Part of being a guitar player is the uncomfortable process of developing calluses on your fingers. This process is completely normal, so there’s no need to be worried. If you’ve started developing calluses from your guitar, then that only means you’ve been getting in some good practice time.
Even still, you may be wondering if your guitar calluses will go away on their own, and if so, how long does it actually take to get rid of them? The short answer is “yes”! Guitar calluses will go away eventually, but only if you stop practicing your guitar for awhile.
Just like it probably took a bit of time to actually develop the calluses in the first place, getting rid of those same calluses for good usually just takes a little time. But it’s also going to require you to put down your guitar for a period of time to allow your calluses to heal.
Do you really want to stop playing guitar just because of your calluses? I know they can be quite painful, but after some getting used to, guitar calluses can actually be a good thing. And in this article, we get into why you may just want to keep those calluses.
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Do Calluses Help You Play Guitar?
In the long run, your calluses are going to allow you to play your guitar for longer periods of time. This may come in handy if you decide to join a band one day, and you have several shows to perform in a given time frame.
So while the pain in your finger tips may feel unbearable in the beginning, your future self will definitely thank you so it’s important to keep going through the pain. That may sound a bit masochistic, but it’s paramount if you want to be able to play guitar for a long time.
Do All Guitarists Have Calluses?
In short, yes, all guitarists have to build up the calluses on their fingertips in order to play at a high level. There is just no getting around this fact. As long as you play the guitar, you will have calluses.
There are ways, however, that you can lessen the pain of your calluses. After all, if you’re constantly in pain when you are practicing the guitar, then it diminishes the fun you should be having.
How Do I Toughen Up My Fingers for Guitar Playing?
The best way to make your fingers tougher for guitar playing is to stick to a regular schedule of practicing your guitar. You may want to start off with practicing every other day, but don’t ever go too long without playing if your goal is to build those calluses up quickly. In fact, if the best thing to do in my opinion is to play on a daily basis.
Skip a day if you absolutely have to, but try to play everyday when you’re first starting out. You’ll be much better off playing in short spurts of 10 or 15 minutes a day than you would be if you went without playing for 3 days.
With that being said, it will definitely help in the process of building calluses if you practiced on songs that you actually enjoy and want to learn. This way, you have some type of motivation if the going gets too tough for you.
How Hard Do I Need to Press on My Guitar Strings?
One factor that might make your guitar calluses hurt more than usual is the amount of pressure that you use when you’re pressing on your fretboard. You really only need to press as hard as you need to get the note to come out clear. And if your guitar is set up correctly, then it doesn’t take much pressure at all to get crystal clear notes.
Also, make sure you are pressing directly behind the fret your trying to play and not right on top of it. Obviously, you’ll know this has happened when you hear muted notes.
As you grow your calluses more and more, you fingers will be used to the process of playing, and it will result in less fret buzz as well.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully this short article helped you out a little when it comes to understanding finger pain and calluses from playing the guitar. If you really think about it, developing guitar calluses is considered a rite of passage.
To those of you who earned those calluses, then congratulations! That means you’ve been doing the work necessary to become a good guitarist. Keep it up!
