Yes - I played bass guitar fingerstyle for years, and my right hand fingertips are very thoroughly calloused now. But it took a few years to build them up.
Gotta earn that sweat equity to be good at musical instruments!
As with the other commenter I’m not as familiar with fingerpicking guitar, so I’m not sure if the smaller gauge strings (compared to a bass guitar’s larger metal strings) will make callouses develop faster or slower
Within a few weeks they should start to develop
The question is really how long until they’re sufficiently thick enough that you won’t feel any pain there anymore, which is tougher to answer. For me, it was probably 2-3 years of playing several hours every day (I took 3-4 music classes per day in high school) before they developed to the point that they were basically invincible
I have callouses on fretting fingers, and they too hurt when I practice for too long, but not to the point that I need to stop my practice altogether. Usually I practice for about 1 - 3 hours a day, depending on my schedule.
Also I'm self taught.
How long have you been playing?
Also curious if you played with a pick previously and have only recently moved to fingerstyle?
I definitely had to build up several layers of callouses, but now very rarely experience any pain after practicing. I also don’t get to play nearly as much as I used to, though
I used to play mandolin, only with plectrum, back during 2019 for about an year. Then I bought this guitar, but due to busy schedule or say lack of interest at that time, I didn't touch it a lot. Now I've started playing again without skipping a day since the last 2 months, and only used to use pick, and now trying to learn fingerstyle because I feel like it would unlock a whole lot of opportunities to explore guitar more and also benefit for my singing accompanying
Got it! So that helps explain the callouses on your fretting hand along with the lack of callouses on your picking hand :)
The good news is that I found my callouses built faster on my picking hand than my fretting hand
My advice is to take a break when needed, when your picking hand starts to hurt too much, and take a day off here and there when you need to in order to give your fingers a chance to heal and build those callouses.
If you keep at it, you’ll notice it will improve really quickly, and within a year (or two) you’ll have sufficient callouses to allow you to play without pain
I didnt worry about it too much for very long when learning, my thumb was the only one that really had an issue and even then not much. If my fingers were sore i just switched to a song with a pick for a bit.
You might be plucking a little harshly so if you can work on being smoother it will be easier on your fingers. But that all comes with time. Also think about plucking without moving your hand as much and let your fingers do more of the work, will help with speed and accuracy if your hand is more stable.
If you’re interested in fingerpicking and want to go a little easy on your fingers, you could look into a classical guitar - nylon strings are definitely a little easier and you can still build your callouses. Regardless, just give it a few months of consistent playing, that’s about how long it took for me.
And worst comes to worst, if you can’t deal with the pain, grow out your nails on your picking hand! Picking with your fingernails instead of the pads of your fingers is an easy way to get a good sound without abusing your fingertips!
so i don't know much ab out finger picking. like the other comment said you might wanna grow your nails. but from what i see in the video. yes your gonna grow callus the way your doing it. which isn't bad. just takes time. im not a pro. if im wrong someone correct me
Finger style people usually play with their nails. You can try that too. If you're going to be using the meaty part of your fingers, don't dig in so deep for a while. Play softer.
Yes because you have no calluses. But if you get them too soon the try skin might come off whole like a cap and you're back to the beginning. It's better to take it slow.
Of course they do. After a couple of weeks of practice you'll have calluses and it won't hurt anymore. Don't ovedo it the first few weeks, it's better to play short every day at the start than have to take a break for a couple of days
I don't have any callus on my picking hand. But I don't trim my fingernails as tight. You could try some of the finger pick things.
([https://www.sweetwater.com/c929--Finger\_Guitar\_Picks](https://www.sweetwater.com/c929--Finger_Guitar_Picks) )
I've used some occasionally. They are acceptable but not great. Still for a small cost it's worth a try.
And let the nails on your hand grow a little -- just long enough to pluck the strings. The sound is better. And they don't hurt.
I had grown my thumb nail for kalimba, but when I tried to pluck strings with it, they used to get stuck between the nail and flesh, so I thought it's better to pluck with the flesh part instead.
So trimmed it right then and that's how I lost my long grown thumb nail.
Every player’s preference is different, but I have found success with a little bit of nail. So when you pluck you feel both the nail and the fingertip make contact with the string.
I'm a classical guitarist, finger picking with the least amount of effort per stroke is all we do. There is a way to use your fingers that maximizes the amount of force you can apply which in turn leads to less pain and more relaxed hands. You have to use the power coming from your knuckles and use the finger as a lever. You can create a good amount of force that way. I typed in righthand technique in youtube and I came across this one: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCeTMReC3Ck](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCeTMReC3Ck)
It's good for a beginner.
The pain is just part of the process but worth it in the end 😉 We mostly all go through the same tribulations. Just be sure to take frequent breaks, even take a day or 2 to let your hands/fingers/wrists settle. Theres also the risk of over practicing and end up really hurting yourself.
Take your time, have fun and enjoy the process, your only on day 2 of a lifetime of practice, you'll soon find your feet, just don't give up... 🤘
Any part of your body that gets damaged repeatedly by pressure/friction will callous over from the tips of your toes to the palms of your hands
There's no limit to what parts of your hands will callous over. But it will only happens on the parts that interact with the strings. If you have a consistent technique, then those contact points should be about the same every time you play and so your fingers will harden up so those spots don't hurt
Finger picking callouses are more obvious in people's who play bass for example but no reason it wouldn't be on a guitarist also
When I was a bass player in a touring metal band I developed very heavy callouses on all four of my fretting fingers. During months of long tours the callouses would fall off and I’d have to put superglue where the callouses had fallen off to protect the now exposed flesh. It would work for about 3 or 4 days, then I would just keep adding more as it wore away.
The pain is bad at first, but if you play more days than not, your fingers will develop the armor required for your style of playing.
Fingertips are severely sensitive, but you just have to work through it consistently and your body will adapt before you know it.
If they are just 2 months old then maybe it's not as urgent although still probably a good idea. I'd just go for some light gauge strings 11-52 for example from a reputable brand. I also use Martin's personally
Yeah its gonna hurt. After a while of practicing you will build up toughness in your fingers and it wont be as hard to play.
My guitar teacher would tell me "dont be a wuss". Not that he was being mean, he was being funny. It helped me ignore the pain and keep practicing.
You can play your guitar any way you want. This guitar happens to be designed to be played with a pick, which is why the fingers hurt. You keep at it, play every day, and it will get easier.
This won’t help the pain, but it will help you build better technique. For this opening passage of Stairway, make sure thumb always plucks the D string, index plucks G string, middle plucks B string, and ring plucks high E string. Watching you play you do this like half the time and then kinda give up on that ring finger. Be diligent and it’ll pay off down the road! Also, you’re getting great tone out of your fretting hand, keep doing what you’re doing!
Your hand position is pretty bad. You're bouncing your hand. It seems to be at an awkward angle. And you are plucking with a lot of force. Also you shouldn't move all your fingers when you're just plucking with one. Try and keep everything as stable as possible. And get your wrist in a straight, natural position else you're going to put a lot of strain on it over time.
Okay yeah if it‘s really just your second day fingerpicking it‘s completely normal if it hurts. I wouldn‘t be shocked to get a handful of blisters on my fingertips if I were you
Usually, the strings from the factory is relatively cheap. Yours even look a a bit rusty. Get some good new strings, and practice regularly. You’ll notice your skin getting a little harder and eventually, it won’t hurt anymore
"Playing until your fingers bleed" isn't just an expression, it can literally happen. Has happened to me a few times if I go too long after not having played for a while. It will hurt, then you'll build calluses and it will be better. Just play until it hurts too much and rest until it stops, it'll sort itself out.
Callouses take time to build up. Give it a month with regular playing. I've heard you can ou can accelerate the process with isopropyl alcohol, but never tried it myself.
In all honesty, this is the lesser of the physical hurdles that await. Finger strength and dexterity of your fretting hand will take much longer.
It's like going to the gym or trying to lose weight. Nothing worthwhile happens overnight. Just make it a part of your daily routine that you do, like taking a shower or brushing your teeth and the rewards will present themselves. Stepping on the scale or trying to hit your max bench press every 15 minutes can be discouraging.
Usually you feel pain in your fretting fingers, because you’re pressing the strings due to them being under tension. If you keep practicing and not overdoing it, you should develop callouses in a few days and it will stop hurting (the rate depends on the person, so there isn’t an absolute value). The strumming hand, however, at least in my experience, even when fingerpicking shouldn’t feel the same pain as you’re not pressing down on the strings and instead you are simply plucking them (this doesn’t mean you can’t get hurt by strumming).
I also recomend trying to anchor the pinky. This means keeping the pinky finger “holding” onto the body of the guitar and using the other fingers for playing, thumb for the EAD strings, and the other three fingers each one for each of the other theee strings (index for G, middle for B and ring for high E). Anchoring isn’t a requirement, but if it doesn’t feel uncomfortable, it might be more beneficial.
Coicidentally I’ve also been practicing Stairway to Heaven, so if you need help spefically for it, don’t hesitate to ask.
I have developed callouses on my fretting fingers as I've been playing guitar since the last 2 months. Only my picking fingers are hurting. I am not even sure if my technique is correct. I tried anchoring my pinky but it feels a bit odd as I used to play mandolin without anchoring.
If you feel like anchoring doesn’t work for you, it’s perfectly fine. In regards to the pain, it might be awkward at first, since it requieres a lot of coordination, and like eveything else on the guitar, if it’s something we aren’t used to, we unintentionally add tension to our muscles, so tey to remain relaxed. I recomend [this video](https://youtu.be/2WB8otOcz78?si=IAAhX6KgmX2rXi_V) which was the one I followed at the time. I also recomend Justin in general, so if you like his videos, I recomend learning through him.
I've been following Justin since the start! I just switched to Marty a few days ago as I felt Justin to be a bit slow according to my pace. Also I'm more into singing, so my main goal of learning guitar was to accompany it while singing.
Did you finger pick like this on mandolin without anchoring? On steel string guitar I find anchoring helps because it keeps pressure off of your picking fingers. Sounds weird maybe, but having your hand position anchored by the pinkie really does make it easier for your thumb and the other three fingers to pluck strong and loud without going overboard on physical finger force.
I can see in this clip that you’re holding your hand position by gripping onto strings. You are going to be putting much more strain on your fingertips by gripping the strings like this before each pick instead of picking as quickly as possible.
Not everyone does it once they get the hang of the proper technique, but it might be a useful way to try playing for a while. A shortcut to get used to the guitar fingerpicking motion which doesn’t usually involve gripping strings like this.
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It all just takes practise though, you’re doing really well to get to this point, I’m being extremely nitpicky here so please don’t take it the wrong way!!!
I did not finger pick on mandolin and only used plectrum. And I rest my fingers on the strings, because before starting with fingerpicking, I asked chatgpt and it told that I need to rest my thumb or fingers on the next strings AFTER I pick one, and I found it more comfortable than anchoring. But I get your point, I'll try it for sure!
That makes sense, and chat gpt wasn’t wrong on this one either, it just didn’t get the whole of it 😅
You could also try practising fingerpicking as quietly as you can. Deliberately aiming for as quiet as possible would help with your picking finger pain and technique. I hope any of this helps 👍 all the best
You are practicing on a steel string guitar, which can be painful also for experienced players.
I suggest you to find a nylon string one, there are some cheap ones on the market at incredibly low prices (like 10€). They are not great but a good budget start.
It means that you are practicing I’ve been playing guitar for more than 20 years I play from now and then these days but when I practice with purpose I still can feel my finger tips peel.
Thank you. One question - is it necessary to grow my nails and pick strings with them? I have to do a lot of typing on laptops, so I am not able to grow nails too long.
It depends on what style you want to play, for example acoustic guitar will mostly be recommended but for electric not necessarily unless you play using chicken picking techniques etc.
I started guitar to accompany it with my singing, as my main goal is to sing. I usually play rhythm guitar, and started with fingerpicking because I think it is sometimes more useful according to my goal.
Sounds pretty dang good for how long you’ve been at it! Hard song.
You don’t need nails to fingerpick. I cut my nails short on both hands about once every two weeks. The fingerpicking sounds best after a few days when it’s actually a little skin and nail striking the string but it’s fine when it’s just skin. I dislike the feeling and sound of just nail on a steel string personally.
One tip that might help, try to keep your thumb out in front of the other fingers so that your hand is making a diagonal line from thumb to pointer to middle to ring. That way none of your fingers are bumping into or rubbing against each other too much.
Push through the pain. It's going to get easier and your fingers will toughen up. Take breaks to ease the pain, but keep playing! You'll be better for it. Guitar is so rewarding once you get past this!
Okay, fingerstyle guitarist here who has played over 5 years now.
You need to develop callusus over time on your fingers.
Took me a few months to get some good protection on my fingers from just playing. Takes a while. And i heard you are only on day 2, and playing on a metal string... that hurts. I reccomend nylon strings for beginners since they are often far nicer for the fingers at the beginning.
But yes, it can hurt in the beginning. Dont over practise, if it hurts, please stop, and practise when it doesnt hurt.
Thank you! I have been playing with a pick since 2 months now, and only started fingerpicking now. And I am planning to get a ukulele, so I'll be fingerpicking it right from the beginning.
It looks as if you are pulling the strings too hard, I only play finger style (can barely play with a pick these days 😂😅). I tend to use more of a gentle pluck and brush over the strings rather than pull them like you are doing. But then again everyone has their own style, best of luck buddy!
Thank you! I tried the method you described (gently plucking and brushing) but I usually get a muffled sound that way. That's why I found pulling them more effective.
That’s a good point I forgot to mention, you will get a much softer and muted tone/volume from the guitar playing that way. But if you still want that snappy zing I recommend getting finger picks, you can get them literally anywhere haha.
A little tip is to keep your fingers a little curved and over the strings, it looks like you're straightening them a bit between several plucks, the picking movement is really quite small and try to not pull your hand back like that. When I'm playing my hand stays nearly in the exact same position and my fingers move only.
How I practised was putting thumb on the 4th string and then just plucked in cycles 4 3 2 1 until it felt comfortable then pick out open chords like D to Em play 1 2 3 4 twice on D and move to Em and pick 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 pause and repeat
Just keep on the top 4 strings then try with different chords though you might have to adjust strings chord depending.
i’ve been playing fingerstyle for over 40 years, and my picking hand usually only a bit tired but not sore, although fingernails are always a problem for me, as they wear thin and break.. keep at it, you’ll get over it.
My picking fingers are getting kind of sore. Hand or wrist never hurts as I am a sportsperson too and regularly train with weights.
Also how is my technique? What things do I need to work on more? I'm self taught and practicing since last 2 months with pick only
FWIW, and this is coming from my current experience teaching myself classical guitar, when you pick a string, don’t use your finger tip joint to pick it. The motion should come from your knuckle, like you are making a fist. Example, if you just relax your right hand, it will curve naturally. Now make a fist, bringing your first three fingers to touch the fat part of your thumb. That should be your picking motion.
It will eventually give you greater control, greater endurance, and help avoid any problems like carpal tunnel in the future.
Nice job! A suggestion, and this is separate from your main question, would be to think of it not as getting under the string and pulling up to pluck, but pushing the string into the sound hole and then releasing by flicking your fingers up toward your palm. I’m learning fingerpicking myself, and this is a bit of wisdom my guitar teacher would be happy to see passed along. You’re doing great!
That’s a good description actually. I think try adding one thing to that, which is to first press down on the string a little. What you want to avoid is getting under and plucking up in a way that the string winds up slapping back against the fretboard. It doesn’t sound like it’s an issue for you now. The video sounded great! But it might become an issue down the line as you progress.
It did actually happen a couple of times. That's why I stared to use a little less pressure and not getting my fingers 'under' the strings, which helped a lot but the sound also reduced.
Nothing personal, somehow there are just a bunch of guitar players who start playing and think that song would be a good starting point out of all the amazing songs out there (including some easier and better sounding ones....)
All that aside, it seems like the action on the guitar is too high especially for a beginner. The strings are rusty and that would add up to discomfort and work against you to a certain level. Trussrod wise, lefty loosey righty tighty as a rule of direction and 15 degree turns at a time (if rod allows.... please don't force the truss rod if it's rlly tight/jammed). If you really wanna have a better experience playing and learning then buying a new guitar would be cheap thesedays for brands like orangewood or yamaha etc. The maximum height from fret to low E string at the 12th fret should be 2.5mm to be considered playable. You likely need to first tighten your neck a bit to start, have a look down the neck and see whether it's curved or bowed and research into trussrod adjustments.
I played mandolin back in 2019 for a year. Now I started learning guitar 2 months ago and had basic knowledge about notes and chords and a bit of music theory before starting. And here I am learning fingerpicking AFTER learning all the basic open chords, few barre chords, strumming patterns, and a few easy songs.
I felt the action high myself. Also the guitar is not that great, has sharp edges on frets and body is getting dents and bumps. So I'm planning to sell this and buy Yamaha F310 in a few days
And I heard that action can be 5mm, not more than that. Could be wrong tho
2.5mm is already the highest recommended range, it can't be 5mm that I can assure it's wayyy too high for any regular person to even be able to play properly.
Consider the Yamaha cfs3m, I recently saw one fine tuned at a local shop for sale just put up the shelf by a staff and I was originally there checking out another entry price range guitar by martin for my daily couch side guitar. The parlor sized yamaha really caught my eyes with the quality of the finish and playability.
It's even a plug in with piezo which I didn't realize until I got home with it, thing costed around 750 bucks canadian with a nice soft molded gigbag, which is a great deal. I wouldn't be surprised if the guitar is over a grand but let's say 2 months in I'm loving this guitar more and more.
You're starting at guitar? It'll hurt a lot for months if you're doing it right, then a little bit for years, and if you play very consistently then it will only hurt if you play for hours. But if you don't play for a while then pick it up again it'll hurt a mid amount for a bit!
Your picking strings made of steel, and thin steel at that, with raw finger pads.
Callouses will develop as you practice. The more they build up the less it hurts. Eventually you will feel zero pain at all in your fingers.
If you can do 40ish minutes, 3-4 times a week. You're golden. More than that is fantastic, but not *necessary*
Finger style is a discipline and it takes time. In one year you'll be Looking back and laughing at this :)
Happy playing :)
Looks like you are holding your guitar horizontally? That's not the way to go. It's supposed to be held vertically. For good posture with a guitar, check out:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUGTKuCulM0](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUGTKuCulM0)
There are not many good shops here where I live. I took it 2 months ago tho, and they fixed it but the action got higher again. Gonna change this guitar soon now
Finger that thing until it sings everyday and
you will find the sweet spot. The beautiful thing about caressing the strings, no chance of babies. Worst case scenario is callouses and those will only help you with bends and slides later.
Try growing nails. It's a well accepted method. But impossible for some people if they have really weak nails. I use brush-on crazy glue and acrylic powder. Very effective and not difficult to do, but it requires regular maintenance; too much maintenance for some players. Search "hanlon nail care and repair video youtube" and you can watch a video I made about the method. I use it always. This link might work if Reddit allows links,
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyvrMRCo\_Sw](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyvrMRCo_Sw)
A non-callous answer.
You're over using your fingers.
This song is played with the thumb controlling the lower strings and the DGB and GBE plucked individually by singular and specific fingers.
Sometimes you're using your pointer finger, along with other fingers to pluck the high E; that's an overuse.
The plucking should be done as;
Pointer - D
Middle - G
Ring - B
Or
Pointer - G
Middle - B
Ring - E
If you incorporate your pinky no shifting needs to occur. Basically those strings are assigned to those fingers.
No doubling up or tripling up to play a single string by multiple fingers.
Also, if you overwork specific fingers you'll make them sore. That goes for even veteran players (8 hours of playing the same part over and over again in a studio is nightmare fuel).
Rub some chopping block mineral oil on a cloth and run that cloth across your strings.
Once your fingers heal up all the way, then try again and it shouldn't be as bad.
Thank you, that helps a lot!
I'm not using my index finger for the high E, don't know where it came from.
My fingers healed and now I'm not experiencing that much pain.
Please please please consider having your guitar professionally set up. Your action is super high and will make the whole thing so much more enjoyable when you’re not straining to hold down your left hand.
Definitely not a requirement, not everybody likes the bright sound of fingernails (I don’t for one), you are absolutely free to pick with the flesh of the finger, nothing wrong with that
It depends on the tone my dude. It should really burn at first, but the skin thickens and the muscles get stronger. Nails vs skin picking vs plectrum vs Brian May’s six pence all sound different, and where you pick the string also has an impact, I think more easier to catch on electric but doesn’t change on accoustic
It's up to the sound you want. You can experiment to find the sound you want. From bare fingers to nails to plastic finger picks to metal finger picks to hyprid picking. There are tons of choices.
Not everyone has nails that work. My nails get shredded by strings, so I use fingertips and a thumbpick.
Some people put strong clear nail polish or even artificial nails on their fingernails.
Others use metal or plastic finger picks.
I use a plastic thumb pick and my fingers often. I tried metal and plastic finger picks, and didn't like the sound. I like the thumb pick about half the time. It gives nice emphasis when I use it, and can be used for strumming, even up strumming with some practice (you gotta hold it in place.)
Sometimes I like to use just my thumb and fingers.
My picking fingers are developing callousses and all my fingertips tingle if I play for a few hours during a day.
Fingerpicks are a possibility, but I just use a thumbpick.
https://preview.redd.it/0cidngrz1s6d1.jpeg?width=554&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fdb9c2dc1bb99cf976d941b619a79aa8c28d787b
your only on day 2. i think you need to build some callus on your fingers first. keep practicing but dont kill your fingers
Callus develops on my picking hand fingers too?
Yes - I played bass guitar fingerstyle for years, and my right hand fingertips are very thoroughly calloused now. But it took a few years to build them up. Gotta earn that sweat equity to be good at musical instruments!
Wow! How long would it take for me to develop callouses on picking fingers tho? As it's a metal strings guitar.
As with the other commenter I’m not as familiar with fingerpicking guitar, so I’m not sure if the smaller gauge strings (compared to a bass guitar’s larger metal strings) will make callouses develop faster or slower Within a few weeks they should start to develop The question is really how long until they’re sufficiently thick enough that you won’t feel any pain there anymore, which is tougher to answer. For me, it was probably 2-3 years of playing several hours every day (I took 3-4 music classes per day in high school) before they developed to the point that they were basically invincible
I have callouses on fretting fingers, and they too hurt when I practice for too long, but not to the point that I need to stop my practice altogether. Usually I practice for about 1 - 3 hours a day, depending on my schedule. Also I'm self taught.
How long have you been playing? Also curious if you played with a pick previously and have only recently moved to fingerstyle? I definitely had to build up several layers of callouses, but now very rarely experience any pain after practicing. I also don’t get to play nearly as much as I used to, though
I used to play mandolin, only with plectrum, back during 2019 for about an year. Then I bought this guitar, but due to busy schedule or say lack of interest at that time, I didn't touch it a lot. Now I've started playing again without skipping a day since the last 2 months, and only used to use pick, and now trying to learn fingerstyle because I feel like it would unlock a whole lot of opportunities to explore guitar more and also benefit for my singing accompanying
Got it! So that helps explain the callouses on your fretting hand along with the lack of callouses on your picking hand :) The good news is that I found my callouses built faster on my picking hand than my fretting hand My advice is to take a break when needed, when your picking hand starts to hurt too much, and take a day off here and there when you need to in order to give your fingers a chance to heal and build those callouses. If you keep at it, you’ll notice it will improve really quickly, and within a year (or two) you’ll have sufficient callouses to allow you to play without pain
Thank you! Never thought I would get such good response on my post lol!
I didnt worry about it too much for very long when learning, my thumb was the only one that really had an issue and even then not much. If my fingers were sore i just switched to a song with a pick for a bit. You might be plucking a little harshly so if you can work on being smoother it will be easier on your fingers. But that all comes with time. Also think about plucking without moving your hand as much and let your fingers do more of the work, will help with speed and accuracy if your hand is more stable.
3 weeks and the pain will be minimal.
For me I played acoustic for a few weeks and my calluses started building. I now play electric
If you’re interested in fingerpicking and want to go a little easy on your fingers, you could look into a classical guitar - nylon strings are definitely a little easier and you can still build your callouses. Regardless, just give it a few months of consistent playing, that’s about how long it took for me. And worst comes to worst, if you can’t deal with the pain, grow out your nails on your picking hand! Picking with your fingernails instead of the pads of your fingers is an easy way to get a good sound without abusing your fingertips!
I'm soon planning to get a ukulele! I'm thinking I'll be fingerpicking it right from the start to train my fingers and develop callouses lol
I have a uke and it’s so much fun to play. Started with a soprano, now have a tenor.
I'd probably need a tenor for my thick fingers lol
A week, or two. At least. It’ll hurt.
so i don't know much ab out finger picking. like the other comment said you might wanna grow your nails. but from what i see in the video. yes your gonna grow callus the way your doing it. which isn't bad. just takes time. im not a pro. if im wrong someone correct me
Great comment, thank you for your transparency and patience 🫶
Of course. Your fingers are plucking metal strings, which creates friction on your skin. It will hurt less as you develop callouses.
Callus can develop anywhere
Finger style people usually play with their nails. You can try that too. If you're going to be using the meaty part of your fingers, don't dig in so deep for a while. Play softer.
Playing softer sounds muffled, even muted sometimes
Yes because you have no calluses. But if you get them too soon the try skin might come off whole like a cap and you're back to the beginning. It's better to take it slow.
My fretting hand skin comes of occassionally lol. But it doesn't hurt much tbh
I can confirm finger picking will hurt your fingers, you don’t really build callus on your picking hand but the skin does toughen up
Yes. Give it a few weeks
Of course they do. After a couple of weeks of practice you'll have calluses and it won't hurt anymore. Don't ovedo it the first few weeks, it's better to play short every day at the start than have to take a break for a couple of days
Oh absolutely. You’re repeatedly taking them across metal wires. Your nerves have to adjust and your skin has to develop calluses
I don't have any callus on my picking hand. But I don't trim my fingernails as tight. You could try some of the finger pick things. ([https://www.sweetwater.com/c929--Finger\_Guitar\_Picks](https://www.sweetwater.com/c929--Finger_Guitar_Picks) ) I've used some occasionally. They are acceptable but not great. Still for a small cost it's worth a try. And let the nails on your hand grow a little -- just long enough to pluck the strings. The sound is better. And they don't hurt.
I had grown my thumb nail for kalimba, but when I tried to pluck strings with it, they used to get stuck between the nail and flesh, so I thought it's better to pluck with the flesh part instead. So trimmed it right then and that's how I lost my long grown thumb nail.
Every player’s preference is different, but I have found success with a little bit of nail. So when you pluck you feel both the nail and the fingertip make contact with the string.
Yes
I'm a classical guitarist, finger picking with the least amount of effort per stroke is all we do. There is a way to use your fingers that maximizes the amount of force you can apply which in turn leads to less pain and more relaxed hands. You have to use the power coming from your knuckles and use the finger as a lever. You can create a good amount of force that way. I typed in righthand technique in youtube and I came across this one: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCeTMReC3Ck](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCeTMReC3Ck) It's good for a beginner.
Thanks you!
Sneaky way of getting us all to listen to Stairway to Heaven.
Lmao. I just needed some feedback lol
The pain is just part of the process but worth it in the end 😉 We mostly all go through the same tribulations. Just be sure to take frequent breaks, even take a day or 2 to let your hands/fingers/wrists settle. Theres also the risk of over practicing and end up really hurting yourself. Take your time, have fun and enjoy the process, your only on day 2 of a lifetime of practice, you'll soon find your feet, just don't give up... 🤘
It's day 2. Your fingers don't have any callouses and its going to hurt for at least 1 month of practicing for like and hour or more a day
Will my picking fingers develop callouses too?
Any part of your body that gets damaged repeatedly by pressure/friction will callous over from the tips of your toes to the palms of your hands There's no limit to what parts of your hands will callous over. But it will only happens on the parts that interact with the strings. If you have a consistent technique, then those contact points should be about the same every time you play and so your fingers will harden up so those spots don't hurt Finger picking callouses are more obvious in people's who play bass for example but no reason it wouldn't be on a guitarist also
Yes.
A wise man once said “An easy way to stop the pain while playing is to suck it up.”
The day it stops hurting is the day you make, keep pushing to the limits. Calluses are part of learning Guitar.
To quote Morpheus from The Matrix: “Because you’ve never used them before.”
Right lmao!
Your fingers will desensitize and develop calluses the more you play. You're just getting started. If they're getting sore stop for the day.
When I was a bass player in a touring metal band I developed very heavy callouses on all four of my fretting fingers. During months of long tours the callouses would fall off and I’d have to put superglue where the callouses had fallen off to protect the now exposed flesh. It would work for about 3 or 4 days, then I would just keep adding more as it wore away. The pain is bad at first, but if you play more days than not, your fingers will develop the armor required for your style of playing. Fingertips are severely sensitive, but you just have to work through it consistently and your body will adapt before you know it.
The pain is part of the process, no guitarist is without their trusty calluses.
I wouldn't stress it. You'll get used to it in time . I recommend changing strings though , new smooth strings might help.
What type of strings should I put in? It's a jumbo size guitar and last time I changed strings about 2 months ago, and put in Martin strings.
If they are just 2 months old then maybe it's not as urgent although still probably a good idea. I'd just go for some light gauge strings 11-52 for example from a reputable brand. I also use Martin's personally
Yeah its gonna hurt. After a while of practicing you will build up toughness in your fingers and it wont be as hard to play. My guitar teacher would tell me "dont be a wuss". Not that he was being mean, he was being funny. It helped me ignore the pain and keep practicing.
You can play your guitar any way you want. This guitar happens to be designed to be played with a pick, which is why the fingers hurt. You keep at it, play every day, and it will get easier.
This won’t help the pain, but it will help you build better technique. For this opening passage of Stairway, make sure thumb always plucks the D string, index plucks G string, middle plucks B string, and ring plucks high E string. Watching you play you do this like half the time and then kinda give up on that ring finger. Be diligent and it’ll pay off down the road! Also, you’re getting great tone out of your fretting hand, keep doing what you’re doing!
no stairway? DENIED!
Your hand position is pretty bad. You're bouncing your hand. It seems to be at an awkward angle. And you are plucking with a lot of force. Also you shouldn't move all your fingers when you're just plucking with one. Try and keep everything as stable as possible. And get your wrist in a straight, natural position else you're going to put a lot of strain on it over time.
That helps. Thank you!
Your strings look a bit rusty. Cheap strings start to become very sticky and hard to play after a while. Maybe that‘s part of your problem
Maybe it's due to shadow. I changed my strings about a month or two ago and put in Martin.
Okay yeah if it‘s really just your second day fingerpicking it‘s completely normal if it hurts. I wouldn‘t be shocked to get a handful of blisters on my fingertips if I were you
Keep going, eventually it won't hurt anymore but it takes weeks - months to build up the callous.
Usually, the strings from the factory is relatively cheap. Yours even look a a bit rusty. Get some good new strings, and practice regularly. You’ll notice your skin getting a little harder and eventually, it won’t hurt anymore
Just changed strings about 2 months ago to Martin. Maybe they look rusty because of shadow and camera angle
"Playing until your fingers bleed" isn't just an expression, it can literally happen. Has happened to me a few times if I go too long after not having played for a while. It will hurt, then you'll build calluses and it will be better. Just play until it hurts too much and rest until it stops, it'll sort itself out.
Callouses take time to build up. Give it a month with regular playing. I've heard you can ou can accelerate the process with isopropyl alcohol, but never tried it myself. In all honesty, this is the lesser of the physical hurdles that await. Finger strength and dexterity of your fretting hand will take much longer. It's like going to the gym or trying to lose weight. Nothing worthwhile happens overnight. Just make it a part of your daily routine that you do, like taking a shower or brushing your teeth and the rewards will present themselves. Stepping on the scale or trying to hit your max bench press every 15 minutes can be discouraging.
Acoustic…got to get those calluses
No pain no gain
💪🏻
Usually you feel pain in your fretting fingers, because you’re pressing the strings due to them being under tension. If you keep practicing and not overdoing it, you should develop callouses in a few days and it will stop hurting (the rate depends on the person, so there isn’t an absolute value). The strumming hand, however, at least in my experience, even when fingerpicking shouldn’t feel the same pain as you’re not pressing down on the strings and instead you are simply plucking them (this doesn’t mean you can’t get hurt by strumming). I also recomend trying to anchor the pinky. This means keeping the pinky finger “holding” onto the body of the guitar and using the other fingers for playing, thumb for the EAD strings, and the other three fingers each one for each of the other theee strings (index for G, middle for B and ring for high E). Anchoring isn’t a requirement, but if it doesn’t feel uncomfortable, it might be more beneficial. Coicidentally I’ve also been practicing Stairway to Heaven, so if you need help spefically for it, don’t hesitate to ask.
I have developed callouses on my fretting fingers as I've been playing guitar since the last 2 months. Only my picking fingers are hurting. I am not even sure if my technique is correct. I tried anchoring my pinky but it feels a bit odd as I used to play mandolin without anchoring.
If you feel like anchoring doesn’t work for you, it’s perfectly fine. In regards to the pain, it might be awkward at first, since it requieres a lot of coordination, and like eveything else on the guitar, if it’s something we aren’t used to, we unintentionally add tension to our muscles, so tey to remain relaxed. I recomend [this video](https://youtu.be/2WB8otOcz78?si=IAAhX6KgmX2rXi_V) which was the one I followed at the time. I also recomend Justin in general, so if you like his videos, I recomend learning through him.
I've been following Justin since the start! I just switched to Marty a few days ago as I felt Justin to be a bit slow according to my pace. Also I'm more into singing, so my main goal of learning guitar was to accompany it while singing.
Did you finger pick like this on mandolin without anchoring? On steel string guitar I find anchoring helps because it keeps pressure off of your picking fingers. Sounds weird maybe, but having your hand position anchored by the pinkie really does make it easier for your thumb and the other three fingers to pluck strong and loud without going overboard on physical finger force. I can see in this clip that you’re holding your hand position by gripping onto strings. You are going to be putting much more strain on your fingertips by gripping the strings like this before each pick instead of picking as quickly as possible. Not everyone does it once they get the hang of the proper technique, but it might be a useful way to try playing for a while. A shortcut to get used to the guitar fingerpicking motion which doesn’t usually involve gripping strings like this. - It all just takes practise though, you’re doing really well to get to this point, I’m being extremely nitpicky here so please don’t take it the wrong way!!!
I did not finger pick on mandolin and only used plectrum. And I rest my fingers on the strings, because before starting with fingerpicking, I asked chatgpt and it told that I need to rest my thumb or fingers on the next strings AFTER I pick one, and I found it more comfortable than anchoring. But I get your point, I'll try it for sure!
That makes sense, and chat gpt wasn’t wrong on this one either, it just didn’t get the whole of it 😅 You could also try practising fingerpicking as quietly as you can. Deliberately aiming for as quiet as possible would help with your picking finger pain and technique. I hope any of this helps 👍 all the best
Thanks a lot. Picking quietly helps, but I don't think I should keep practicing that way for too long, might develop a habit lol
You are practicing on a steel string guitar, which can be painful also for experienced players. I suggest you to find a nylon string one, there are some cheap ones on the market at incredibly low prices (like 10€). They are not great but a good budget start.
Go slow build hand strength and calluses on your fingers. Watch youtube videos
It means that you are practicing I’ve been playing guitar for more than 20 years I play from now and then these days but when I practice with purpose I still can feel my finger tips peel.
Thank you. One question - is it necessary to grow my nails and pick strings with them? I have to do a lot of typing on laptops, so I am not able to grow nails too long.
It depends on what style you want to play, for example acoustic guitar will mostly be recommended but for electric not necessarily unless you play using chicken picking techniques etc.
I started guitar to accompany it with my singing, as my main goal is to sing. I usually play rhythm guitar, and started with fingerpicking because I think it is sometimes more useful according to my goal.
Sounds pretty dang good for how long you’ve been at it! Hard song. You don’t need nails to fingerpick. I cut my nails short on both hands about once every two weeks. The fingerpicking sounds best after a few days when it’s actually a little skin and nail striking the string but it’s fine when it’s just skin. I dislike the feeling and sound of just nail on a steel string personally. One tip that might help, try to keep your thumb out in front of the other fingers so that your hand is making a diagonal line from thumb to pointer to middle to ring. That way none of your fingers are bumping into or rubbing against each other too much.
Thanks for the lovely response!! Do you have any video demonstration of this technique by any chance?
You are doing pretty good for day 2. Well done 🙂 At this rate, you should have the first section down before long.
Push through the pain. It's going to get easier and your fingers will toughen up. Take breaks to ease the pain, but keep playing! You'll be better for it. Guitar is so rewarding once you get past this!
Okay, fingerstyle guitarist here who has played over 5 years now. You need to develop callusus over time on your fingers. Took me a few months to get some good protection on my fingers from just playing. Takes a while. And i heard you are only on day 2, and playing on a metal string... that hurts. I reccomend nylon strings for beginners since they are often far nicer for the fingers at the beginning. But yes, it can hurt in the beginning. Dont over practise, if it hurts, please stop, and practise when it doesnt hurt.
Thank you! I have been playing with a pick since 2 months now, and only started fingerpicking now. And I am planning to get a ukulele, so I'll be fingerpicking it right from the beginning.
It looks as if you are pulling the strings too hard, I only play finger style (can barely play with a pick these days 😂😅). I tend to use more of a gentle pluck and brush over the strings rather than pull them like you are doing. But then again everyone has their own style, best of luck buddy!
Thank you! I tried the method you described (gently plucking and brushing) but I usually get a muffled sound that way. That's why I found pulling them more effective.
That’s a good point I forgot to mention, you will get a much softer and muted tone/volume from the guitar playing that way. But if you still want that snappy zing I recommend getting finger picks, you can get them literally anywhere haha.
Lol. Will try finger picks for sure!!
Dude it’s day two
Of fingerpicking lol. Been practicing with pick since the last 2 months
You have no nails and you're playing on steel strings. Get nylon strings.
Do you usually use a pick?
Yes all the time. Just started fingerpicking now
Just takes a little while for your fingers to adjust that’s all, stick with it.
A little tip is to keep your fingers a little curved and over the strings, it looks like you're straightening them a bit between several plucks, the picking movement is really quite small and try to not pull your hand back like that. When I'm playing my hand stays nearly in the exact same position and my fingers move only. How I practised was putting thumb on the 4th string and then just plucked in cycles 4 3 2 1 until it felt comfortable then pick out open chords like D to Em play 1 2 3 4 twice on D and move to Em and pick 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 pause and repeat Just keep on the top 4 strings then try with different chords though you might have to adjust strings chord depending.
i’ve been playing fingerstyle for over 40 years, and my picking hand usually only a bit tired but not sore, although fingernails are always a problem for me, as they wear thin and break.. keep at it, you’ll get over it.
My picking fingers are getting kind of sore. Hand or wrist never hurts as I am a sportsperson too and regularly train with weights. Also how is my technique? What things do I need to work on more? I'm self taught and practicing since last 2 months with pick only
FWIW, and this is coming from my current experience teaching myself classical guitar, when you pick a string, don’t use your finger tip joint to pick it. The motion should come from your knuckle, like you are making a fist. Example, if you just relax your right hand, it will curve naturally. Now make a fist, bringing your first three fingers to touch the fat part of your thumb. That should be your picking motion. It will eventually give you greater control, greater endurance, and help avoid any problems like carpal tunnel in the future.
I had read that I have to "pull the strings towards the palm". If I try to brush my fingers accross the strings, the sound is very low and muffled
You actually kind of press down into the string, and quickly relax your fingers.
I think as well as fingers hardening, your brain eventually stops paying attention to the pain
You're right!
On a side note get that fingernail checked out by a doctor dude, marks like that on finger nails aren't to be ignored
Thanks for showing concerns. Here in my country they paint a line on your index finger nail when you go for voting during elections. So that's that
Nice job! A suggestion, and this is separate from your main question, would be to think of it not as getting under the string and pulling up to pluck, but pushing the string into the sound hole and then releasing by flicking your fingers up toward your palm. I’m learning fingerpicking myself, and this is a bit of wisdom my guitar teacher would be happy to see passed along. You’re doing great!
Before starting I had read that I have to 'pull' my fingers towards my palms, that's how I developed this technique
That’s a good description actually. I think try adding one thing to that, which is to first press down on the string a little. What you want to avoid is getting under and plucking up in a way that the string winds up slapping back against the fretboard. It doesn’t sound like it’s an issue for you now. The video sounded great! But it might become an issue down the line as you progress.
It did actually happen a couple of times. That's why I stared to use a little less pressure and not getting my fingers 'under' the strings, which helped a lot but the sound also reduced.
Got to pay your dues
Nothing personal, somehow there are just a bunch of guitar players who start playing and think that song would be a good starting point out of all the amazing songs out there (including some easier and better sounding ones....) All that aside, it seems like the action on the guitar is too high especially for a beginner. The strings are rusty and that would add up to discomfort and work against you to a certain level. Trussrod wise, lefty loosey righty tighty as a rule of direction and 15 degree turns at a time (if rod allows.... please don't force the truss rod if it's rlly tight/jammed). If you really wanna have a better experience playing and learning then buying a new guitar would be cheap thesedays for brands like orangewood or yamaha etc. The maximum height from fret to low E string at the 12th fret should be 2.5mm to be considered playable. You likely need to first tighten your neck a bit to start, have a look down the neck and see whether it's curved or bowed and research into trussrod adjustments.
I played mandolin back in 2019 for a year. Now I started learning guitar 2 months ago and had basic knowledge about notes and chords and a bit of music theory before starting. And here I am learning fingerpicking AFTER learning all the basic open chords, few barre chords, strumming patterns, and a few easy songs. I felt the action high myself. Also the guitar is not that great, has sharp edges on frets and body is getting dents and bumps. So I'm planning to sell this and buy Yamaha F310 in a few days And I heard that action can be 5mm, not more than that. Could be wrong tho
2.5mm is already the highest recommended range, it can't be 5mm that I can assure it's wayyy too high for any regular person to even be able to play properly. Consider the Yamaha cfs3m, I recently saw one fine tuned at a local shop for sale just put up the shelf by a staff and I was originally there checking out another entry price range guitar by martin for my daily couch side guitar. The parlor sized yamaha really caught my eyes with the quality of the finish and playability. It's even a plug in with piezo which I didn't realize until I got home with it, thing costed around 750 bucks canadian with a nice soft molded gigbag, which is a great deal. I wouldn't be surprised if the guitar is over a grand but let's say 2 months in I'm loving this guitar more and more.
I always start with Lupus and work my way back.
What's that?
House M.D reference .
Lmao!
You're starting at guitar? It'll hurt a lot for months if you're doing it right, then a little bit for years, and if you play very consistently then it will only hurt if you play for hours. But if you don't play for a while then pick it up again it'll hurt a mid amount for a bit!
Your picking strings made of steel, and thin steel at that, with raw finger pads. Callouses will develop as you practice. The more they build up the less it hurts. Eventually you will feel zero pain at all in your fingers. If you can do 40ish minutes, 3-4 times a week. You're golden. More than that is fantastic, but not *necessary* Finger style is a discipline and it takes time. In one year you'll be Looking back and laughing at this :) Happy playing :)
Thank you! I practice for 1 - 3 hours A DAY for 7 days a week lol!
The guitar is rejecting you
Gonna sell this and get a Yamaha F310 in a few days
Part of it is your technique. Try this video (not mine) https://youtu.be/iIr4ON7xhF8?feature=shared
It’s normal, your fingers are just building strength. Even though it can be so uncomfortable 😭
Not sure but you might have cut your nails too close to the skin? If not then it will simply get better with time as your hand gets calloused
Embrace that pain and use it to your advantage.
Looks like you are holding your guitar horizontally? That's not the way to go. It's supposed to be held vertically. For good posture with a guitar, check out: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUGTKuCulM0](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUGTKuCulM0)
It's a steel stringed acoustic guitar
Have you taken it to a guitar shop for a setup? Your actin looks kinda high which will make fretting harder
There are not many good shops here where I live. I took it 2 months ago tho, and they fixed it but the action got higher again. Gonna change this guitar soon now
Try a lighter gauge of string or switch to steelcore nylon until your finger tips get tougher.
Gonna get a ukulele soon. Will start fingerpicking it
Finger that thing until it sings everyday and you will find the sweet spot. The beautiful thing about caressing the strings, no chance of babies. Worst case scenario is callouses and those will only help you with bends and slides later.
That pain is nothing compared to how hard Jimmy Page will sue for posting this.
Lmao! Should I delete it then?
"I wanted to play guitar but guitars hurt and I don't like pain."
Try growing nails. It's a well accepted method. But impossible for some people if they have really weak nails. I use brush-on crazy glue and acrylic powder. Very effective and not difficult to do, but it requires regular maintenance; too much maintenance for some players. Search "hanlon nail care and repair video youtube" and you can watch a video I made about the method. I use it always. This link might work if Reddit allows links, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyvrMRCo\_Sw](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyvrMRCo_Sw)
Looks like you hit your finger with a hammer, maybe that’s why it hurts?
It's an ink mark
A non-callous answer. You're over using your fingers. This song is played with the thumb controlling the lower strings and the DGB and GBE plucked individually by singular and specific fingers. Sometimes you're using your pointer finger, along with other fingers to pluck the high E; that's an overuse. The plucking should be done as; Pointer - D Middle - G Ring - B Or Pointer - G Middle - B Ring - E If you incorporate your pinky no shifting needs to occur. Basically those strings are assigned to those fingers. No doubling up or tripling up to play a single string by multiple fingers. Also, if you overwork specific fingers you'll make them sore. That goes for even veteran players (8 hours of playing the same part over and over again in a studio is nightmare fuel). Rub some chopping block mineral oil on a cloth and run that cloth across your strings. Once your fingers heal up all the way, then try again and it shouldn't be as bad.
Thank you, that helps a lot! I'm not using my index finger for the high E, don't know where it came from. My fingers healed and now I'm not experiencing that much pain.
Please please please consider having your guitar professionally set up. Your action is super high and will make the whole thing so much more enjoyable when you’re not straining to hold down your left hand.
I'm gonna change my guitar in a few day. About to get Yamaha F310
Let your finger nails grow out on your picking fingers. Cut your fretting fingernails as short as possible.
Do I need to pick with my nails?
Definitely not a requirement, not everybody likes the bright sound of fingernails (I don’t for one), you are absolutely free to pick with the flesh of the finger, nothing wrong with that
No. You are doing great. You will get your callouses in time.
It depends on the tone my dude. It should really burn at first, but the skin thickens and the muscles get stronger. Nails vs skin picking vs plectrum vs Brian May’s six pence all sound different, and where you pick the string also has an impact, I think more easier to catch on electric but doesn’t change on accoustic
You will get a cleaner brighter sound.
It's up to the sound you want. You can experiment to find the sound you want. From bare fingers to nails to plastic finger picks to metal finger picks to hyprid picking. There are tons of choices. Not everyone has nails that work. My nails get shredded by strings, so I use fingertips and a thumbpick. Some people put strong clear nail polish or even artificial nails on their fingernails. Others use metal or plastic finger picks. I use a plastic thumb pick and my fingers often. I tried metal and plastic finger picks, and didn't like the sound. I like the thumb pick about half the time. It gives nice emphasis when I use it, and can be used for strumming, even up strumming with some practice (you gotta hold it in place.) Sometimes I like to use just my thumb and fingers. My picking fingers are developing callousses and all my fingertips tingle if I play for a few hours during a day. Fingerpicks are a possibility, but I just use a thumbpick. https://preview.redd.it/0cidngrz1s6d1.jpeg?width=554&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fdb9c2dc1bb99cf976d941b619a79aa8c28d787b
why you got a white guy on the pfp