Learning to play the guitar - owwwwwwwwww

The lovely @Paley bought me a guitar 2 weeks ago. Some sort of impending mid-life crisis thing - fast approaching 40 and it's something I always wanted to do (along with being able to sing, but I'm working on drowning out the terrible noise with the guitar).

So I've thrown myself very whole-heartedly into learning to play. Using the internet, and a fab book by a bloke called Justin Sandercoe (he also does the justinguitar web site).

Am quite happy with my progress so far - I've learnt the major chords (G, C, D, E, Em, A, Am) and am picking up tab reading and progressing my 4 bar strumming. And I'm not doing a bad effort at a spot of Johnny Cash (albeit Johnny Cash in a coma).

But....owwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww learning to play the guitar HURTS! Actual, proper, physical pain. My fingertips are tingly and numb and so sore to touch (it's killing me just to type this message!!). My neighbour has just been telling me to dip them in white spirits, but I've googled this and it says definitely NOT to.

Has anyone got any tips? I read that moving the action lower on the frets makes it easier as you don't have to press the strings down so much, so I think I may stop by the music shop tomorrow and get them to have a look. Also I've got a steel string electro-acoustic - would it be worth changing to nylon strings (if it's even possible?) or would that just be postponing the pain when it's switched back?

All tips welcomed...at the minute I can only play in 30 minute bursts, although I'm enoying learning so much that I could happily spend a few hours practicing each night.

 

witch hazel, stop being a pussy..... you want hurt? play the bass.

 

Supportive as ever

 

Surgical spirit hardens the skin - gin should work just as well. (Applied, not imbibed )

 

40

 

^this. Bass players have fingers like The Creature From the Black Lagoon...

Seriously, the skin on your fingertips will toughen up (eventually)...

 

seriously, i played in a band for 10 years (bass) but played guitar for 15 before that, lower action will help and the fingers harden up with practice, witch hazel does work though, i'd be no good now - not even opened the case of the guitar since 2006 and have no desire to.

 

Mate play with steel strings till your fingers bleed( they soon harden up) miss a days practise? fingertips go soft ! if your guitar came fitted with steels, steels it is I'm afraid. 3 cords and your in/away !

 

Ahh that's a shame - why not?

 

played in a band, turned into a job, started to hate it, said if i stoped enjoying it i'd give up so i did, and now i never think about it until times like this.

 

The pain will go eventually. I just bought a set of new strings so I can start playing again. Soon I will be typing with just one finger !

 

What they said, just keep practicing!! I've been playing guitar and bass for nearly 20 years on and off and they soon harden up.

An electro acoustic probably won't have too much adjustment to lower the action anyway so I'd not bother wasting the petrol money to the shop! All that movement in the strings is strengthening your fingers!!

I always tried to learn songs on the acoustic as it made them easier to play well on an electric... except my Fender Jaguar which seems to have a high action irrespective of how it's set up!

 

I've got one of those, it's an original '62 and has low action.

 

Yep,all good advice I reckon.keep playing through it and I have heard that peeing on your hands toughens them as well.Not whilst you're playing though............

 

It won't help your hands, but it will liven up your stage act

 

It's probably not as high as I recall... I've not played it for ages! I find its the other end that I feel uncomfortable with, I grew up on a Vista Series Jagmaster which has the pick guard - string relationship like a Strat whilst the Jaguar has all that space which I found difficult to adjust to.

Could only afford a reissue, but it is an uncommon Burgundy Mist one!

 

Low action helps. You can lower the action on any guitar. Do a search on the net for the applicable way to do this for the instrument you have. As said, your fingers will develop callouses on the ends over a few weeks of constant practice and will be the better for it. 40 or 4, don't make any difference if you want to learn.

 

I don't play mine any more but I've had it for 35 years. I don't play because once you get quite good it's use it or lose it - I got to the stage where I needed to play for an hour to loosen up enough to enjoy it and I just couldn't be bothered. I took up the bass - much easier if you're a bit clumsy. lol

 

@yorkshirecampers The easiest sort to learn on, despite being ultra-uncool, is a nylon string one - they sound really nice to me and the strings are further apart so it's easier not to muffle them by mistake. The strings are also thicker and softer.

 

Indeed. This is how to do it...