There’s a problem new guitarists face that’s as old as anyone knows.
New guitarists will start to get sore fingers after nearly every session of guitar playing.
The main advice given by instructors and teachers alike is “keep going, the soreness is good and means future improvement”.
In spite of this sound advice, businesses love to “solve problems” in every industry.
Some businesses have come along with “guitar finger tape”.
So how to tape your fingers for guitar playing?
I have a very simple method of taping my fingers for guitar, and it’ll save you a ton of money on finger tape:
Don’t tape your fingers for guitar!
Tape is not a good idea for guitar playing, it means you’ll never develop the calluses you’ll need to become proficient.
Having to tape your fingers for each practice session, honestly kind of seems like some kind of joke to me.
Don’t take my word for it, here’s one of a million seasons guitarists echoing what I and every guitars says:
Why do guitarists put tape on their fingers?
When you begin learning to play guitar your finger will hurt and become sore from pressing into the strings.
The more and longer your sessions are, the more they’ll hurt.
The soreness usually lasts only for the first 2-4 months of playing guitar.
May beginners ask if there’s anything you can do for sore fingers.
There isn’t much you can do and tape will not offer you a good long term solution.
Push through!
Shorten your practice sessions if need be.
Even if all you do is practice 10 minutes a day, you’ll see the soreness going away within two weeks.
If you’re past the four month mark and you’re still getting soreness, it’s likely you’re not playing frequently enough.
1 hour practice session a week isn’t going to build up calluses, like 10 minutes a day 6 days a week will.
Consistency is going to move the needle for you here.
So how to tape your fingers for guitar playing? Simple, you DON’T!
Is guitar finger tape a scam?
Well, no. If you buy finger tape so your fingers won’t hurt…. They won’t hurt.
The product does what it’s intended purpose is.
The reason I have a bone to pick with manufacturers of finger tape, is that it isn’t a good method to go about it.
Using finger tape is very short sighted and will actually delay you developing your guitar skills.
