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INDIAN MUSIC FORUM ARCHIVES: Sitar Forum: callus-problem

 

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Remco
callus-problem Jan 03, 2003 03:22 p.m.

Hi,
Everone! To start: everyone a very happy and musical 2003!!!
Last week I've experienced a rather painful thing: I lost both calluses within a day: pretty weird and quite painfull. The callus from my second finger came off cleanly and the callus in my first finger seems to have split at the point where the string touches the fingertip. Can any of you give me any hints/tips to avoid this in the future? I really want play, but this morning I had to give up because it was too painfull to play!

Peace,

Remco
Russ
Re:callus-problem Jan 05, 2003 11:11 a.m.

Years ago when I played a lot of guitar, my callouses would sometimes break off, but no pain involved as I remember. I just had to slowly start over again to build them back up. But the callous I get with sitar is different, more of a thick pad at the end of my fingers than an actual callous deposit. I do use baby oil (mineral oil)as a string glide, and that keeps the callous sufficiently hydrated to keep it from spliting or cracking. Perhaps try that?
Matt
Re:callus-problem Jan 05, 2003 12:30 p.m.

I accidentally cut off one my bass-playing callouses this summer. OUCH! I babied it a little, but kept on playing and I was back into shape in a few weeks. Not the most comfortable experience in my life. . Good luck building yours back up!
Aviva
Re:callus-problem Jan 05, 2003 03:45 p.m.

From a medical standpoint, a callous is a response to a stimulus. All calouses form from the inside out, much like fingernail growth. As the thick pad continues to build up, there WILL be very hard keratinous material on the most superficial layer of the callous. Although VERY hard (almost fingernail like), this is a layer that will continue to shed and reinstate itself through the process. Perfectly normal. The "real" permanent undergirding thickened skin is still in place. This will never just "fall" off as it is part of the dermis at that point, The ratty, hard, dead skin/keratin will slough off, and although temporarily uncomfortable, the body will replace it VERY quickly, often within a week if the stimilus is there. My point is to tell you don't confuse the hard keratin with the true callous. FWIW


Last week I've experienced a rather painful thing: I lost both calluses within a day: pretty weird and quite painfull. The callus from my second finger came off cleanly and the callus in my first finger seems to have split at the point where the string touches the fingertip. Can any of you give me any hints/tips to avoid this in the future? I really want play, but this morning I had to give up because it was too painfull to play!

Peace,

Remco[/quote]
Remco
Re:callus-problem Jan 09, 2003 01:23 p.m.

Hi everyone!
Today I went for my sitarlessons and talked to my teacher about the callusproblem. She thinks it might come from doing too much meend-exercises. I'm pretty new to the sitar (I've played for about 14 months now) and we started concentrating on meend about a month ago, so. . .
She also gave a tip: make a paste from henna with water and apply that to the parts of the fingers touching the strings. Within a couple of days the finger will get tougher (and coloured)

Peace,

Remco
Huti
Re:callus-problem Jan 09, 2003 07:38 p.m.

Hello everyone out there, what is this henna? and how to grow and cultivate and when harvest it. and you put on 1X/day, sleep with?
Thank you everyone. Huti Verma

Hi everyone!
Today I went for my sitarlessons and talked to my teacher about the callusproblem. She thinks it might come from doing too much meend-exercises. I'm pretty new to the sitar (I've played for about 14 months now) and we started concentrating on meend about a month ago, so. . .
She also gave a tip: make a paste from henna with water and apply that to the parts of the fingers touching the strings. Within a couple of days the finger will get tougher (and coloured)

Peace,

Remco[/quote]
Lars
Re:callus- problem Jan 09, 2003 08:46 p.m.

Huti, you should know what that is? A lot of women in India decorate their hands and feet with it. . .I forget what they call it over there. . .

:-)
Huti
Re:callus-problem Jan 10, 2003 10:54 a.m.

Is "Mehendi".very nice. sometimes called "Nama" for body dekoration. Huti Verma

Huti, you should know what that is? A lot of women in India decorate their hands and feet with it. . .I forget what they call it over there. . .
Remco
Re:callus-problem Jan 10, 2003 02:03 p.m.

I think over here a lot of women use it to dye their with.
Haven't tried it out yet, but i will!!

Peace,

Remco
Chet
Re:callus-problem Jan 10, 2003 06:12 p.m.

Just be careful that you don't use any other dye with it (like commercial permanant dye or other stuff), it will cause your hair to break off!

It takes forever to wash/wear out, so be prepared to have it in your hair awhile. . .no matter what shade you choose, it'll leave alot of red, as well!

Personally, I think "Mehndi" is very beautiful!

Good luck to you!
Chet
Re:callus- problem Jan 10, 2003 06:49 p.m.

oops-wife says to make sure it's the powdered henna!. . . . .also that the ancient egyptians used it, as well! (she used to be a hairdresser, did mine a few times with it years ago)
Remco
Re:callus- problem Jan 23, 2003 05:59 p.m.

Hi everyone,
About two weeks ago I told you about the Henna-advise my teacher gave: Well. . . I've got reddish fingers at the moment and they are definitly tougher than two weeks ago. My teacher told me that it's sometimes used when musicians are touring or playing longer concerts it is used.

Peace,

Remco
Dan
Re:callus-problem Feb 18, 2003 04:37 a.m.

Hi, sitar friends,

Interesting, the "powdered henna" treatment for intense practice and touring, :-) .
But the reddish fingers. . , excuse-me for teasing! :-)

Seriously, in the 70's I used to work for a healthfood store which was carrying a NEUTRAL or clear powdered henna . It did not changed the natural color of the hair. That store is no longer in busyness, but the "neutral powdered henna" might still be out there, :-)

Email-me if someone find that one, I can use some, :-)


siteweb@dan-bourdon.com
Dan
Amitava
Re:callus-problem Feb 19, 2003 11:14 a.m.

Some professional sitariyas (very few, if any on this board I assume) also keep two lines of callus going on each finger - and alternate between the two during practice. .and slowly increasing the use on one till it wears out. . .loop infinitely :-)
Russ
Re:callus-problem Feb 20, 2003 01:28 a.m.

Never paid any attention to it before, but I have two lines on both my fingers. I think I got into a habit of playing the faster taans with the "inside" line, so the string doesn't slip off my finger. The "outer" line (closer to the nail) is for playing slower and pulling the string more. I had heard this was a bad habit to have (heard from a professional), but that's just the way I play. Anybody else do what I do?
Dan
Re:callus-problem Feb 20, 2003 04:52 a.m.

Hi, sitar friends,

Well, after a Nikhil Banerjee's concert in Montreal, I went back stage and I had the great opportunity to exchange few words with him. .

I told him that I too were playing sitar (meaning as a beginner). . He asked me to show him my fingers than told me that I was not playing sitar, :-\ Than he showed me his left-hand. . :-\ There was only one black deep grouve on each finger.

So when I notice that I'm getting a second line, I pay more attention on my technic to discart the wrong line.

Dan
ola
Re:callus-problem Feb 20, 2003 08:55 a.m.

Hello friends, I have seven(7) lines, one for each day of the week. Ola!

Never paid any attention to it before, but I have two lines on both my fingers. I think I got into a habit of playing the faster taans with the "inside" line, so the string doesn't slip off my finger. The "outer" line (closer to the nail) is for playing slower and pulling the string more. I had heard this was a bad habit to have (heard from a professional), but that's just the way I play. Anybody else do what I do?[/quote]
Amitava
Re:callus-problem Feb 21, 2003 09:25 a.m.

Not a religious issue worth pursuing. Even professionals seem to disagree on one or many lines. .and the same goes for certain "good" techniques too. Oh well.
Russ
Re:callus-problem Feb 21, 2003 04:51 p.m.

I agree with you Amitava. Depends on your teacher and what he was taught. But if you have many teachers, you might know many techniques. The point is you are playing!
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