17-08-2021

Fingers Bruise Easily From Playing Guitar

👉 Stop dreaming and learn guitar now: In this lesson for beginners, we'll learn how. Mar 30, 2017 I didn't start playing guitar until I was about 31 or 32, but when I was 22 I crushed the DIP joint of my left hand ring finger. It left the finger crooked so my ring finger bends outward towards the pinky as opposed to inward to the middle. At times it is irritating and awkward, but some people have had way worse.

Subject: RE: Are bruised fingertips common?
Bruises guitar tutorialFrom:Musicbbelle
Date: 16 Jul 00 - 10:58 AM
I went through a period of my fingertips being red and swollen and very painful, but not visibly bruised. I kept practicing but for short periods of time. It takes a while for good calluses to build up. The other problem I had was blisters on my picking fingers ... I learned to pick with different fingers during that time to ease the blisters.

I belong to the Flatpick L list and there have been a myriad of discussions on calluses and what to do when your callus peels off and you gotta play. Most pickers subscribe to the super glue method.

Here are a couple of suggestions which I copied out of my email.

'Some time ago I remember the list discussing what to do about skin cracks on the ends of fingers. Note that there is an article on page A1 of The Wall Street Journal today about dermatologists who recommend using Krazy Glue for small paper cuts. This may be of help for calluses that crack. The article also mentions Dermabond, a cement approved by the FDA for use on skin that is more flexible. I assume a doctore could prescribe this, but not Krazy Glue.'

Fingers Bruise Easily From Playing Guitar Songs

'For me the use of isopropyl alcohol daily on the fingertips will build stronger calluses over time that won't crack. Although the super-glue trick is a good short term fix, nothing beats tough, leathery calluses. Also using a cottonball with the alcohol on the fingertips will clean out the dirt/rust from playing, allowing for a faster recovery. At the Kamp I was wiping down my fingertips 3-4 times a day, it definitely helped.'

I'm going to try the isopropyl alcohol method, myself. I've now got pretty good calluses, but they need to be better if I'm going to play for hours on end.

Good luck ...

moonchild

Fingers Bruise Easily From Playing Guitar

B Major Guitar Chord (4 Easy Ways To Play with Charts)

B Major is a tricky enough chord to play on instruments like the piano, so it makes sense that attempting it on the guitar would be challenging as well. Thankfully, there are some simpler alternatives to make playing B Major easier, along with variations to give this chord a different sound. Let's jump right in and take a look at the most pertinent voicings you'll need to know.

How to Play B Major Guitar Chord

Fingers Bruise Easily From Playing Guitar Chords

For starters, one of the first methods for playing B Major in open position most guitarists learns goes a little something like this:

  • Place your 1st finger on the 1st string/2nd fret
  • Place your 2nd finger on the 4th string/4th fret
  • Place your 3rd finger on the 3rd string/4th fret
  • Place your 4th finger on the 2nd string/4th fret
  • Mute strings 5 and 6

Coaxing your fingers into this position can be a bit trickier, but that's just one reason to look for an alternative to this voicing.

If you look carefully at the notes you're playing, you'll see that you're playing 'F#' twice, and there's only one 'B' sandwiched between those notes.

B Guitar Chord (Lowest Note)

A voicing where 'B' is the lowest note you'll play and is repeated among your notes packs way more punch:

  • Place your 1st finger on the 5th string 2nd fret
  • Place your 2nd finger on the 4th string/4th fret
  • Place your 3rd finger on the 3rd string/3rd fret
  • Place your 4th finger on the 2nd string/4th fret
  • Mute strings 1 and 6

Fingers Bruise Easily From Playing Guitar Online

B Guitar Chord (Barre)

Muting your outside strings will post a challenge, but the sound of this B Major voicing is preferable to the previous one we covered in many cases. If you've got the strength for it, you could try a barre chord version of B Major up on the 2nd fret:

  • Use your 1st finger to bar the chords at the 2nd fret
  • Place your 2nd finger on the 4th string/4th fret
  • Place your 3rd finger on the 3rd string/4th fret
  • Place your 4th finger on the 2nd string/4th fret
  • Mute string 6

B Guitar Chord (Major #2)

The barre is the go-to if you need something quick and simple. Once you start heading further up the fretboard, playing B Major becomes an even trickier prospect:

Fingers Bruise Easily From Playing Guitar Music

  • Place your 1st finger on the 5th string/6th fret
  • Place your 2nd finger on the 6th string/7th fret
  • Place your 3rd finger on the 2nd string/7th fret
  • Mute strings 1, 3, and 4

Work at Getting Better

And so it goes. Be sure to check out more equally challenging voicings on the 4th, 7th, and 9th frets. For now, though, these variations should be enough to get your started. B Major requires you to make some interesting fingerings, so start by building your strength and dexterity, then have at it. As always, good luck, and happy practicing!

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