Calluses On My Picking Hand

JffKnt

Blues Newbie
I'm going through ABGU again...well, I didn't actually make it all the way through it but I did a lot of it. Now I'm going back over a lot of stuff I didn't really master the 1st time through. That's one of the benefits of having lessons like this (instead of taking 'live' lessons). You can repeat the lessons as often as you want and take as much time between as you want.

This time going through the course I have begun to develop a callus on the side of my right thumb from playing the thump bass. It started off as a blood blister. Not good. I'm taking it easy so as not to tear it open and it's beginning to form a callus.

Also on the tip of my ring finger I've actually torn some skin off it. It's painful and it keeps me from playing some of the lessons until it heals. As soon as it does heal (hopefully in a couple days) I'll start using my fingers to pick the strings again (instead of using a pick).

I'm looking forward to getting my fingers toughened up on my right hand so I can use my fingers to play some of this material the way it's presented.

While my ring finger heals, there is still plenty of material to learn/practice using a pick.
 

MikeS

Student Of The Blues
Staff member
There are a number of places even when playing electric that you will want to use you pick AND fingers, so it's a great idea to do ABGU even if you mainly play electric.
 

Miles

Blues Newbie
If you're finding it tough going playing the acoustic blues on an acoustic guitar, play it on an electric guitar instead. It's easier on the fingers and with a clean sound it still sounds great.
 

JffKnt

Blues Newbie
If you're finding it tough going playing the acoustic blues on an acoustic guitar, play it on an electric guitar instead. It's easier on the fingers and with a clean sound it still sounds great.

That is great advice. I'm playing the ABGU on my Tele now and I'm not having a problem. And I can do a few things on the electric (I don't have it plugged in) that I can't do on my acoustic. Maybe once I get the moves down in my fingers on the Tele it will transfer to the acoustic so that I may be able to do what I was unable to do before.

Funny thing is that I didn't think of the advice myself. I started out as an acoustic guy. I thought that was the way to begin to learn the guitar. I thought that until just recently when I was swayed to learn from the beginning on an electric since it is so much easier on your fingers than an acoustic. A lot of people put down the guitar before they even begin to learn because of the pain one must endure to get started. Starting with an electric minimizes some discomfort allowing one to concentrate on how to put one's fingers on the fret board etc instead of being consumed by pain.

Anyway, thanks again for the tip. It's coming in handy.
 

Silicon Valley Tom

It makes me happpy to play The Blues!
Sorry to hear about your problem. It hurt me to read it and I hope that you find a solution.

What gauge and type of strings are you using? As we know, heaver string gauges produce move volume. You might consider using light gauge strings, and limit your acoustic playing to a specific amount of time, and build it up slowly! Keep a log of your efforts. If it works for you then stop there. You can increase your string gauge slowly until you find the sound you like. If you do not play for a long time, the problem could recur.

It is wise to not aggravate the problem. No pain - no gain - is very stupid! The body tells you when something is wrong.

Some info on strings:

https://www.musiciansfriend.com/thehub/how-to-choose-the-right-acoustic-guitar-strings

Tom
 

JffKnt

Blues Newbie
Sorry to hear about your problem. It hurt me to read it and I hope that you find a solution.

What gauge and type of strings are you using? As we know, heaver string gauges produce move volume. You might consider using light gauge strings, and limit your acoustic playing to a specific amount of time, and build it up slowly! Keep a log of your efforts. If it works for you then stop there. You can increase your string gauge slowly until you find the sound you like. If you do not play for a long time, the problem could recur.

It is wise to not aggravate the problem. No pain - no gain - is very stupid! The body tells you when something is wrong.

Some info on strings:

https://www.musiciansfriend.com/thehub/how-to-choose-the-right-acoustic-guitar-strings

Tom
Thank you for the reply. I went with Miles' suggestion on this several weeks ago, and my fingers are in good shape now. I took it easy for a day or two, then I switched to an electric for 10 days or so. Then I went back to my regular acoustic. No problems now. And as a result of this little experience, I now play my electric occasionally when I'm doing the Acoustic Blues Unleashed material.
 
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