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 Playing Advice: Bluegrass (Scruggs) Styles
 ARCHIVED TOPIC: Callous and pushing-off


Please note this is an archived topic, so it is locked and unable to be replied to. You may, however, start a new topic and refer to this topic with a link: http://www.banjohangout.org/archive/77634

dneal - Posted - 03/15/2007:  01:54:33


I have been playing enough to get some callouses on my finger tips and the biggest (on the middle finger) is not smooth. I makes is hard to get a consistant tone when I push-off. It is more of a problem since I don't play up to speed on most songs.
Anybody have a soluton? Or will it smooth out if I just keep playing.

Thanks


david

BanjoCanuck - Posted - 03/15/2007:  03:09:30


When my fingers get rough I just take a finger nail file to the tips and smooth them off a bit.

Steve

Proud BHO member since 2004!

AD3AD3AD3 - Posted - 03/15/2007:  07:38:44


The callouses on the middle and ring fingers tend to be uneven in that there is often a groove across them. This isn't a problem for push-offs unless you've got something that looks like the Suez Canal running across the tip of your finger. With time and regular picking, the surface will become relatively uniform and, in the meantime, you'll adapt.

AD3

BanjoJohnny - Posted - 03/15/2007:  16:40:10


quote:
Originally posted by AD3AD3AD3

and, in the meantime, you'll adapt.

AD3



Allan,
You sound like me. The other day, my wife was telling me something that was serious to her that didn't turn out well. I had my back to her and replied "You win some, you loose some". Luckily she didn't have a frying pan in her hand. I don't think I will tell her "you will adapt" but it sounds good to me.

Johnny
If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around.

dennis andrews - Posted - 03/16/2007:  16:22:50


I don't want smooth I like a groove to trap the string, it makes it easier to pull off or choke or whatever.

banjomon - Posted - 03/17/2007:  09:14:43


You'll find that in the long run a smoother finger tip will give you a more consistent performance in your pull offs than a course grooved callous. There's nothing worse than playing "very up tempo" and rushing to flick a string and have the groove to really hang on the string and waaaay over emphasize the lick. With a smoother finger tip this will not happen near as much. Of course it also gets down to coordination and control too.

Calluses also have a tendency to "pit out" in the center too leaving very rough edges around the perimeter of the callous. These rough edges will cause the same thing to happen as with the deep grooves in a callous. And they can be a pesky nuisance at times.

I agree with the first couple of posts in that a good finger nail file will help to smoothen them up just enough to reduce the rough edges and also in time they will tend to be more naturally rounded out. Sooner or later you'll forget that they are even there............



Pickin' Proud & Pickin' Loud
on my RK-R80!

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