How long until you get callouses on your fingers?

[st00f]

I have been playing until my fingers cry out in pain and past every night, and it hurts until it almost goes away the next day, at which point I get home and practice again, I have done this for almost a week, still no callouses. How long does it normally take to build them up on standard bass strings? Sorry if I'm being impatient, it sucks to only be able to play 3 or so hours a day.

 

[ffutterman]

I don't know about others, but songs with a lot of slides helped me at first (that is, if you're using round-wound strings). Cannonball by The Breeders is a good one for that.

 

[germ_77]

If your just starting and playing 3 hours a day then I think your fingers are coming along fine, it will take time for them to toughen up but I dont think most people could do 3 hours a day when starting without really feeling it.

If your playing that much they will toughen up quick, if you get blisters or anything and they pop make sure you let them heal up before going back at it or its worse as its all new skin underneath the blister that you have to toughen again.

 

[kr0n]

Try not to get blisters. They will only slow you down.

If you can already play 3 hours straight, you're probably doing something right. Just loosen up and lighten your touch, you shouldn't really be feeling any pain.

 

[st00f]

If your just starting and playing 3 hours a day then I think your fingers are coming along fine, it will take time for them to toughen up but I dont think most people could do 3 hours a day when starting without really feeling it.

If your playing that much they will toughen up quick, if you get blisters or anything and they pop make sure you let them heal up before going back at it or its worse as its all new skin underneath the blister that you have to toughen again.

Once I do get callouses, will I be able to play as long as I want to or will it always begin to hurt after a while?

Try not to get blisters. They will only slow you down.

If you can already play 3 hours straight, you're probably doing something right. Just loosen up and lighten your touch, you shouldn't really be feeling any pain.

Not straight, I usually play for 2 hours, take somewhat of a break, and then play for another hour. I can't really loosen up because I'm practicing slapping/pulling.

 

[Marty Forrer]

I think you're overdoing it. However it's your call. Be patient, and try and keep them out of water. Washing your hands and showering is fine, but washing dishes or soaking in a bathtub softens them up pretty fast. Methylated Spirits applied to the fingertips is reputed to harden them up, but personally I think it's a myth.

 

[BassGen]

If you play over 3 hours a night blisters and callouses will not be your problem Carpal Tunnel Syndrome or repetitive strain will be.

 

[st00f]

If you play over 3 hours a night blisters and callouses will not be your problem Carpal Tunnel Syndrome or repetitive strain will be.

Haha, okay. I'll tone it down a bit. I remember a couple years ago, my mom was nagging me to play other instruments, but now I need to do it less. Haha.

 

[PerlNinja]

Depends on your skin I guess, for me it went along the lines of day 1: ow. ow. ow fuuu... day 2: ow. blister. ow. day 4: ow. ow. hm. ow. day 7: huh, cool, no pain yay up to about day 10 when my wife made a comment about the rather sandpaper-like texture of the skin on my fingertips during le sexy time (oh yes, TMI...)

 

[st00f]

Depends on your skin I guess, for me it went along the lines of day 1: ow. ow. ow fuuu... day 2: ow. blister. ow. day 4: ow. ow. hm. ow. day 7: huh, cool, no pain yay up to about day 10 when my wife made a comment about the rather sandpaper-like texture of the skin on my fingertips during le sexy time (oh yes, TMI...)

Haha, that's awkward. Anyway, thanks for the information.

 

[PerlNinja]

Haha, that's awkward. Anyway, thanks for the information.

That's me. I'm Mr. Awkward. Be here all year!

Actually the last bit was a joke but anyways... it'll take a few days for things to settle down, best thing to do is that when your fingertips get sore, stop playing for the day. Do it again the day after and so on, and you'll find within about 7 days you won't really have any issues anymore. Then you just have to worry about RSI

 

[st00f]

That's me. I'm Mr. Awkward. Be here all year!

Actually the last bit was a joke but anyways... it'll take a few days for things to settle down, best thing to do is that when your fingertips get sore, stop playing for the day. Do it again the day after and so on, and you'll find within about 7 days you won't really have any issues anymore. Then you just have to worry about RSI

Alright, at what play time am I in danger of RSI at?

 

[Chef FourString]

Along with my kitchen injuries, about a month.

 

[PerlNinja]

Alright, at what play time am I in danger of RSI at?

Actually it's not about pure play time, I do 3 hours a day (not all at once) plus 8 hours of furious keyboard typing for my work, and some more typing when not working.

It's all about posture and how you hold your hands. Basically as soon as your wrist starts hurting (on either hand), that's a sign you need to change your hand position around. Basically, if your wrist hurts, don't ignore it and play through it because well, your wrist ain't going to develop calluses, it'll develop a case of RSI instead

 

[st00f]

Actually it's not about pure play time, I do 3 hours a day (not all at once) plus 8 hours of furious keyboard typing for my work, and some more typing when not working.

It's all about posture and how you hold your hands. Basically as soon as your wrist starts hurting (on either hand), that's a sign you need to change your hand position around. Basically, if your wrist hurts, don't ignore it and play through it because well, your wrist ain't going to develop calluses, it'll develop a case of RSI instead

Alright, thanks for the tips!

 

[vespito]

I used to get blisters when playing for over an hour a night. Lately, I've been playing 3 - 4 hours a night (prepping for my 1st audition). While my fingers hurt a bit and I have a bit of peeling, no blisters. As ffutterman mention, sliding a bit really helped. I'm still working on permanent callouses, but they will come in time.

 

[st00f]

I used to get blisters when playing for over an hour a night. Lately, I've been playing 3 - 4 hours a night (prepping for my 1st audition). While my fingers hurt a bit and I have a bit of peeling, no blisters. As ffutterman mention, sliding a bit really helped. I'm still working on permanent callouses, but they will come in time.

I think I see a blister beginning to form on my fingertips. :\ I guess I'll back off of bass for a bit. D:

 

[Calderdash]

Calluses are interesting. They are the worst when you need them the most, at the beginning when you're likely to be practicing the most.

Only a thing or two to add to what has already been said here: one, is that you might want to check your technique a bit. It's possible that you might be playing too hard. I recall playing much harder in the beginning, when I played w a drummer that played really hard. (He still plays really hard, too...). As I calmed down, the calluses ceased to be a problem. Although years later, they occasionally bark a bit on a ten hour day.

Another fun little "factoid": my wife, when she was in high school, used to have to deal with heavy callus building as a gymnast. Her hands would absolutely be torn to shreds with broken raw skin. She received some really interesting advice: pee on your hands. She tried it and said it worked amazingly well, healing her hands miraculously. (any doctors or scientists out there wanna weigh in with an explanation here?? Ha.) I have no idea if this works, and it might be total BS, but if your hands are really raw, you might consider it!!!

My first post btw. Looking forward to reading and posting here.

 

[st00f]

Calluses are interesting. They are the worst when you need them the most, at the beginning when you're likely to be practicing the most.

Only a thing or two to add to what has already been said here: one, is that you might want to check your technique a bit. It's possible that you might be playing too hard. I recall playing much harder in the beginning, when I played w a drummer that played really hard. (He still plays really hard, too...). As I calmed down, the calluses ceased to be a problem. Although years later, they occasionally bark a bit on a ten hour day.

Another fun little "factoid": my wife, when she was in high school, used to have to deal with heavy callus building as a gymnast. Her hands would absolutely be torn to shreds with broken raw skin. She received some really interesting advice: pee on your hands. She tried it and said it worked amazingly well, healing her hands miraculously. (any doctors or scientists out there wanna weigh in with an explanation here?? Ha.) I have no idea if this works, and it might be total BS, but if your hands are really raw, you might consider it!!!

My first post btw. Looking forward to reading and posting here.

Haha, I'm not completely sure I'm on board with peeing on my hands, but I did read somewhere that women used to pee on their hands to make them softer a while back. Other than that, that post was really helpful. Also, congrats on first post! This was my 2nd post here.

 

[jabsys]

I must be doing something wrong lol, other than slightly harder skin on my fretting hand I've never had any blisters or calluses or really any pain despite playing at least 2 hours a day, I'm convinced some people just will never get proper hard calluses.