can guitar callouses interfere with playing the violin?

Question

i played guitar for about 10 years - was never any good - dropped it for about 3 years - and took up violin / fiddle - ive played violin for about a year now - i recently started messing with guitar again and redeveloped my callouses - it almost seems that my violin playing has suffered due to this - is that possible ? does the lack of finer senses on my fingertips make it harder ? or am i just going through another phase with the violin where im gonna suck for a while and then get better again (its a fickle instrument) - please experienced players only

Answer 1

nope!
I actually have calluses due to violin, and it doesn't affect my intonation. You're probably just getting used to the spacing of fingers on your guitar, and need to re-adjust to the sensitivity of intonation on a violin.

Answer 2

Hi Addison. The short answer to your question is, "It’s probably impossible to play the guitar and not develop any calluses.” BUT... I do have a couple thoughts for you on this subject that you might find helpful. THOUGHT ONE: LOOK INTO A NYLON STRUNG GUITAR. I'm a rock player--so calluses are my best friend. However, I suspect that classical players may have a different experience. Since they use nylon strings as opposed to steel strings there is a chance that they do not develop calluses quite like we rockers do. I'm not certain of this; it's just an educated guess. If you know any guitarists who play nylon strung guitars, ask them about this. THOUGHT TWO: DON’T LET CALUSES SCARE YOU. I want to encourage you regarding your concern that "getting calluses would be bad for those instruments (piano and violin), where the sensitivity in the fingertips is vital." Again, I'm not an expert--but I been a musician for a long time and I’ve seen many musicians who play both guitar and piano very well and they do not seem to be bothered at all by calluses. And sense violin is a stringed instrument--in some ways similar to guitar--I don't believe this would be as big an issue as you fear. I have pretty substantial calluses on my fretting hand--and I still enjoy great "sensitivity" on the fret board. To summarize, do some research and see if playing a nylon strung guitar will be less apt to produce calluses on your fretting hand. And second, don't be overly concerned about losing your sensitivity. Thousands of musicians play multiple instruments (piano and guitar is a very common combo) and they have no problems. Dive in and practice all three of your chosen instruments and I bet you'll discover that time spent practicing all three instruments will easily overcome any minor issues calluses on your finger tips may present. Hope that helps!

Answer 3

I have played violin for four years now and am currently the concert master of the orchestra I am a member of. When I first learned third position, the shifting left me with callouses. At first it does seem like a problem, but it really isn't. Granted, there is some loss of feeling, but the main thing about playing is the positioning of your left hand and wrist, and where your thumb is placed.

After that, it is all about your finger extention. Most importantly, though, you need to rely on your ear more than your fingers when it comes to intonation, especially if you play with tapes. (Tapes tend to slide after time, so really, they can be useless.)
Just be sure to listen carefully.

It may, however, take a while to adjust to the feeling of the callouses on the strings when sliding or shifting. Other than that, they should be no major issue. I do hope I could help. Good luck, and keep playing!

Answer 4

Relax and enjoy your short time sucking at something new. After you've played your guitar and violin for a while, the feelings will come back. Then you'll be playing both without fear of being mobbed by angry neighbors for being a crappy player!!

Answer 5

I play both, and I can verify that with a little more practice you'll get your fiddle chops back. I suspect you're just too used to the certainty that frets provide when it comes to intonation.

Answer 6

nope