to me...on stage! It sucked big time.

One word of advice is lighten your touch a bit. In other words, how hard you pluck the string. When I started (same age BTW), my amp was underpowered & to compensate, I would dig in real hard & viciously pluck...haha, I might put that in the overheard band name thread...I digress...

Trust us, you callouses will develop. It just takes a few months.

BTW, why would you want to stop wanting to play 24/7? That makes no sense to me Welcome aboard!

now i'm trying to play every chance I get! It's now an obsession for me, lol. Thanks for the cool advice, It's truly neat to get advice from someone that is or was in a band!

 

[smokinjoe]

Lemon juice on the fingertips once a day. Not when you have blisters, and wash it off before you play.

 

[Medicine Man]

The problem will solve itself in another couple months.

 

[staurosjohn]

Welcome! Whatever you do... don’t let this happen to you!!

 

[AndyPanda]

I started out a few years ago and posted a thread here asking about how thick my calluses were (to the point of not being able to swipe my touch screen, couldn't pick things up or feel home position to type).

Anyway ... over the years I've learned to pluck and fret less vigorously and let the amp do the work and I still have calluses but they aren't nearly as thick or troublesome as before. Also strings make a big difference - I can play TI Jazz Flats much longer than I can play certain, rough feeling strings.

Also you can practice slap and pick now and then to give your fingertips a rest

 

[misslynn909]

Welcome! Watever you do... don’t let this happen!!

View attachment 3415685

I started out a few years ago and posted a thread here asking about how thick my calluses were (to the point of not being able to swipe my touch screen).

Anyway ... over the years I've learned to pluck and fret less vigorously and let the amp do the work and I still have calluses but they aren't nearly as thick or troublesome as before. Also strings make a big difference - I can play TI Jazz Flats much longer than I can play certain, rough feeling strings.

Also you can practice slap and pick now and then to give your fingertips a rest

A relative recommended Slap and Pick a while back. It's really a cool technique, I just might try that again for a while.

 

[AndyPanda]

A relative recommended Slap and Pick a while back. It's really a cool technique, I just might try that again for a while.

Well I meant it as two separate techniques. Practice slap a little and then practice using a pick a little. There may well be something called "slap and pick" but I'm not familiar with it.

 

[AndyPanda]

Here's a basic tutorial on slapping:

 

[AndyPanda]

The "pop" he talks about will hurt your fingertip blisters even worse than normal plucking (at first, until you get used to it and your fingertips toughen up). And the side of your thumb will get sore really fast when you first start learning. But as you get used to it you'll find it's not about hitting the string hard, it's all about how the thumb hits the string and you'll learn to do it with such a light contact that your thumb won't hurt (eventually).

 

[buldog5151bass]

Don't overdo it. The calluses will come.

 

[BAG]

When your fingers are sore use a pick. It will be good for you to be able to play both ways anyhow.

 

[ImaStupidBaby]

I'd recommend turning your amp up and playing with a lighter touch.

 

[Ggaa]

Calluses will show up on their own(they're kind of like a badge of honor lol..) I have heard of some players soaking their fingertips in brine to help toughen them up...