Getting in Shape to Play the Guitar

Getting in shape to play the guitar is not something that is talked about very often. However, if you have never played a guitar and never done much physical work with your hands, you may be in for a very unpleasant surprise when you begin practicing your guitar in earnest.Whether you use vinyl or steel strings, the guitar strings have to be taut in order to produce a quality sound. If your fingers are not already calloused, you may find yourself in a very uncomfortable position. Guitar players will usually have very hard fingers or finger tips. If your hands are not accustomed to handling the guitar strings, you may find that blisters and even bleeding are common. When you first start playing the guitar, you will have to learn the chords and individual notes on the guitar. Take this opportunity to warm up your fingers and figure out where your fingers touch the guitar strings. A little blistering is normalat first. The sooner your hands and fingers become accustomed to the guitar and the guitar strings, the better off you will be.However, you will not be able to play at all if your fingers are too sore to play the guitar any at all. When you feel your fingers beginning to get sore, stop and soak them in ice water. An emery board like those used for fingernails will soon become your best friend as well. Gently rub the end of your fingers with the emery board after you have soaked your newfound guitar fingers in the ice water. The key is to do this gently so as not to aggravate the blistering that occurs when learning to play the guitar. It will remove any of the dead skin and prevent swelling which will prevent you from playing your guitar. Allow your fingers to rest before you go back to playing and in this way, you should be able to play better, faster and sooner. One of your best bets is to get a comprehensive guitar guide that teaches you how to play properly right from the very start. A good guitar guide will allow you to learn to play without most of the discomfort associated with learning to play the guitar.