: How to minimize the pain for a beginning guitar student so they won’t give up before they develop calluses? This is a common problem and solving it will ultimately lead to a much higher success rate for beginning guitar

I don't know about beginners, but when I start to tear my fingertips, I play slide guitar. No reason not to teach beginners a little slide.

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Learning the guitar as a beginner has many inherent challenges from the very start.

For one, you are asking the new guitar student to teach their brain how to tell their fingers to contort in very strange and unnatural ways that they have never before even remotely contemplated. And the finger strength needed for many chords has not been developed yet.

On top of that you add the rather significant pain factor associated with pressing metal strings against metal frets with tender finger tips. And we haven’t even thought about the dreaded F barre chord yet.

Because of these challenges, it’s easy to understand why so many beginning guitarist, give up before they can play their first chord progression.

I would like to share a method that has kept many aspiring future guitarist from giving up on learning guitar. I think it will be valuable for anyone who is about to begin their journey, or who may have tried to learn guitar in the past, but were not willing to endure the pain.

The following advice assumes that the student will be learning on a steel string acoustic guitar.

First thing we need to do is create our own custom FINGER FRIENDLY set of strings for our acoustic steel string guitar. To do that we will need two sets of strings.

First set is a "Silk and Steel" set - such as the Martin M130 or M1400 standard gauge strings. The wound strings have a thin layer of nylon fiber that acts as a padding or cushion around the steel core – making these strings much more forgiving to play. Also, because they have less metal per string (nylon as part of the core) they tune to pitch with less tension making them easier to fret with less pressure.

Silk and Steel guitar string

But we will need a second set - because even though the wound stings are padded, the unwound plain steel strings are just as brutal on tender fingers as the guitar’s original strings.

So to get the other two strings for our custom set we need the least expensive electric guitar strings in the lightest possible gauge (ultra light or super light) which will have a high e string of .008 inch diameter and a b string of .011 inch diameter. These two plain steel unwound strings are very thin compared to the .0115 and .014 inch diameter of the silk and steel string set.

You need electric strings to get the two steel strings, because acoustic strings don’t come in those ultra light gauges. The two unwound (plain steel) strings we need, are made of the same material on either acoustic or electric sets. What’s different about electric strings is the wound strings are wound in nickel so the magnetic pickups will work better with them. You do NOT want to put the wound strings from an electric set on an acoustic guitar – because the tone will not be as pleasing as wound strings made for acoustic. So unless you also have an electric guitar, give the other four strings from the electric set to someone you know who owns an electric guitar – or recycle them.

Remove the existing strings from your acoustic guitar and replace them with the four wound strings from the silk and steel set and the two very thin plain steel strings from the electric guitar set. This gives you a custom set of steel strings that will tune up with less tension and be way more comfortable and less painful to play.

On some guitars, the very thin electric plain strings may be a little too close to the frets to avoid some buzzing (because the nut slots will be bigger than the string), but don't worry about that right now - we are just learning - and a little string buzz won't be so noticeable when a beginning student is struggling just to make a note. This custom set is for temporary use, to permit less painful practice during the beginning stages of learning to play notes and form chords.

They will still have enough metal (unlike nylon strings) and require enough tension to slowly build calluses, while minimizing the pain to a tolerable level. It’s like training for a marathon and starting out running a mile per day and gradually working your way up as you build stamina and endurance.

They won’t sound as good as a regular set of strings, but trust me, a student just learning to play is happy to get any semblance of a note to ring out as they press down on those strings. So until the student is ready to perform in front of an audience, the way the strings SOUND is far less important than their ability to press them down hard enough just to make a note (other than the sound of plucking a muted string).

Soon the student will starts to build some callouses, and gain some success forming some chords and changing chords and begin to gain a sense of satisfaction with their progress and a feeling that they actually CAN learn to make music with a guitar. And - since practice is now far less painful, they are likely to progress much faster than they otherwise would – because they will spend more time practicing.

Before long the student will be ready to switch to a regular set of light acoustic strings.

Along with the advice of installing the custom set of easy to play strings, it is important to encourage moderation in practice in the beginning. Start with short 15 minute practice periods spaced out during the day, so that the skin on the fingers (and muscles) will have time to recover from the stress before any damage is done. Gradually increase these practice sessions a few minutes every few days until you can comfortably practice 30 minutes at a time.

Here is another thought. If a new guitar is to be purchased, a shorter scale acoustic guitar such as a Taylor GS Mini (Around 9 US new and 0 used) will be easier to play because the shorter strings will require less tension to tune.

Learning to play guitar is not easy. So taking as much pain out of the process is an important compromise to make in the beginning, to increase the likelihood of success in the long run.

I sincerely hope this will help many beginning guitar students get past the painful beginning to become lifelong guitar playing enthusiast. Best of luck - and don't give up! You can do it!

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I learnt on a combination of electric guitar and nylon-string guitar.

Electric guitar : I tried very thin strings, size 08 which helped with lowering the tension of the string, so even though they're thinner, they cut into my fingers less.

Nylon string guitars : The strings are much thicker and don't hurt as much. I de-tuned it by quite a lot so that I could still bend the strings (I was learning from recordings of Mr Hendrix). This also lowered the tension, so has a double effect. It might also work on a steel string guitar.

If your students are playing acoustic steel-string guitar, I think thet's probably the most abrasive combination on the fingers as the strings are usually thicker & so quite tight. Playing a nylon string now and then would still train for the chord shapes etc but hurt less.

There's also the act of running your fingers up the string while changing chords, which can end up using the wound strings as a file on your finger. You might be able to get around this with round-wound strings, although I'm not sure whether these are available for acoustic guitars.

So in a nutshell:

Try de-tuning the guitar - less tension = less cutting on the fingers. Not too much though as it's easy to squeeze the strings out of tune.
Try lighter gauge strings
Try a nylon string guitar
If possible try round wound strings

I think others have answered wisely too, especially "stop before it hurts".

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from experience the best way is to just keep playing on top of the blisters, don't pop them, they eventually become callouses. When I started playing steel string At school I didn't have a pick so I just kept playing and I had to learn to strum with my nails So I didn't get the dreaded blister on the tip of my thumb. My first guitar was a nylon string so I guess I had some callouses before the steel string but it was still hard.
Shorter practice times helped to stop the blisters, using better guitars with the strings closer to the fretboard helped a lot as well. The first time I played an electric guitar I was really surprised at how much easier it was to use because of the lighter gauge strings I noticed that my fingers would slide a lot easier.
Overall:
- a better guitar helps though I think a beginner guitar student should use a cheaper guitar to build strength.
- lighter gauge strings
- I saw other answers that say to buy different types of strings but that is costly.
- like others have said try to keep dry fingers
- lastly I have found that if someone really wants to play the guitar they will get over the discomfort.

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This is such a great question! I have been playing guitar for 20 years but travel often, and tend to lose all my callouses after only a couple weeks away. So it is not only beginners who must suffer finger pain; I do it several times a year. Here are some successful techniques I have used to ease my way back into playing pain-free:

Put a capo on the second fret. This is the easiest and quickest way to lower action on a guitar, and doesnt require a professional setup. An extra benefit for beginners is that a capo also shortens the scale, bringing frets closer together.
To reduce string tension, drop the tuning by a whole step. When you add a capo at the second fret, the guitar will play at standard pitch, but with lower action and less tension.
Use lower tension strings like Silk & Steel, or ball-end nylon strings, or even extra-lite electric guitar strings (or the very clever combination of Silk and electric guitar strings that Rockin Cowboy suggests).
Though it may be a little late if your student shows up to his first lesson with an acoustic steel string guitar, suggest that students start learning on an electric guitar. Playable instruments with amps are cheaper than playable acoustics, they last forever and are easy to resell if the student discontinues. And they are way easier on your fingers. After a long trip I often play only my tele for a couple weeks until my fingertips start to toughen a little.

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To add to these great answers, I only have one suggestion - climbers chalk

Moisture in the hands leads to blisters. Chalk alleviates moisture build up in the hands and helps to build callouses.

Some notable guitar players who use chalk before every show: Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, John Mayer, etc. Chalk is a great when you haven't played in a while and don't want to ruin your hands. Additionally, it doesn't damage the guitar/string as you can simply wipe it off of the wood with a towel.

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I had a problem with pain from playing too much one week at a mandolin symposium. Advice from the head honcho: ibuprofen.

Of course,as has been mentioned: DO NOT OVERDO IT.

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One thing I want to add is, that even a beginner should start with a decent instrument. A 100$ guitar from a discounter or a no name company will not help.

I started that way, with an 100$ acoustic guitar with steel string. I didn't want to pay much because I didn't know whether playing guitar is someting I would like. So I struggled with this one, the strings were so high above the fretboard that it took ridiculous amounts of pressure to form any chord. And yes, it hurt.. a lot... but everyone told me it would be normal because my fingers have to develop strength and callouses. So I accepted that as the hard ways of learning guitar... until I had a better guitar in my hands. It wasn''t even that expensive, around 300$ but the strings were way lower on the fretboard and it was so easy to play.

I know it's hard to accept that you have to spend a decent amount of money on a guitar, but in the end it's worth it. I spend those 100$ for my first guitar completely unnecessary. Also it really helps to not be told the pain is a perfectly normal thing. A guitar beginner should always have some guidance, either a teacher or a fellow guitar player with some experience. Or at least, go to a music store and buy something together with an employee there, he can tell you what is good for a beginner.

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I am surprised no one has mentioned RockTips.

Although it is a superglue (as mentioned in Tim Burnett - Bassist's answer), it is formulated with a medical glue that washes off with soap and water. Once I found it I bought some for friends to try and they give rave it reviews.

I recently moved move 11s to 12s on my fan fret guitar and the tension in the strings at standard tuning is enormous (well it feels like it anyway after the 11s) so I have gone straight for the RockTips bottle to help me through the first week or two.

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Great question and advice on strings herein. I'd like to add that sometimes one needs an immediate solution.

When the stinging has become too overwhelming to even touch the strings, or worse yet a blister has busted and tender finger meat is shredding against wound steel, two little words have saved my life in the past when the show must go on - super glue.

Dab just a drop to the area of the fingertip that's affected (let it dry.) Just this slight layer of added buffer can allow one to keep playing without the loss of dexterity. If you're really rocking, it'll wear away quick, though. And, it's going to ruin your strings.... But, you won't have to stop the show or practice.

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Practice, practice, practice. Callouses do not form otherwise. Play until you can't bear it any more. Do this every day. Just get it over with. It will pay off in the end, I promise.

In the meantime, there are ways of maximizing your practice time while your fingers develop into battle-hardened.

Play lower strings more often. Note these are thicker than the higher-note ones, and will not dig into your fingers as sharply. So when your fingers start getting tired, depending on your style of playing (i.e. fingerstyle vs strumming), switch to practicing lower-octave scales or strum chords which predominantly favor those strings (e.g. E, G, C).
Take short breaks during your practice sessions. Give your fingers a chance to stop throbbing, but get right back at it as soon as possible.
Simulate pain throughout the day when not playing the guitar. Dig your thumbnail into the tips of your fingers so as to mimic the guitar string. This can be done successfully one-handed, though to maximize the effect, you will need to use your other hand occasionally to make perpendicular gridlines as well.
Finally, do not pick off your callouses. Resist the temptation to help your skin "shed" itself as your callouses form.

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For me, what @Rob said is crucial:

stop before it hurts

If you overdo the practice before you can take it, the next day you'll be unable to play. And if you don't keep practicing regularly, you're more likely to not play the next day, and then another, and then a week after you're back at spot 0.

Practice as much as you can without discomfort, then pick up the guitar as soon as you can again. That way the callouses will build reasonably fast without the terrible discomfort.

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What worked for me a long time ago, was to keep a small cup of denatured alcohol near my practice area. Before and after playing, dip the fretting hand fingers for a minute, then blow them dry. Alcohol dries the forming callouses, allowing them to harden. Possibly similar to the climber's chalk idea. I hadn't heard of that.

If you have a nitrocellulose lacquer finish on the guitar, avoid spilling alcohol on it, as it will damage the finish. Easy to avoid, just take care.

Another easy thing: don't take a shower, or wash your hands, right before playing. Water, especially warm water, softens callouses.

Also, set up the guitar for low action. Like it should be set up anyway, but student guitars are often badly in need of a good setup.

Finally, the most important thing: play some every day. Just keep playing. The pain won't last long. Nothing about learning guitar happens quickly. Callouses are the easy part. Take your time, settle in for a lifelong journey. It's more journey than destination.

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Here's my fifty cents...

When I started learning 8 finger tapping (both hands on the fretboard) I had to go through the pain again, so I searched on the net about tricks on how to develop callouses faster and what I found is Eric Clapton's tip on it.

He said: dip your fingers in alcohol, as it will dry out the fingers. So I tried that, within a week i had decent enough callouses, not crazy strong or anything like that, but it made it bearable for me to keep tapping that axe :)

I did it as many times a day as I felt necessary and kept playing... 3 or more.

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Just can't understand callouses, or the need for them. I play guitar and bass, and set up my instruments to play without causing callouses. The only time I had them was at about 12 yrs old, learning on an acoustic with an awful action. as soon as I got a half decent guitar, and set it up - no callouses. I use .008- .046 on guitar, and down to .120 on 5 string bass, if that's any bearing on the situation.

I've taught for nearly 50 yrs, and it's not been an issue with most pupils. I'm curious as to why they're needed, as hard skin is the last thing I need on either hand, especially fretting fingers.Just returned from a 4 hr solid bass playing gig - no marks on fingers, no pain. Please help me understand callouses.

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Tell them:

Practice 10-15 min 2x/day (they don't know a lot to play yet, and their fingers will hurt if they play more. As they learn more and their calluses develop, they can play more.
Stop before it hurts
Make it fun
Set goals
Reward yourself for reaching goals
Balance "technique" and "fun"
Have them record themselves & e-mail it to you
(if a child) their parents shouldn't have to ask them to play, they should have to ask them to stop playing.

good luck.

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I have been in and out of guitar for years, but this time been at it long enough to know that I am here to stay;-) I have attained a critical mass of understanding that I feel quite at home with one in my hands now. Back when I would play for three months here, a year, there and a few weeks off and on... I went through this pain. However, three years ago, when I decided to get serious and play until I could speak it, I picked up a used Yamaha classical and played that for the first couple weeks. I also played an electric with super small gauge Elixir strings. Once I got past the buildup, I went back to the Marting and jammed on that. Fingers still get raw, especially during song writing or recording, but lasts a lot longer.

Start out with an electric or gut string classical... just pick up a cheap anything and mix that practice up with a steel string acoustic.

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