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Posted by: wrk Jun 8 2009, 12:14 PM

I have never practiced tapping a lot, but i thought to concentrate a bit more on that and i finally developed some calluses on my fingers of my picking hand. Great, .. less painful i thought

Now, as i often use my middle and ring finger for hybrid picking, this calluses is quite disturbing. The calluses ends at the certain part of the fingertip and with this point i used to pick the strings with my ring/middle finger. The string sticks somehow behind this border of hard and soft skin. Often the string does not ring at all or with way too much attack. Hope my description makes sense ..

Each time it happens, i have to think on those cheese cutter with a strings .. hope it will not cut like one as well one day

Someone have had something similar before or maybe have a good solution ?

Posted by: Frederik Jun 8 2009, 12:52 PM

Good solotion = more Calluses

And hybrid hurts if u do it much without the calluses

Posted by: TheOldOnes Jun 8 2009, 01:23 PM

I noticed the same problem just recently when I picked up an acoustic guitar at a friend's place. The relative new calluses I have developed on my picking hand are making it difficult to finger pick because they are very small and hard developed from tapping. I guess I would eventually develop calluses if I finger picked more often though.

Posted by: Frederik Jun 8 2009, 01:28 PM

just play the tapping calluses of, and develop some that covers the entire area

Posted by: wrk Jun 8 2009, 01:37 PM

True, the calluses from tapping is just a tiny spot at the top of the fingertip.

I don't play that much fingerpicking on acoustics at the moments, but i did a few years ago. I don't remember to have ever developed calluses from picking back then.

Posted by: Muris Varajic Jun 8 2009, 01:47 PM

Maybe you should try to pluck string a bit away from finger tip,
play approx around rounded (hill type) part of the finger tip,
it would take more time for execution cause you'd have to dig deeper bellow the string
but you'll get more attack and avoid hurting yourself,
at least temporarily.

Posted by: Pedja Simovic Jun 8 2009, 02:02 PM

That tends to happen Andy if you tap a lot I usually try to relax my hand for a day if I do tapping a lot previous day so calluses can go away. Warm water also helps to relax fingers and skin.

Posted by: wrk Jun 8 2009, 02:13 PM

Yes, i think this is what i need practice somehow and get used to. Thank you.
I automatically do this when i want to play with more attack, but i often use hybrid picked notes to avoid too much attack as played with a pick.

You use both technics quite often, you never got disturbed by this? Hm .. i guess you tapped that much over the years that you have calluses all over the fingertip





Warm water helps. I even tried to file the border/corner slightly with fine sandpaper
It's maybe just the period to develop useful calluses on the right hand. Just thought it's a bit annoying at the moment

Posted by: Vasilije Vukmirovic Jun 8 2009, 03:26 PM

Yeah, bigger calluses are ok, but, what you want to try is to pick with edge of your nail. Or, with part of your finger and small part of the nail.

Posted by: lcsdds Jun 8 2009, 04:51 PM

I'd just "buff" out the callus with some fine sandpaper. Or......just don't tap......

Posted by: wrk Jun 8 2009, 05:19 PM

... so what i do now with all these tapping licks you have send me? ..

Posted by: lcsdds Jun 8 2009, 05:22 PM

You were just supposed to LOOK at them and learn them by OSMOSIS.......not supposed to practice them......

Good to hear you are working on some tapping Andy.....I look forward to seeing this in your playing.....\m/\m/

Posted by: Pedja Simovic Jun 8 2009, 05:38 PM

So Monte is getting you to become tapping monster ? Interesting

Posted by: wrk Jun 8 2009, 05:44 PM

Yes, he tried ..

Posted by: Frederik Jun 8 2009, 06:03 PM

^^ should work on that too, wanna be The legato-beast after listening to Guthrie

Posted by: Pedja Simovic Jun 8 2009, 07:43 PM

Just tried or we are going to see some tap videos soon ?

Posted by: wrk Jun 8 2009, 09:18 PM

.. i played some tapped notes before .. sloppy, but tapped

Posted by: Muris Varajic Jun 8 2009, 10:39 PM

Yeah, I believe so, I did lot of tapping back in years
so I guess it helped me a lot to avoid calluses from hybrid.

Posted by: Bogdan Radovic Jun 11 2009, 11:07 PM

I guess once your calluses develop fully you won't have picking problems