Page 13 - Guitar Tuition for Students and Tutors level 1

Page 12

Things you can expect to happen
when picking up the guitar the first time

From roughing up fingertips with an emery board, to coating them in a helmet of
Super Glue, to dipping them into a hot frying pan, guitarists try all sorts of
things to help them get through the pain that comes before the calluses.

A callus is a toughened area of skin that has become

relatively thick and hard in response to repeated

friction, pressure, or other irritation. Just like you
develop calluses on your feet when your shoes don't fit

properly, so does regular fretting of guitar strings
create calluses, or "pads," on the fingertips. Calluses are

built gradually, over a period of time and with
commitment. They help to increase your pleasure in
playing by desensitizing your fingers to pain, allowing you

to play longer and better. Calluses are the difference
between the players and the pretenders. They are your
battle scars, your badge of honour as a guitarist.

The most effective way to build calluses is through good old-fashioned practice.
The type of practice we're talking here, however, isn't playing for three hours

straight and then not playing again for days.

If you try to play for several hours a day when you
are brand new to the guitar or returning to your
instrument after a lengthy absence, you may end up

with a blister or two instead of a callus. Blisters or
cuts can make it almost impossible to play, and
they're slow to heal too, so don't overdo it. What
you want to do is to play in shorter bursts of time,
several times a day, many times a week.

Your fingertips will hurt a bit at first, but you don't want to avoid the soreness.
Again, it's the only sure-fire way to build calluses. You can expect a decrease in

fingertip sensitivity with time. And once you've got those babies good and
tough, keep them that way by playing your guitar daily, even if only for a few
minutes. As long as you continue to play faithfully, you'll maintain your calluses

and never have to worry about sore fingers again!!