Sore fingertips!

And mine too.

Everyone who plays guitar does get sore fingertips. If you are having lot of pain, then some problems maybe there -

1. Your guitar has a very high action.

2. Your strings maybe completely rusted.

3. Your guitar has severe neck bow.

4. You are putting too much pressure while fretting strings.

Look which one fits with yours. If none, then take some rest while playing two songs. Don't play continuously.

Hope this helps.

I also started playing again recently. I found this video on the D'Addario strings website that talks specifically about finger-pressure. Take a look, maybe the problem is easily curable.

http://www.tothestage.com/MediaDetail.PAGE?ActiveID=1142&IType=1&MediaType=2&MediaId=342

Cheers,

David

Thanks alot for the fast replies guys! I believe I might be pushing to hard on the strings. That combined with the fact that I play with pretty thick strings. Will follow the advice posted and see how it turns out.

Thanks again

I usually advice new players not to press too hard. you fret behind the fret wire and not on top of it.
so depreesing a string, no matter what gauge, does not take alot of pressure.

Everyone gets sore fingers of some sorts, what is really rough is when you are getting good and you decide to make a change (ie start playing fingerstyle instead of using a pick) and suddenly get a whole new dose of it. It's easier to deal with the sore fingers when everything is new, but when you know you could play something better if it weren't for your fingers feeling the way they do... a few days ago I noticed I've finally getting that weird 'feels numb' sensation of having a really thick callous on my right pointer finger which get's abused in slap and pop playing on bass, I doubt this will be the last time I have to break in a part of my hand for some specific technique.

I have almost the same problem...

I started to learn Stairway to heaven and often have to make some bare chord... I don't feel any pain on my fret finger, but my thumb under the neck is hurting...

Don't really know why, and how to correct it... Any ideas?

Clau20 said I don't feel any pain on my fret finger, but my thumb under the neck is hurting...

Interesting ... Best thing I can think of is taking a look at http://www.zentao.com/guitar . Pick up the 'Beginner Lessons' link and look a t lesson 1. In there he shows you how to position your thumb on the neck. It's a good site theory-wise, so stop for a look at some of the other stuff, too!

Cheers,

David

Everyone gets sore fingers of some sorts

Its not a problem for me and hasn't been for as long as I can remember. I play acoustic with 11's fingerstyle.

I would add; Do you wash your hands often? The more your hands get wet, the softer they will become. Don't play when getting first getting out of the shower, that flesh is very soft then, & will "cut" easily, especially if you don't have a nice layer of calluses built up (which I don't) :D

Hope that helps a bit!

@ the weird "numb" sensation that Maliciant mentioned, I get that too!

That numb feeling will go away (you get used to it and no longer notice it/your body normalizes to that lack of sensitivity).

Another thing to watch out for: doing marathon practice sessions wide apart. If you are playing every day for some time, then your calluses will build up. But, if you play for three hours one day and then play again after another 5 days and so on, your fingers just get really sore the day you play for a long time, but then get back to their original soft state in three or four days.

You might be hitting this problem because you started practicing really hard, and then because your fingers got sore you had to wait for a few days before playing again and so on -- that could become a vicious cycle. In that case, best thing is to ramp up slowly.

Sort of like doing weight training : build up your capability slowly..

The most painful finger-related guitar injury bar none is the one you get when you try practicing a song that has a lot of full-finger sliding. Like sliding a whole barre upwards. If I keep practicing a couple bars over and over, I've gotten cuts on the face of my finger, right behind the knuckle, a little below the crease on your finger. So painful. The whole face of the finger is calloused from sliding, but there's always that little part on or near the crease that isn't. The grooves you cut into your finger are deep, too.

super glue on the fingertips. If it worked for SRV it can work for you too. A little dab'll do ya

+ 1 on frequent hand washing. I had my hands dipped to soften my skin (duh) and I noticed immediately that my fingertips were extra sore for a while. Also, I do wash my hands frequently, but it can't be helped as I have 2 dogs (and a husband). :lol:

Also, I taught myself when I was young but didn't want to cut my fingernails, so I play on the sides of my fingertips. My teacher is trying to get me on the tips by having me play chords that require it. Frustrating and difficult!

Anyway, I can relate to this problem. Good luck and never give up! :D :D :D