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How to Create Calluses on Your Fingertips for Guitar Playing

Building calluses on your fingertips is a vital part of being a proficient guitar player because with calluses you will be able to play longer and the sound will be crisper. The guitar string makes its sound by being pushed down on a fret with your fingertips, when playing notes, and primarily with the bridge of your first finger when playing chords. Regularly training your fingertips will help you maintain a solid foundation.

Instructions

- 1
  Play the guitar on a regular basis. Train each finger individually by playing notes instead of chords. Playing chords, however, will help you build calluses along the length of your finger.
- 2
  Repeat scales. By playing scales you will ensure that you include your pinkie while training. This finger is ignored while playing many songs.
- 3
  Play a song that requires all of your fingers to play notes. Push down especially hard on fingers that are more in need of calluses.
- 4
  Play solos that require you to bend the string. This will lengthen the amount of time each finger is playing each note and will cause your fingers to build calluses.
- 5
  Give your fingers time to heal. The longer you play, the more your non-callused fingers will hurt. Wait until the next day or the day after to pick up the guitar again, to let your fingers build calluses.

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