Just bought a guitar

Hi, JediSteven. Welcome to GN.

It only took me about a week for my calluses to form. They do peel off and reform as your finger tips grow tougher. When I started playing guitar for the second time in 14 years it took me at least 6 months to tell the difference with hand strenght, as for my pinky, well that was about the same. It'll probably vary from person to person to.

Just keep hammering away at scales and chords, and have fun doing it.

Oh, and congrats on your guitar.

:D

Welcome Jedi,

Welcome to, what I think, is the best Guitar Forum on the NET!

It took me about two to three weeks, but I was learning on an accoustic. The pain went away in about a week, but it took a little longer for the callouses to form up nice. They will build up quite large at first then go back to normal, when that happens you can use an emry board or some sand paper to "File" em down a little bit, but don't bite or peel them off or you'll have to start all over with them.

Keep drilling, the four finger drill(s) I still work on em after a year+ of playing. Its like warming up before I play, plus as you work the muscles (new ones) you could hurt yourself if you don't stretch and warm up first.

Keep at it.. like my teacher says.. better to play it slow and correct, than fast and sloppy. :)

Cheers.

JediSteven,

Congratulations on your new (guitar) addiction! :)

You've come to the right place. There are lots of experts here, and lots of newbies and beginners, like you and me. This is the absolute best place to get your questions answered! :D

It takes a little while to get those calluses formed, depending on how much you practice. If you practice some every day (even 15 minutes) they will form. (I'm so proud of mine. Even though I can't play very well, I love my calluses. To hell with a boob job, I've got guitar player calluses!)

In building your finger strength and your calluses, just be careful not to overdo it. Like anything else, take it gradually and you will see results. You actually can injure yourself by stretching/pushing too hard and too fast. (overuse injury). IMO, a couple of short practice sessions a day are better than practicing for an hour-and-a-half once a day.

Best wishes and welcome to the fun!

Margaret

Thanks for the reply's. My fingers are hurting less now. I practice for about a half hour every day, plus messing around with it. Reading Modern method for guitar too. I want to start taking lessons in a week or two, but due to the hurricane my choices are limited. I don't know how to pick the right one for me. Also I don't know what are fair price is.

Welcome to GN.

Sounds like you are on the right road so stick with it and enjoy.

How are things down there in New Orleans? Are you able to function with any degree of normalcy yet in your area?

If you do have more than one teacher available, you might ask for references that you can call to gather information about their teaching styles. Or you might want to schedule a "trial" lesson, explaining that you are looking for the best fit according to your interests. I think it's best to be upfront with the prospective teachers that you are checking around. If they have much experience, they should understand that not every student-teacher pairing is a good match.

Costs for lessons vary. We pay $45 per month with one 30 minute lesson per week. Some months that means 4 lessons, and some months it's 5.

Margaret

I do not live in the heart of the city but it is years away from getting back to normal. The rest of the country has no idea how bad it realy is. I will try the "trial" lesson idea. I have a couple of other places I will check before I make my mind up. The going price I am getting is between $60-$80 a month. Each week is a half hour.

Knowing New Orlean's long enduring heritage as a music center for this country, I'd imagine you could find some pretty sweet teachers if you look around.

it is years away from getting back to normal
I have heard through a friend that many folks are still having to shop for groceries at convenience stores (not fullly-stocked grocery stores), and that many don't have telephone service, and that the electricity sometimes goes out, etc.

Enjoy your new adventure into guitar-land!

Margaret

It takes some time.When i started out ,it pained like hell.I play classical which has got a high action and which leads to a lot of pain if played for long even now.

Don't be afraid of pain.Just clench your teeth and play.After a while the pain will vanish.

Good luck and welcome 8)

Congrats on the new guitar and welcome to guitar noise...you will never find more knowledgeable peoples. I'm still working on pinky strength but I've been very lazy and don't practice. Practice is really important.

out of curiousity, what kind of guitar did you get? i love to hear what guitars other people are playing.

I got a Ibanez AM-73 hollow body, translucent brown with a Vox AD30VT amp. Wanted a Mexican Strat but fell in love with this guitar as soon as I saw it. Got a good deal on it. Plus one of the first things the sales person said was they set every guitar up and why. There the only place that mentioned that. Still going to get a strat. Mabey I can save up and get a American Strat in that chrome blue. Thats a cool color. But thats a ways away. I am going to get an acoustic next week to play around on. Some thing cheap.

Awesome dude! Welcome to GN.

I grew up in LA and live in Mobile currently. I am paying 60/month myself, so sounds like the lessons you are finding are pretty much inline.

I haven't made a trip to NOLA yet, but I did make it over to Ocean Springs, MS. Just incredible the damage over there. I frequent a Saints forum and everyone that lives in the city have posted pictures that will just rip your heart out. And you're right, it's going to take years before NOLA and the MS coast recover. Let's hope that the rest of the country/world don't forget the pure tragedy of Katrina.