Tips for avoiding bloody cuticles?

[MultiScaleMale]

Do you play through a very small amp?

 

[vvvmmm]

Lotion every day will help that.

FWIW, back in the 90's I played guitar inna punkish band, managed to open a scrape from cuticle to nearly the knuckle on my index finger from fast rhythm playing. That was it, it was there for the next cuppla years until I stopped ... fast rhythm playing.

It is likely your technique to blame; whether you can change that and still get the same playing results ... I couldn't.

Oh, and I still have a blood-stained guitar from a particularly memorable Double Door gig where I hadda play with a finger cot on my fretting index due to a kitchen knife accident, but the blood is from the right strumming hand index finger. I could post a pic, but really, who wants to see that?

 

[pbass2]

Do you moisturize? Seriously though--I don't even slap/pop but I always have ragged cuticles unless I keep things..moist. Maybe rub something really thick like vaseline into your cuticles several times a day.

 

[diegom]

In Winter, I turn to "The Trainer's Choice"...
https://www.amazon.com/Gena-Healthy-Hoof-Cream-Ounce/dp/B0006Q00ZI

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

I've recently REALLY gotten into playing funky slap/pop lines, but painful, bloody cuticles on my popping index/middle fingers have all but prevented me from continuing. I guess I tend to catch them on the strings below when I'm really going at it. I've tried using band aids, but the never-healing peeled backness (?) still hurts like a mother******, and the bandage partially covers my fingertips also, preventing me from plucking. My next step is putting some Krazy Glue on them before playing. I guess I'm wondering a) if this is a common problem, b) if its caused by improper technique, and c) if this is similar to calluses that need to be built up and will stop over time. Thanks in advance.View attachment 3610638

Wider string spacing

 

[MynameisMe]

Superglue on the cuts to help protect them from bleeding further.
It works in the winter when my fingers split on the ends.
It won't keep it from happening on your cuticles. I agree, alter your technique.

 

[Old P Bass Guy]

You may have a case of "flying fingers". This happens occasionally with newer bassists (or old bassists returning after 45 years). Both left and right hand fingers can tend to lift away too far from the strings which can effect timing and accuracy. If your index and middle finger raise too high off the strings it's possible they can return to the strings "off course" and scrape the finger nail or 1st knuckle. Have an experienced observer take a look. My teacher had to straighten me out at my first lesson.

 

[Ellipsis_Arts]

I get them sometimes when popping alot on basses with narrow string spacing. I also don't have a solution to this problem except to pop with my middle finger while my index heals.

I'm sure the narrow spacing has a lot to do with it, as it tends to happen way more on my 5-string Ibanez then on my 4-string Warwick, and rarely ever happens on my P bass (although I rarely ever play that style on that one). Thanks.

 

[Ellipsis_Arts]

Beginners tend to play with too much amplitude and strength. You need a very focused Attack but not much strengh.
Here's a suggestion that may or not be useful to you :
Practice your favorite slap line very slowly, resting your knuckle on the string next to the one you play before popping.
It will force a position in which cuticles don't get in contact with the strings. You can then work from there to the most comfy position.

I'll give this a try. I figured it had to do with technique. I'm a bit "balls to the walls" with anything that I play, and I've usually been able to use it to my advantage, but not with this. Need to force myself to slow down. Thanks.

 

[Ellipsis_Arts]

You may have a case of "flying fingers". This happens occasionally with newer bassists (or old bassists returning after 45 years). Both left and right hand fingers can tend to lift away too far from the strings which can effect timing and accuracy. If your index and middle finger raise too high off the strings it's possible they can return to the strings "off course" and scrape the finger nail or 1st knuckle. Have an experienced observer take a look. My teacher had to straighten me out at my first lesson.

This is actually super helpful also. Thank you. I'll be more conscious of this. I tend to channel my "inner Flea" when I get going, but he's being doing this his entire life.

 

[Ekulati]

Need to force myself to slow down. Thanks.

A guy in my town has some videos on YouTube. Look up Johnny Lee Long. He has a VERY economical slap/pop technique, talks about the wrist/arm rotation, with the analogy of not breaking an egg.

 

[DeepFriedBass]

Epsom salts and warm water

 

[Sid the Kid]

Try using your middle finger for octave pops. Check out Brian Bromberg on YouTube for some different but very effective slap techniques, including middle and ring fingers for the pop.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

How do other players do it w/o busting up their cuticles?

I don’t slap much. Back in the 70s when I was going through a set of strings every other gig, my plucking fingertips looked lot worse than those pics. It was a badge of honor. Also a source of considerable discomfort, not to mention pretty expensive.

Had a bassist come up to me after a gig and said, “you know, you don’t have to kill yourself to sound good. Lighten up...”

 

[MYLOWFREQ]

It's really hard to tell what's wrong w/ out seeing OP play.. You really don't need to pop (or slap) hard to get the sound. But your bass should be set up well. What's the string spacing?

 

[LT131]

Make sure you have a healthy diet or at least take the right vitamins. Vitamin deficiency can cause cracking and peeling cuticles. Multi-vitamins are cheap insurance. Hydration is key also.

No kidding.

 

[Kelly robinson]

After dietary concerns are addressed I would suggest turning up your amp so you are able to play with less forcefulness to begin with - hence doing less damage to begin with . Personally , I end up sometimes with cramping troubles that are definitely fluid related so keeping hydrated properly is really important for me in particular but that's my story - not necessarily yours - Kelly

 

[punchdrunk]

It’s a technique problem... Likely, you”re playing way too hard.Turn your amp up..you’ll reflexively play a quite a bit less aggressively. Inversely, if you keep everything just as you have it, and keep doing things just as you do, your hands will quickly adapt and not be as sensitive in those affected areas. Keep working it.

 

[Bass Jones]

One of the best slap videos I've seen for slap form and position was this classic from Alexis Sklarevski. What I took from it is that the key is a rotating wrist motion (not arm motion) that ends in the thumb slap and then the pop is on the reverse of that same rotating motion. So on the pop the index or middle finger is rotating away from the string below it.

It probably seems remedial to some but I found it worth working through:



Makes more sense faster and from above:

 

[JohnnyBottom]

I dont slap, but always keep a bottle of new skin liquid bandage in the gig bag.
You never know, and chances are you will lend to your guitar player.