There's actually a few to list. Principally, as with any new guitar, or really any new string instrument, you'll have to re-tune a zillion times the first few times you play. I've been practicing for over an hour total between the acoustic and the electric. When I picked up the acoustic, it was set to go. I had to tune the electric when I picked it up later, and I've had to re-tune about 3 or 4 times since. It's probably a good idea to check the strings every 2 to 3 songs if your instrument is new, to make sure you're getting the right sound. And if it's really out of tune, don't be worried; just be careful. My high e was tuned all the way down to a B, and I had to tune it a full 3 notes up, which took a good 4 full cranks on the tuning peg. Just go slow and you'll be fine.
The second hazard for me at least, since I'm used to the roughness of the acoustic strings, is that I feel like I can play the electric for a whole lot longer. My fingers don't hurt from the strings, and my wrists don't hurt from the bar chords. Now, this might seem like a plus at first. No pain means I can keep on playing, right? Well, as I put down the guitar to write this post, I glanced down at my hands, and my fingers are of course torn up more than usual. The strings actually tend to be farther away from the fretboard on an acoustic, so they take more energy to hold down. It's very easy on the electric, and requires a whole lot less effort (though as Will can tell you, it's still not "easy" by any stretch, if you're not used to it). The strings though, wear on your fingers just the same. So, I've probably gone through a few layers of skin by now, and I'll probably regret it by tomorrow. But for being able to play, and finally being able to practice hammer-ons, it's totally worth it.
-Kal
Showing posts with label the hazards. Show all posts
Showing posts with label the hazards. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Perplexing: An Update
Well, I filed down the one callus on my index finger yesterday, and it seems to be doing fine today. It feels about the same as the others now that the callus isn't as thick. This is one thing that I really love about guitar: constantly learning things, both about playing and about yourself (physically and mentally speaking).
My thoughts about what happened: for myself, I think that part of the pain may have come from my clipped nails. I hadn't trimmed down the corners after I cut them, so the sharp edge of my nail may have started to dig into the skin. As far as the callus, my assumption is that there was so much dead skin accumulated at my fingertip that it was compressing the healthy skin under it. That would explain the sensitivity to pressure. I also found when I got in the shower yesterday that it was more sensitive to heat than the rest. I assume that more blood was being pumped to the area, since that's a natural response to damaged tissue. And of course, the inflammation (swelling and blood rush) would contribute to the pain.
Now, I know I've said in the past not to pick at calluses because they're actually good for protecting your fingers. I still stand by that: actually peeling away the dead skin can pull at healthy skin, making it even more painful, and sometimes causes bleeding. It's sort of like peeling down your cuticles. If they start to hurt abnormally though, (and I don't mean an hour after playing, that's normal), feel free to try filing them down. You'll know when they get really thick because the sensation in those fingers will be much less than in normally callused skin. You'll get to know your body, and you'll figure out for yourself what feels like abnormal pain. As a general guide, I'd say that surface sensitivity (like localized pain from rubbing the skin or sometimes from pressing very hard), as well as heat sensitivity, is normal. If pressing very lightly on the area (as I said yesterday, about the pressure of typing on the keyboard) makes it hurt, that's probably more of an abnormal pain. If you start to get this sensation of the skin stretching or pulling across the tips of your fingers, that would be a good clue to file down those calluses.
For filing, a simple cardboard nail file will suffice. I'd go after whichever area is the thickest, but try not to file the edges too much, so as not to shrink the physical area of the callus. Leveling them off is a better way of thinking about it. In addition, don't file all the way through the callus; the skin underneath will be very sensitive. And lastly, try to stay away from the healthy skin. Filing that will make your fingers very unhappy.
As always, I hope my mistakes will help you in your journey.
-Kal
My thoughts about what happened: for myself, I think that part of the pain may have come from my clipped nails. I hadn't trimmed down the corners after I cut them, so the sharp edge of my nail may have started to dig into the skin. As far as the callus, my assumption is that there was so much dead skin accumulated at my fingertip that it was compressing the healthy skin under it. That would explain the sensitivity to pressure. I also found when I got in the shower yesterday that it was more sensitive to heat than the rest. I assume that more blood was being pumped to the area, since that's a natural response to damaged tissue. And of course, the inflammation (swelling and blood rush) would contribute to the pain.
Now, I know I've said in the past not to pick at calluses because they're actually good for protecting your fingers. I still stand by that: actually peeling away the dead skin can pull at healthy skin, making it even more painful, and sometimes causes bleeding. It's sort of like peeling down your cuticles. If they start to hurt abnormally though, (and I don't mean an hour after playing, that's normal), feel free to try filing them down. You'll know when they get really thick because the sensation in those fingers will be much less than in normally callused skin. You'll get to know your body, and you'll figure out for yourself what feels like abnormal pain. As a general guide, I'd say that surface sensitivity (like localized pain from rubbing the skin or sometimes from pressing very hard), as well as heat sensitivity, is normal. If pressing very lightly on the area (as I said yesterday, about the pressure of typing on the keyboard) makes it hurt, that's probably more of an abnormal pain. If you start to get this sensation of the skin stretching or pulling across the tips of your fingers, that would be a good clue to file down those calluses.
For filing, a simple cardboard nail file will suffice. I'd go after whichever area is the thickest, but try not to file the edges too much, so as not to shrink the physical area of the callus. Leveling them off is a better way of thinking about it. In addition, don't file all the way through the callus; the skin underneath will be very sensitive. And lastly, try to stay away from the healthy skin. Filing that will make your fingers very unhappy.
As always, I hope my mistakes will help you in your journey.
-Kal
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
The Hazards of Cold Fingers
So, I just came back from town, new supplies in hand, eager to play-- but man, is it cold out. You ever feel like you start to move more slowly when it's cold out? Well, it's especially true with your hands. Your fingers feel stiff after coming inside, right? Most everyone knows the feeling. Well, I'd advise being smarter than me, and giving your hands some time to warm up before you start playing. Rub them together, sit on them, get the blood flowing-- cold fingers do not make for a happy guitarist. Your calluses will probably hurt more when you start playing, plus you'll probably be a bit slower at switching between chords, and strumming in general.
And on that quick note about playing, I feel the need to bring up again one of the frustrations of being a guitarist: dropping the pick. I've actually licked the contact parts of my fingers before playing in the past, to get a better grip. But often I'll losen my grip on the pick when I'm trying to play more quietly, and it will subsequently slip from my hands. If I'm lucky, it lands at my feet. If the world is feeling cruel, I hear it clatter into the guitar. Well, you can read about the last time that happened to me here, but today I happened to stumble upon the most ingeniuos solution:
And on that quick note about playing, I feel the need to bring up again one of the frustrations of being a guitarist: dropping the pick. I've actually licked the contact parts of my fingers before playing in the past, to get a better grip. But often I'll losen my grip on the pick when I'm trying to play more quietly, and it will subsequently slip from my hands. If I'm lucky, it lands at my feet. If the world is feeling cruel, I hear it clatter into the guitar. Well, you can read about the last time that happened to me here, but today I happened to stumble upon the most ingeniuos solution:
I hope what you can see from this picture is the textured oval region near the top-- it's actually this rubbery grip inlaid to the top of the pick. I just happened to walk into my local guitar shop today, and found this sitting on the shelf. I tried it as soon as I got back to my dorm, and it feels great. I haven't found it slipping while playing yet, and the tip is actually narrower than my others, so the sound I get out of it is really crisp. And while I was there, I ended up picking up another 0.58mm pick, just in case I drop mine into the guitar again.
Hopefully now that I have another "just in case" pick, that won't happen. But knowing me, I'll drop the new grippy one instead.
-Kal
Hopefully now that I have another "just in case" pick, that won't happen. But knowing me, I'll drop the new grippy one instead.
-Kal
Sunday, March 4, 2012
The Hazards of Not Knowing Your Limits
When I start playing, I really get into it. In the past I've tried to limit myself to an hour of practice at a time, but there are just so many songs that I love to play, and so many that I need to practice. For our next set, I really want to play My Immortal by Evanescence, and Kiss Me, by Sixpence None The Richer. This would involve Miguel, my viola friend, getting the amp up here for his electric violin, and then Rose singing. And I really need to practice for these. The chords that are giving me the most grief right now are F#m (244222) and Dm (xx0231). I've been going at this for a while, and I still need the practice, since my hands are still not quite strong enough for the bar chords. Anyway, I played earlier today, and I guess I've been going at it off and on for about 2 hours now. This is the result:
Now, the calluses and all are normal. But after playing for a while, they tend to turn white and start to peel. If you're like me, you'll get really tempted to pick at them. DON'T DO IT. It's a painful process, and it'll hurt more the next time you play. If you leave them be, they'll usually flatten out on their own.
So, if you're smart, you'll find your limit, and practice for only that amount of time. If you're like me, you'll be really determined to learn something that you definitely won't get in one night, or you'll just really get into it and play for hours on end, without realizing how time is passing. And if you're like me, you'll only stop playing when it hurts to touh the strings, and when your hands visibly start to slow down and lose strength and energy. Word of caution (and I know I've said this before, but I've dropped bowls of burning hot liquid this way): your fingers may be very sensitive to heat at this point. Just be aware of it.
And, a quick final tip: cleaning the strings regularly will actually make it easier on your fingers. Just wrap a microfiber cloth, like the one used to clean glasses, around each string individually, and run it up and down the string. You'll be surprised at how much gunk comes off, especially near the top frets where you play the most.
Happy practicing!
-Kal
Now, the calluses and all are normal. But after playing for a while, they tend to turn white and start to peel. If you're like me, you'll get really tempted to pick at them. DON'T DO IT. It's a painful process, and it'll hurt more the next time you play. If you leave them be, they'll usually flatten out on their own.
So, if you're smart, you'll find your limit, and practice for only that amount of time. If you're like me, you'll be really determined to learn something that you definitely won't get in one night, or you'll just really get into it and play for hours on end, without realizing how time is passing. And if you're like me, you'll only stop playing when it hurts to touh the strings, and when your hands visibly start to slow down and lose strength and energy. Word of caution (and I know I've said this before, but I've dropped bowls of burning hot liquid this way): your fingers may be very sensitive to heat at this point. Just be aware of it.
And, a quick final tip: cleaning the strings regularly will actually make it easier on your fingers. Just wrap a microfiber cloth, like the one used to clean glasses, around each string individually, and run it up and down the string. You'll be surprised at how much gunk comes off, especially near the top frets where you play the most.
Happy practicing!
-Kal
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
The Hazards of Not Practicing
Call me crazy for posting twice within an hour, but it's taken that long for this lesson to come to fruit. After just a week of not playing, my fingers are already starting to throb from my first practice session. I can feel my calluses thickening, the skin feeling like it's stretching across my finger tips.
When you start practicing a lot, or when you haven't played in a while, you'll find that your fingers are going to be massively sore. You'll start getting these thick calluses, and you'll have to keep your nails short. The next thing that might happen (though I haven't heard of this happening to anyone else I know)-- you might find that your fingers are anomalously sensitive to heat. I remember the first time I happened take something out of the microwave after playing, and I nearly dropped it, it felt like my fingertips were on fire. The same thing happened to me in a hot shower.
And speaking of showers: don't pick up your guitar after you've taken one. Showering after you play isn't as big a deal; it might soften your calluses, but it won't wreck your fingers. Playing immediately after showering will. I of course learned this the hard way, when my friend warned me about an hour into my guitar-playing. I had been feeling great, my fingers weren't hurting at all since I had showered. When I was through, I realized the string had ripped a couple of layers into the shower-soften skin on my finger tips. Needless to say that hasn't happened since. Save yourself the pain. Please don't try it.
-Kal
When you start practicing a lot, or when you haven't played in a while, you'll find that your fingers are going to be massively sore. You'll start getting these thick calluses, and you'll have to keep your nails short. The next thing that might happen (though I haven't heard of this happening to anyone else I know)-- you might find that your fingers are anomalously sensitive to heat. I remember the first time I happened take something out of the microwave after playing, and I nearly dropped it, it felt like my fingertips were on fire. The same thing happened to me in a hot shower.
And speaking of showers: don't pick up your guitar after you've taken one. Showering after you play isn't as big a deal; it might soften your calluses, but it won't wreck your fingers. Playing immediately after showering will. I of course learned this the hard way, when my friend warned me about an hour into my guitar-playing. I had been feeling great, my fingers weren't hurting at all since I had showered. When I was through, I realized the string had ripped a couple of layers into the shower-soften skin on my finger tips. Needless to say that hasn't happened since. Save yourself the pain. Please don't try it.
-Kal
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
The Hazards of Being Sick
So, I haven't posted in a few days since I have multiple exams and papers this week. On top of that, I've been sick since this weekend. I don't feel too horrible, just generally drained after a full day of classes and homework. On top of that though, my voice is completely shot.
As such, I haven't played for about a week-- and once you find something that you really love, not doing that thing for a week is a big deal. One of the things I started to notice, which I thought I'd share, is that even my calluses have started to go away in that amount of time. I literally haven't picked up my guitar, let alone laid a hand on the strings. With calluses thinning, my fingers are going to be incredibly sore after my next jam session. Just something to keep in mind: maintaining the calluses on your fingers will actually help in the long run, since they'll start to hurt less every time you play. On an only minor tangent, it also pays to keep your finger nails short. This will make holding down the strings easier, and will help keep your fret board in good shape.
On a happier note, I got the chance to play with one of my friends before I got sick. I had my guitar out, and finally convinced him to get his viola. He has an amazing ear for tone and pitch-- I put on some music in the background, and started playing along (I chose a song I knew, My Immortal), and then out of nowhere I hear him playing along. After one line of the verse, he had the notes down. For someone like me, who's nearly tone deaf, that was pretty amazing. Rose and I are hoping he'll play the next Open Mic Night with us. Tentative songs are My Immortal (Evanescence) and Kiss Me (Sixpence None The Richer). The first has a strings solo, and the latter uses harmonica and electric guitar. Without too much trouble though, we should be able to transpose them for the viola.
Anyway, hopefully I'll be back on track soon. If this is what we've decided on, we have a lot of practicing to do. Here's to good health and doing what you love!
-Kal
As such, I haven't played for about a week-- and once you find something that you really love, not doing that thing for a week is a big deal. One of the things I started to notice, which I thought I'd share, is that even my calluses have started to go away in that amount of time. I literally haven't picked up my guitar, let alone laid a hand on the strings. With calluses thinning, my fingers are going to be incredibly sore after my next jam session. Just something to keep in mind: maintaining the calluses on your fingers will actually help in the long run, since they'll start to hurt less every time you play. On an only minor tangent, it also pays to keep your finger nails short. This will make holding down the strings easier, and will help keep your fret board in good shape.
On a happier note, I got the chance to play with one of my friends before I got sick. I had my guitar out, and finally convinced him to get his viola. He has an amazing ear for tone and pitch-- I put on some music in the background, and started playing along (I chose a song I knew, My Immortal), and then out of nowhere I hear him playing along. After one line of the verse, he had the notes down. For someone like me, who's nearly tone deaf, that was pretty amazing. Rose and I are hoping he'll play the next Open Mic Night with us. Tentative songs are My Immortal (Evanescence) and Kiss Me (Sixpence None The Richer). The first has a strings solo, and the latter uses harmonica and electric guitar. Without too much trouble though, we should be able to transpose them for the viola.
Anyway, hopefully I'll be back on track soon. If this is what we've decided on, we have a lot of practicing to do. Here's to good health and doing what you love!
-Kal
Friday, February 17, 2012
Tuning...and Its Hazards
I use either a standard tuner (the one I have is what I used to use for my violin), or the one built into my guitar. In the most basic sense, when you're holding the guitar: the top three pegs are turned away from you to make the note sharper (higher pitched), and toward you to make it flat (lower). It's the exact opposite for the bottom three pegs-- which is how I snapped my G-string. If you're using the tuner built into the guitar, you'll get a green light when the pitch is correct. If you're using something like my violin tuner, the needle will be centered on the screen. Just as a side note, I'm always at 440Hz with my violin tuner (it has to do with frequency, but don't worry about that too much).
The last thing I'll mention is different ways of tuning the guitar.
Standard tuning is EADGBe (excuse me for mixing up the A and D strings in the video).
Half a step down means Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Bb, and eb. This took me a while to figure out, but the lower case "b" is used to mean "flat" in online tabs. So, E flat, A flat, etc. This means the top three pegs are turned towards you, to make the notes lower.
Drop D tuning means DADGBe.
Drop C is CGCFAD. This one tripped me up for a while, and I had to ask my friend for help. Basically, the first string drops two full notes (or "steps"), and each subsequent string drops one step. E goes down to D and then down to C. A drops to G, etc.
(For anyone who's not familiar with music at all, the notes are listed from A to G. Flats and sharps come in between the whole notes. If I have a C# (sharp), that's the same note as a Db (flat), because a sharp is half a step above a note, and a flat is half a step below a note.)-- If this is confusing, feel free to comment, and I'll ask my roommate (who's into music theory) to try and explain more clearly.
**Update** A quick note on "the hazards", which I suppose I haven't really gotten into yet: one of them of course (as mentioned above), is snapping a string while tuning.
Yet another, which has not been mentioned yet: not ten minutes after recording this video, have I lost my grip on the guitar pick, and dropped it inside my guitar. This is one of the most painful experiences you will ever go through while playing. Physical pain aside (unless your arm is really skinny, you can't reach in there and grab it), this is one of the most frustrating experiences I have ever had. Words of wisdom? It usually takes a lot of turning the guitar upside down and shaking it. It's especially difficult with mine, because of the numerous wires inside. The last time I did this, I was able to lift the pick out with a pair of tweezers. Just be careful not to drop those inside too.
**Update** My favorite guitar pick (.58 mm thickness), which has been stuck in my guitar since this post, has just been dislodged! I had been carrying the guitar back and forth today (2/22), since I was playing with my viola friend, and when I finally sat back down at my desk, I heard something that didn't sound like wires rattling around. Lo and behold, there lies my pick, obvious as ever within view of the sound hole. Took some maneuvering and tweezers again, but it has successfully been retrieved.
-Kal
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