Sore Fingertips
I am a beginner, but have been playing uke, since the beginning of this year. I play everyday, so I have built up some good callouses on the finger tips of my fretting hand. However, even with my callouses, if I play a lot, my fingers will be sore. And then cannot play too much the next day, as the tips underneath the callouses will stay tender. I will have indentations in my callouses, that sometimes even stay there for a day, if I play alot. So, even with my callouses, it can still get tender underneath, so if I play for awhile and push down hard, my fingers get tender and it hurts. I usually try to bear it and play as much as possible anyway, but wonder if anything can be done.
I know it also hurts more due to my strings, which are Southcoast HML RW. The Low G and C are wound, and the E and A are pretty narrow gauge and high tension. When I play on another uke with high G aquila strings that are thicker gauge and lower tension, it is a bit easier and my fingers dont get quite as sore or not as fast.
ANd not sure if I maybe push down harder than I need to, but seems at least that I dont get a clean sound with trying less pressure. Now of course, if one is fretting not so close the fret, then have to press harder to get a clean sound, so I try to be conscious to push down as close to the fret as possible.
Just wondering, if this goes away, as I dont see it is due to not having enough callouses, as I think they are as big as they are going to get.
Or maybe I need to try and get some lower tension, thicker gauge strings. Wonder if others experience any issues, even after building up callouses? Thanks
I am a beginner, but have been playing uke, since the beginning of this year. I play everyday, so I have built up some good callouses on the finger tips of my fretting hand. However, even with my callouses, if I play a lot, my fingers will be sore. And then cannot play too much the next day, as the tips underneath the callouses will stay tender. I will have indentations in my callouses, that sometimes even stay there for a day, if I play alot. So, even with my callouses, it can still get tender underneath, so if I play for awhile and push down hard, my fingers get tender and it hurts. I usually try to bear it and play as much as possible anyway, but wonder if anything can be done.
I know it also hurts more due to my strings, which are Southcoast HML RW. The Low G and C are wound, and the E and A are pretty narrow gauge and high tension. When I play on another uke with high G aquila strings that are thicker gauge and lower tension, it is a bit easier and my fingers dont get quite as sore or not as fast.
ANd not sure if I maybe push down harder than I need to, but seems at least that I dont get a clean sound with trying less pressure. Now of course, if one is fretting not so close the fret, then have to press harder to get a clean sound, so I try to be conscious to push down as close to the fret as possible.
Just wondering, if this goes away, as I dont see it is due to not having enough callouses, as I think they are as big as they are going to get.
Or maybe I need to try and get some lower tension, thicker gauge strings. Wonder if others experience any issues, even after building up callouses? Thanks
Last edited: