Sore fingertips

[baiyongjie]

Glad you're ok after the accident! Maybe you can do right hand picking exercises to pass the time while waiting for your left hand to heal, hopefully your right hand wasn't injured as well.

Thanks Andre66! My right hand is fine, thankfully, and I've been doing some right hand exercises. I got very very lucky! And I'm glad this thread came up, because now I'm seeing the callouses coming off my fingertips. I'll have to try out the alcohol tip when I get back at it with my left hand.

[Wayne Bagley]

http://store.daddario.com/category/152457

here is a little apparatus that is quite helpful.

[Shane O'Keefe]

Not to hijack the thread, but on the subject of pain.. lol.

Anyone have issues with pain/tiredness between thumb and forefinger? I've been playing for a year now and I still get pain/tiredness there... I'm thinking might be pressing too hard with my thumb on the back of the neck when using barre chords but I can't seem to fret them without the thumb pressure.

Shane

[Mandobart]

As far as the finger tips go, just keep at it. I play for several hours each day and don't even notice it. I'll play four hours in a bar one night then the next morning go play the Farmer's Market for another 3; no pain. I've never used any creams, chemicals or tricks, just old-fashioned work. Now I've been playing stringed instruments for almost 40 years, and I do a lot with my hands (carpentry, plumbing, wiring, engine repair etc.) so YMMV.

As far as sore finger/hand muscles or tendons, that's usually a result of pressing too hard or other technique issues.

[Brad Maestas]

Shane, that is another place that pain can crop up. I went through a long period of soreness in that spot when I first began playing double bass. Eventually, I built up those muscles and refined my technique and I no longer experience it even after a hiatus. Other aspects are definitely using too much pressure and the quality of the instrument setup. To the OP that said the bridge is all the way down, many bridges on factory instruments don't always go down far enough to bottom out on the frets. You might be able to get the action even lower by having the bridge adjusted. I like a pretty low action and not just for the ease of play but also for the tone. There's a sweet spot where you get maximum sustain, an awesome tone and no buzz. When the set up is very good, you only need the slightest pressure to sound a note cleanly. This is essential to your short-term endurance and long-term health.

Another thing I notice is that many mandolins have their strings paired fairly far apart. I studied with Radim Zenkl and he recommended that I get mine put a bit closer together. This way, the pair behave more like a single string than two independent strings. At the time I was having difficulty producing really clean pull-offs without discomfort and that helped. It also helped the smoothness of my tremolo. Radim's advice still rings true. I had great callouses from playing double bass but they weren't all in the right spot for mandolin. He basically said what has been said here so many times. Do it and do it again but listen to your body and stop and recuperate if you need to. Eventually you should be able to play without any discomfort. If it persists, you need to take a closer look at your setup and whether you are using too much pressure.

[Crabgrass]

Anyone have experience with the fingertip becoming filled with fluid? This happened to my index finger the first week I started playing and has pretty much come and gone ever since (a few months now). I even played three-fingered for a couple weeks so it would heal. But it came back. Worst thing is, the blister seems to keep the callus from ever forming. My other fingers are finally starting to develop calluses.

Hadn't played a stringed instrument in decades, so very soft fingertips to begin with.

[Toycona]

It's a blister. Rub in a little zinc oxide on it overnight for a few days, and it'll dry out and toughen up. And keep playing! the zinc oxide trick is also good for toughening up the callouses on your toes (TMI???).

[ednew]

I have found a brush on product called Rock-Tips to be a godsend. When I had to take a break from playing due to an injury and lost my calluses, I found I could play without pain after brushing the Rock-Tips solution on my fingertips. It dries and forms a superglue shield over your fingertips. Speeds development of your calluses also.

Thanks for that "Rock Tips" tip, dochardee. I gave it a try (actually 4-5 tries) and it really does help. I'll recommend it.

["Umm, fish?"]

I'll be the contrarian here and guess that, callouses or not, you're probably developing bone bruises.

This was my first thought as well. The first day that I tried to play again after resting through some pinky tendonitis, I wound up with a bruise on the bone of the middle finger. Bone bruises need rest, not more playing.

[scootergirl62]

http://store.daddario.com/category/152457

here is a little apparatus that is quite helpful.

I agree - i've just bought one and it has a nifty "string" like thing on the pad to simulate the strings. Also, I've been playing about a month - the initial soreness wore off fairly quickly - the callouses developed and now I don't have pain. I have to add that I didn't play for hours at a time - I would say, in one day, I might practice 15 minutes here, 30 minutes there etc. I hope you're pain has gone away by now, but if it hasn't, perhaps looking into the bone bruising thing might be in order.

[Crabgrass]

This was my first thought as well. The first day that I tried to play again after resting through some pinky tendonitis, I wound up with a bruise on the bone of the middle finger. Bone bruises need rest, not more playing.

Scooter, you're lucky. That's how it's supposed to happen. Just isn't happening for me. BTW, you mentioned Ashokan Farewell so I printed that out and have it going pretty well. Always loved that song, so thanks for mentioning it.

I could be wrong but don't think it's bone bruises in my case. I can press my fingertips down on a flat surface pretty hard and no pain at all. But just touch the flesh with a fingernail and ouch. Guess I'll give the tips a rest today....darn it, I woke up with a song in my head and the whole thing keeps coming at me, lyrics, breaks, and all.... Now I just have to learn to play it.

Guess I'll spend the rest of the day crocheting a new mandolin strap instead.

[scootergirl62]

Rest it up and lets see that strap when you're done!