• From: Cambridge
  • Registered: 2011-01-15
  • Posts: 912

Topic: fingertips or not?

hey again everyone

i feel bad about posting another topic but i just needed to know something

where do (you guitarplayers) actually make contact with the string with your finger? I've been playing for about 2.5 years and ive always just played wheres most comfortable until recently when its started ripping my fingers to shreds..this made me analyse it and realised my fingertips are not making contact but actually more the side of my fingers

is it better to get into the habbit of using the center of your fingers?

thanks and i hope this made sense:)

Jonny L

Videos of my playing: http://www.youtube.com/user/JonnyLowtherMusic
  • From: East Lancashire, UK
  • Registered: 2011-06-24
  • Posts: 3,019

Re: fingertips or not?

I use the centre slightly towards the left side of the tip but occasionally roll towards the sides when moving more than one string. May not be right but I am too old to change now. Hope this helps..

Come on the Blades (sorry Idolbone just had to borrow your line)
  • From: Southampton, UK
  • Registered: 2011-09-06
  • Posts: 231

Re: fingertips or not?

My advice would be to try to play with the centre of your fingers as much as possible.  Obviously the more you play eventually you break through the pain barrier and develop the hard skin on your fretting finger tips.  However, developing good technique can be important so you don't develop unwanted issues like tendonitis which is a different kind of pain and will likely end your playing for good.

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  • From: Cambridge
  • Registered: 2011-01-15
  • Posts: 912

Re: fingertips or not?

thanks for both your replies! Coolaxeman...the hard skin isn't the problem i dont think because i never experience any of that kind of pain anymore....maybe its just a habit i need to get into

Jonny L

Videos of my playing: http://www.youtube.com/user/JonnyLowtherMusic
  • Registered: 2009-10-10
  • Posts: 438

Re: fingertips or not?

My calouses ( I can't spell this right) , the toughened part of my fingers, is pretty much on the tips, just very slightly off center.  I got better note clarity when I focused on this many years ago.

  • From: West Sussex
  • Registered: 2011-05-17
  • Posts: 307

Re: fingertips or not?

HoosierRock wrote:

My calouses ( I can't spell this right) , the toughened part of my fingers, is pretty much on the tips, just very slightly off center.  I got better note clarity when I focused on this many years ago.

Same here very close to centered.

  • From: Cambridge
  • Registered: 2011-01-15
  • Posts: 912

Re: fingertips or not?

HoosierRock wrote:

My calouses ( I can't spell this right) , the toughened part of my fingers, is pretty much on the tips, just very slightly off center.  I got better note clarity when I focused on this many years ago.

Yes i agree about having more note clarity....but it just feels odd playing with the centre of my fingertips after having played so long on the side of them (where it curves round) is it a habit worth getting into? will it stop my fingers from shredding as much?

Jonny L

Videos of my playing: http://www.youtube.com/user/JonnyLowtherMusic