Taropatch.net
Taropatch.net
Home | Profile | Register | Active Topics | Active Polls | Members | Search | FAQ | $upport
Username:
Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

HomeWhat is slack key?Hawai`i News HeadlinesTalk story at our message boardArtists, Clubs and more...
spacer.gif (45 bytes)

 All Forums
 General
 Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar / Hawaiian Music
 Fingertip bruises
 New Topic  Topic Locked
 Printer Friendly
Next Page
Author Previous Topic Topic Next Topic
Page: of 2

JeffC
Lokahi

USA
189 Posts

Posted - 01/07/2006 :  1:32:59 PM  Show Profile  Visit JeffC's Homepage
Do any of you other slackers out there get bruised fingertips? Seems like every few months or so I'll end up with the tip of one of my fingers feeling very tender to the touch. Usually goes away in about 3 to 5 days. I play plenty and it is not a problem of blisters--calluses are in good shape.

I've got one now. Funny thing is this time I notice it more at the computer (report crunch time) than while playing. There is an obvious message there, or what.

JC

Jeff

Making Trout Country safe for Slack Key!

slackkeymike
Lokahi

440 Posts

Posted - 01/07/2006 :  2:39:23 PM  Show Profile
Yeah...ya gotta stop messin' with dat "compootah"!!

Mike


Aloha, Mike
Go to Top of Page

RJS
Ha`aha`a

1635 Posts

Posted - 01/07/2006 :  6:20:42 PM  Show Profile
It periodically happened to me, just as you described, so I tried to pay attention to what was going on -- it typically happened at one of 2 times -- if my left hand nails were getting a bit long, and if I got sloppy with hand positioning. So I've been careful about that stuff for the past 6 or 7 months and the "bruises" have not reappeared. Oh yeah, 3rd time - if there's a crowd at the restaurant at which I play and I stay an extra hour or so, my fingers hurt for a day or so -- but that's just from going at it over 3 hours with short breaks in between.
Go to Top of Page

JeffC
Lokahi

USA
189 Posts

Posted - 01/08/2006 :  7:25:26 PM  Show Profile  Visit JeffC's Homepage
Thanks Raymond (and Mike). I hadn't really noticed the left hand fingernail length issue (although I can see the connection). It usually happens when I'm working (and reworking) on something new. This time it was a chord change my fingers were not accustomed to and making an adjustment to a finger position without losing my rhythm or the note. And it's not as if I starts hurting while I'm still playing; I usually notice it afterwards.

Anyway, I had never heard anyone else mention it before. Now I know there's at least two of us. Mahalo

Jeff

Jeff

Making Trout Country safe for Slack Key!
Go to Top of Page

Sarah
`Olu`olu

571 Posts

Posted - 01/09/2006 :  06:36:58 AM  Show Profile
Aloha e Jeff,

I get it once in a while. It's because I've been pressing too hard -- or too hard for too long a time. Pressing too hard is easy to do especially when you are working on something you don't know very well, or are trying to get the hang of. (It's as if gripping harder will make it "happen"). That sounds like just what you were working on.

aloha,
Sarah
Go to Top of Page

n/a
deleted

50 Posts

Posted - 01/09/2006 :  07:26:58 AM  Show Profile
I carry around a jar of Carmex (for chapped lips) in my pocket, and rub some into my fingertip calouses a few times a day. That keeps them from peeling or breaking off.
Go to Top of Page

slkho
`Olu`olu

740 Posts

Posted - 01/09/2006 :  08:00:53 AM  Show Profile
Dear Marshmellow Fingers,
You know, you will never play as hard as you practice. Typically most people "play" harder when they practice a song, or section of a song then when they actually play. Your sore fingertips at the time fo playing may just be a carry over from a previous hard workout.
I agree with Sarah, (pressing too hard). RJS noted an important but often overlooked cause as well. Steel strings vs. nylon etc...blah-blah-blah. Sounds like it may only be an isolated incident, you'll be fine. I wouldn't recommend softening your callous's however. They take a while to form, but can quickly go away.
Go to Top of Page

RJS
Ha`aha`a

1635 Posts

Posted - 01/09/2006 :  2:46:58 PM  Show Profile
I forgot -- Normally the pain only lasts a short time and isn;t too bad. If, however, there is some reason I need to play through it (like I'm on a gig) or I just don't want to deal with it, I keep a can od Lanacain handy. Just a spray or two does the trick.
Go to Top of Page

JeffC
Lokahi

USA
189 Posts

Posted - 01/09/2006 :  5:33:16 PM  Show Profile  Visit JeffC's Homepage
Thanks for the Lanacain tip. Wouldn't have thought of it.

Jeff

Jeff

Making Trout Country safe for Slack Key!
Go to Top of Page

duke
Lokahi

USA
163 Posts

Posted - 01/09/2006 :  8:07:21 PM  Show Profile
One of the best tips I ever got for dealing with pressing too hard, is this:

With your left hand fingers, starting with the index finger, lightly place it on a string, any string, any fret, so that when you pluck the string, it sounds muted. Keep plucking while GRADUALLY increasing the pressure on the string. Note how little pressure is required to produce a clear and clean tone. Repeat with other fingers and strings to complete the exercise. I return to this excercise frequently to remind myself to ease-up on my grip when I catch myself squeezing the life out of my guitar neck and my finger tips start to throb.

Duke
Go to Top of Page

JeffC
Lokahi

USA
189 Posts

Posted - 01/11/2006 :  06:51:04 AM  Show Profile  Visit JeffC's Homepage
Good tip, Duke. I'll try that. It can be hard to keep in mind that brute strength in fingering is not always, uh ever, the answer.

Thanks

Jeff

Jeff

Making Trout Country safe for Slack Key!
Go to Top of Page

Kiwini
Lokahi

USA
203 Posts

Posted - 01/15/2006 :  9:07:36 PM  Show Profile
Jeff,

Quit procrastinating! Do your reports on time so you won't take it out on your computer in frustration!


Me Ke Aloha,
Steve
Go to Top of Page

JeffC
Lokahi

USA
189 Posts

Posted - 01/19/2006 :  08:03:11 AM  Show Profile  Visit JeffC's Homepage
That just might be the real problem!!! I have been working a little with Duke's suggestion to test the amount of pressure you need to make a clean sounding note. It is instructive. It is so easy to end up strangling the strings though, especially when working diligently on some part of a song...

Jeff

Jeff

Making Trout Country safe for Slack Key!
Go to Top of Page

Larry Goldstein
Lokahi

267 Posts

Posted - 01/19/2006 :  8:26:14 PM  Show Profile
Hey, I figure if folks will respond to a thread about bruises, perhaps I'll luck out and get some advice on calluses.

My calluses are well developed but almost counter productive. Rather than being nice even surfaces they are more conical in shape. The result is my fingertips tend to roll off the string, especially on nylon strings. I'm finding it difficult to get a good solid feeling and play a note cleanly and consistently.

Any advice is appreciated.

Mahalo,

Larry
Go to Top of Page

Rlowenote
Akahai

84 Posts

Posted - 01/20/2006 :  04:25:16 AM  Show Profile
Larry,

When I shape/file my nails, I sometimes file my calluses if they are a problem. My index finger has some weird scar tissue from chopping it off as a kid. It was reattached ok but is slighty mishapened with a little scar tissue between the nail and the center of the finger tip. This fingertip gets filed the most often with a nail board. The others get filed as needed.
Ralph
Go to Top of Page

JeffC
Lokahi

USA
189 Posts

Posted - 01/20/2006 :  07:48:18 AM  Show Profile  Visit JeffC's Homepage
Hi Larry

Amazing what we will talk about, isn't it? I have had that issue too. Unlike Ralph, I occasionally notice that a callus has gotten so thick that it starts to feel a little like a hoof or something, and (using the low-tech method) I gnaw it off. This usually happens while sitting in front of my computer contemplating work. It doesn't result in the cleanest job, but interestingly the callus is usually smooth enough to not get my attention again for a while. I never chew my fingernails, BTW, but it works for calluses.

Jeff

Jeff

Making Trout Country safe for Slack Key!
Go to Top of Page
Page: of 2 Previous Topic Topic Next Topic  
Next Page
 New Topic  Topic Locked
 Printer Friendly
Jump To:
Taropatch.net © 2002 - 2014 Taropatch.net Go To Top Of Page
This page was generated in 0.11 seconds. Snitz Forums 2000