been playing guitar for 12 years

Betterman77 · August 2006

Ok I been playing guitar now for 12 years, i love playing acoustic, i'll play it for hours, now when I start playing it i play it beautifully but after an hour or so goes by its like my finger tips get really tender (even though I have callouses) but i find it harder to push the strings down, so eventually if im playing like a full bar chord my bottom high end strings won't ring out, they get muted, i don't know if my hand is getting weak, but fuck I get so pissed off, totally irate, cause i been playing for fucking 12 years and after a few hours go by my chords start to sound like im a beginner again, any experianced players know what Im talking about or have this problem? Its damn fucking frustrating for me since im a serious player.

by the way on an electric guitar, I have no problems, I can play all day.

Peatrical · August 2006

Play the bar chords from the back. It's hard to explain but the pressure can;t just be from the finger, you have to use your back shoulder muscle. That is what I was taught long ago in classical and works in all other styles and builds of guitars.

Betterman77 · August 2006

Peatrical wrote:

Play the bar chords from the back. It's hard to explain but the pressure can;t just be from the finger, you have to use your back shoulder muscle. That is what I was taught long ago in classical and works in all other styles and builds of guitars.

Ok so kinda push down on the strings with your whole arm instead of just the wrist and fingers? did I understand that right?

harrisonmerwin · August 2006

i really think the hands and calluses can only take so much too before they naturally cannot hold up against the strings anymore. I can play for about 2 hours before its too long, and i can play bass for about 45 minutes. I don't think there is anyway around beatign the friction and tension between thenstrings and yoru fingers, especially in technical players who slide around alot

Betterman77 · August 2006

Yeah I understand, My acoustic guitars originally had 12 gauge strings on it, but I brought them down to 11's hoping it would help but after and hour or so, its like my fingers get weak like I said and i get too many string mutes. Electric guitar is fine, never had a problem alos the strings on that are 9's much lighter, but I don't wanna go any lighter than 11's on my acoustic cause it gets too tinny sounding.

Vedderlution_Baby · August 2006

I know exactly what you're talking about dude. man, i remember some nights I'd be playing acoustic and it would feel like my fucking fingers had the nerves exposed. I've been playing for a year or so I've got decent callouses. It's depressing. I haven't been able to find anything to fix it. Went with custom light strings, that helped.

I fucking hate bar chords. I gots small hands.

brain of c · August 2006

i've been playing since i was twelve.

Puckered Starfish · August 2006

isn't an hour long enough?

Betterman77 · August 2006

Puckered Starfish wrote:

isn't an hour long enough?

Hello No!!!!!

mca47 · August 2006

Betterman77 wrote:

Hello No!!!!!

Yeah, it happens to me too.
My fingertips never really bother me, but I notice some chords get "flat" sounding after a while.
I've also noticed that my barr finger tends to roll over more the longer I play too.
What's the action like on your acoustic? Having it lowered might help. My acoustic is pretty crappy and I get weak really quick with it. When I play with better guitars I can play much longer without losing the strength.

harrisonmerwin · August 2006

Puckered Starfish wrote:

isn't an hour long enough?

not when your writing!

Alive77 · August 2006

guitars are great i love em all

BinFrog · August 2006

I have been playing for 12 years too, and the action on my acoustic is so high that it hurts my fingers after like a half hour. Too bad too, it sounds great. I rarely play it anymore.

FinsburyParkCarrots · August 2006

You could try a different barring approach, such as barring the bass note with your thumb, if it's able to do the job.

Betterman77 · August 2006

FinsburyParkCarrots wrote:

You could try a different barring approach, such as barring the bass note with your thumb, if it's able to do the job.

Barring with my thumb? No thats too awkward, i can bar all chords fine its just after awhile hand gets weak makes it feel like the strings are double harder to push down, I don't know who proffessionals do it? they must just suffer through the pain and just fucking do it and do it and do it until they get used to it, but i figured after 12 fucking years id be used to it by now, guess not

Vedderlution_Baby · August 2006

hey betterman, any tips? I know the practice practice practice, but any other?

kigcat · August 2006

seriously the thumb over the top (grip style as i like to call it) stlye of barring is a great way to ease pressure on your barring hand. After a while it becomes so natural almost like its a natural way of holding the neck normally. Ive been playing for about 18/19 years and i naturally use the thumb grip style of bar playing all the time.

ledhed43 · August 2006

how do you hold the guitar when you play? i know the classical guys use those little footstools under their left foot and rest the guitar on the left knee instead of the right(assuming you play right handed). i know it looks and feels weird, but the one lesson i took the teacher told me if i played that way i would be able to play longer. it took me a while to try it out, but it worked once i did. it will get your wrist and hand aligned so you can play with you shoulder and back muscles without straining your smaller forearm muscles. i dont always play that way but if i get caught up writing and get tired i switch to it to keep myself going longer. you can find anything that sits 4-8 inches off the ground to try it out without getting on of those footstools. i use a stack of books. i hope this helps, i have been playing for about 6 years and hand fatigue is still frustrating for me.

PJ-Sin · August 2006

Sounds to me like you need to try a different guitar, son...

I have the same problem with the Epiphone acoustic I have, so I dont play it. But I have played on several acoustics that pretty much play like an electric and dont hurt your hand.

Try an Ovation, the backs are curved and a little wierd at first but they play great.
I have also played some really good Alvarez and Talkamine guitars.

....hope this helps.

Betterman77 · August 2006

PJ-Sin wrote:

Sounds to me like you need to try a different guitar, son...

I have the same problem with the Epiphone acoustic I have, so I dont play it. But I have played on several acoustics that pretty much play like an electric and dont hurt your hand.

Try an Ovation, the backs are curved and a little wierd at first but they play great.
I have also played some really good Alvarez and Talkamine guitars.

....hope this helps.

Funny how you mentioned to try an Ovation, thats what I have right now, it plays great, the sounds is amazing, especially when through an amp, but its just the way it slides off my lap cause of that round back, i don't like it at all.

Vedderlution_Baby · August 2006

Yea, my epiphone acoustic can be a bitch.

been playing guitar for 12 years

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