need a little help with blister problems

SketcHyRollin564

so i see im not the only one with this problem, usualy when i play, on my right hand, index finger, on the left side, twards the bottom, i always get blisters, and its really annoying

so i heard from nutty that they make waxed sticks
does anyone use these? do they prevent getting blisters since its not wood rubbing against your fingers? i dont really know too much about sticks so this is where the sticks section comes in handy
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doomanizer · Lion King Joined: 10 Jul 2005 Posts: 1157

Put a bandaid or tape on your finger. Problem solved.
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SketcHyRollin564 · Posted: Fri Jul 14, 2006 7:32 pm Post subject:

this always happens, yeah i put bandaids for if i want to keep playing, otherwise it starts bleeding, but im not gunna wear a bandaid every time i play drums
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doomanizer · Lion King Joined: 10 Jul 2005 Posts: 1157

Then quit *Biznich* dude. If it happens everytime, put on a bandaid BEFORE you play.
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Getting shot in the face sucks almost as much as My Chemical Romance. Almost.

SketcHyRollin564 · Posted: Fri Jul 14, 2006 10:22 pm Post subject:

ive been playin for 4 years, im not gunna wear a bandaid every time i drum for the rest of my life

im asking a simple question about waxed sticks and if this is what they are for

not for some kid to start acting like that
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random white person · Posted: Fri Jul 14, 2006 10:46 pm Post subject:

ive never heard of waxed sticks before. i know some brands use a lacquer-like coating on some of their sticks and have an obviously shiny finish. maybe thats what you were thinking of? or maybe youre thinking of a grip-enhancing product like Gorilla Snot or Sex Wax? none of these products will specifically alleviate the problem youre having and may even make it worse.

think about whats causing your blisters.. why is it that you only get blisters on your right hand? im going to go out on a limb and assume that youre right handed. since youre right handed, your dominant hand constantly wants to play faster and harder to make up for a weaker left hand. this also means that youre probably tensing up and gripping the stick a tad harder to maintain control, which in turn leads to more contact with the skin and more blisters. if youve got exceptionally sweaty palms then it can make the problem even worse. the best solution? just relax. make a conscious effort not to play as hard and to keep a looser grip on the stick.

also, when you get a blister maybe take a break from playing for the rest of the day. let it drain out a bit, or maybe help it along with a sterilized needle if its especially annoying. if you let it heal up for a while, then youll be left with an increasingly tougher patch of skin that wont be irritated so easily.
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nutty_bar · Posted: Sat Jul 15, 2006 9:46 am Post subject:

Yea, I didn't know the term to call it. It is a lacquer-like coating like RWP said. That actually did help my problem, I normally only got blisters when I used these really cheap rough sticks that weren't smoothed over with anything like lacquer. But, eventually I just played on the blisters and they popped and they hardened and I don't get them anymore.
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doomanizer · Lion King Joined: 10 Jul 2005 Posts: 1157

I spray-laquer all of my sticks. Cheap and easy. (Allthough it was to combat stick droppage and not blisters).

Sorry SketcHyRollin564, I guess I'm too young to *sometimes angry female* about some blisters.
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Getting shot in the face sucks almost as much as My Chemical Romance. Almost.

SketcHyRollin564 · Posted: Sat Jul 15, 2006 10:02 pm Post subject:

tomz · House Cat Joined: 18 Jun 2005 Posts: 150

When I first started playing I would get blisters often, in the same spot as you. After time, the skin has toughened and either calloused or just does not get blisters anymore.
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SketcHyRollin564 · Posted: Mon Jul 17, 2006 12:31 am Post subject:

UBP · Posted: Wed Nov 29, 2006 7:20 pm Post subject:

A band-aid is a good idea, but in my opinion, the best thing is to toughen up your finger... as soon as a blister starts to developpe just stop playing for 2 days (if you can handle that, lol). and eventually after like 10 blisters your fingers will get tough. it has happened with me. don't break the blister open, first of all, it hurts, second of all, it doesn't make your skin stronger, or not as much as letting the blistre go away on its own. that's about all the advice I can offer, hope it helped.
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RemoteContact · Ferret Joined: 15 Jul 2006 Posts: 100 Location: Miami, FL

I think it's all in the grip and the stroke. Something is not correct. In all my few drumming years I have never gotten a blister. Through 10 hour days of drumcore snare using Quantum 7000's even. It isn't because I have hands of Titanium, there just is not much friction involved with my grip and stroke.

Now to be more constructive.

Just open up your grip in your middle, ring and pinky and practice finger control (put a quarter on the back of each hand then grab your sticks matchgrip and play a comfortable single stroke roll without the quarters falling off) . It moves the fulcrum point from your wrist to the index finger/thumb area of the stick. It may or may not work for you and maybe a simple fix of not using naked or bare sticks and using laquered sticks instead.

ehhh. Good Luck.

SketcHyRollin564 · Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2006 12:24 pm Post subject:

i never get it anymore

my hands are calloused now as i drum like every day.i kinda stopped last year for a long time, and the begining of this school year i have been going on and off, but about a month ago i have been playing consistantly
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UBP · Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2007 11:19 am Post subject:

see? it just takes time, and taht's all there is too it, now that is one more thing out of the way that won't interfere with drumming, good luck.
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***HOOK IN MOUTH!!!***

LMFAO