been playing to much

glug

Morning

Last night i was with a another guitarist, and he saw my fingers. One thing he told me that I've been playing to much. The tips of my left hand fingers have gone a little flat. I didn't realize this and till he told me. Hows this going to effect my playing the in the future? Is to much playing/practicing bad?

dirkv

Ok, well that is the first time i have ever heard of that. Dude don't even sweat it, as far as i am concerned that is an old wives tale. i may be wrong but hey, keep practicing dude, play your heart out

JoeyBones

Yeh, unless your developing carpel tunnel syndrome or you feel serious pain in your hand during or directly after playing I think it should be fine. I was also warned by one of the tutors I went to not to over do it. I guess you should think about it like weight training. If you push too hard too soon you hurt your muscles and it takes time for them to recover.

Well that's my 50 cents.

Riaan

Again I'm no expert but this is what I've been told: the only thing to be careful of is nerve damage to your fingertips which can result from wrong technique such as the use of a single finger to bend strings, instead of supporting the bending string with two other fingers. And I would guess that if your fingers are still soft, you should not play to the point of blistering - build it up over a few days or weeks. But once your fingers are hard, I don't think that there is such a thing as playing too much provided that you don't push things too far such as playing while experiencing increasing pain. Fingers will adapt to playing styles so there is no universal shape of fingertip that would indicate a "correct" or "incorrect" style, in my opinion.

AlanRatcliffe

+1 to all of the above...

Good advice guys.

Although:

the only thing to be careful of is nerve damage to your fingertips which can result from wrong technique such as the use of a single finger to bend strings, instead of supporting the bending string with two other fingers.

Never heard that one Riaan - I've been doing single-finger bends for the last 25 years (self-taught - no-one to tell me you should use the other fingers too). I can't actually do it the right way. On .011 gauge for the last year or so too. No problems, just very thick calluses and very powerful fingers.

glug

Thanks guys. Got a little worried. Sometimes i get nerve pains but thats only after
6 hours of non stop playing. Then the strings dig into me.

Riaan wrote Again I'm no expert but this is what I've been told: the only thing to be careful of is nerve damage to your fingertips which can result from wrong technique such as the use of a single finger to bend strings, instead of supporting the bending string with two other fingers.

I also do a lot of bending with 1 finger, its also a good Exercise to get your fingers strong, especially your pnky. Don't know if its a good/bad habit.

dirkv wrote Keep practicing dude, play your heart out

Nothing is going to keep me away from playing/practicing. Its a heavy addiction for me.

JoeyBones

I just have to add for any of you who work on computers, which should be most of us nowadays, be very carefull of Carpul Tunnel Syndrome. I had a bad habit of typing for too long at a time and hitting the keys too hard. My nuckles have gotten a bit stiff because of this and do tend to pain a bit after long playing sessions. That and I had the bad habit of cracking my knuckles.

glug

Bad habit of typing to long? I'm a software developer and that is my job writing code all day

Riaan

Perhaps my friend exaggerated a bit...one tends to take as gospel anything that a more advanced player tells you, especially in the beginning. I also used to do one finger bending (and still do now and then) but I've subsequently been bending as he showed me (using my ring finger, while the index and middle finger supports the string) and that more or less became my habit since.
It seems that the guitar world is full of folklore, with many friends tellings us all sorts of things! That's what makes this forum so great, and what makes the guitar such a great instrument! I guess there really is very little that is "right" or "wrong" - a certain Mr. Hendrix serves as an example of that!

JoeyBones

GeraldH wrote Bad habit of typing to long? I'm a software developer and that is my job writing code all day

I was a programmer for a couple of years and my bad habits took their toll on my hands. I actually wanted to play piano before I tried guitar. I thought that all the typing would make it easier to learn. Boy was I wrong.

AlanRatcliffe

Riaan wrote I've subsequently been bending as he showed me (using my ring finger, while the index and middle finger supports the string) and that more or less became my habit since.

I've tried doing that, but I'm so used to doing it with one finger at a time that it makes me overbend something horrible. It's too easy and I can't control it. I suppose I could spend time on it and relearn, but why change what's already working?

I guess there really is very little that is "right" or "wrong" - a certain Mr. Hendrix serves as an example of that!

The Hendrix thumb thing? Tal Farlow used to fret chords like that too. But yeah - it' what makes players unique. If everyone had used perfect technique, there would have been no Michael Hedges, Stanley Jordan, Jeff Healey or even Eddie van Halen.

Bane

Yeah the flat-finger syndrome. good one ? As far as i know there is nothing wrong with callouses. There have been times when i had ruts in my finger (jamming on an acoustic). Still got all five. My guitar is tuned to D standard and i am playing with 12's. I use 1 or 3 fingers depending on the bend and where my fingers were before and where they are going after the bend. Never had carpel or any other...ah...problem. ? Want to prevent carpel...easy...warm up!!! ?

Satriani

LOL! Sorry, I just had to reply to this one. There is no way on this earth called to much playing, unless you are literally in the very early stages of learning. I know that some of the greatest guitarists in the world used to play and practice for 12-14 hours EVERYDAY. There are 2 types of pain to look out for.

1) A sharp burning pain in your hand or forearm is a bad sign, and you should always stop, shake it out, and try again a minute later or so.

2) The tips of your fingers get sore. This is a GOOD pain, You are strengthening your fingers, and hardening your skin.

As for all the 1-finger-string-benders, it's a very useful way to use blues bends, microtone bends and so on, but I have yet to see somebody pull of a minor or major 3rd bend with 1 finger! All depends what style you're going for I guess. I teach everybody to bend with as many fingers available to support as possible. Alan, 25 years using 1 finger with a .11 gauge. You should be able to hammer nails into a wall without a hammer by now ? hehe

LMinnie

Satriani wrote There are 2 types of pain to look out for.

1) A sharp burning pain in your hand or forearm is a bad sign, and you should always stop, shake it out, and try again a minute later or so.

2) The tips of your fingers get sore. This is a GOOD pain, You are strengthening your fingers, and hardening your skin.

BWahahahaha!!!

Sorry I have a dirty mind!! :-[

Satriani

hahaha I just re-read what I typed, and you have a strong case there ....