Is pressing on strings supposed to be painful at first?

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rivermonk

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Greetings all!

I am a total newbie (just started playing two days ago) and it is my experience that pressing on the strings with my left fingertips is really painful. I did a search on this topic and didn't find anything, which means to me that I either searched incorrectly or no one else has ever before complained about painful fingertips (which would surprise me!). Am I doing something wrong, like pressing too hard? Or do I just have to wait until I develop tougher fingertips? :)

Thanks!
Dan
 
Welcome!

I remember when I started I had really sore fingertips also. With lots of practice you'll get some really nice calluses. Sometimes when I play now if I play long enough it'll still get sore. I don't know if you are pressing too hard. Don't worry, it'll get better.
 
Haha, yeah, I think with any stringed instrument, that stuff happens.

I remember when I started playing guitar heavily, I explained my fingertip pain to an experienced (and much older) guitar player and he said: "GOOD! Your fingers are supposed to feel like that!"

The situation will get better over time though. Take a break from playing when you feel it getting really bad. Also, try experimenting with how much left hand pressure is necessary for the chord to still sound ok when you strum.

Once your hand muscles start to adapt to what's needed to maintain that pressure, and your fingers start growing some callouses, it will be all G.
 
:D Oh yeah - for some instant finger-callousness, I heard that John Mayer uses Super Glue on his fingertips. Just spread a thin layer on the tips and let them dry (and don't touch anything). Your fingers will look very crusty afterwards, but they'll get the job done!
 
yea, if you want some quick finger calouses, real ones haha, just try playing some rock solos on an acoustic guitar.
 
I'm surprised no one has talked about action. It could also be that your action is too high. Do a quick search on action.
 
yeah my action was high on my uke last week and my fingers were KILLLING me. now i got my action lowered and they don't hurt anymore. nevertheless, i know that calluses are what happens to your fingers when you start playing a stringed instrument.
 
if your action is high and your just beginning, i would leave it high. then when you lower it itll be so much easier. oh and i played 'ukulele for almost 2 years now, and when i first tried a guitar a few months ago, my fingers were in hell.
 
DON'T put superglue on your fingertips. It will do nothing to help build up your calluses except end up peeling off what skin you have with the glue. Sorry puremarkska, but please remember we've got people here that may try it. I seriously doubt John Mayer actually does that.
 
A guitar-playing friend told me about the super glue trick, too. But I know that super glue can be really hard on your skin...

I used New Skin instead, which is a liquid bandage. It worked pretty well, and doesn't peel skin off when it comes off!
 
I've been plain about 6 months now, when I first started My fingers felt like I had burnt the tips, couldn't even touch stuff. But I still played on!!!!
It got better over time even had the peel happen and now they only hurt when I have been playin for several hours like lastnight 5 hours stright.

My Uke Inst. told me I was a woosie it you want painful start playin a Banjo he said. So I had to man up and play thru the pain!!!!!
 
I'll never forget my first peel. I was so proud I started a thread about it.
 
The down side is those finger tips don't work on my touch screen any more. :rofl:
 
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