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Thread: Hurt Fingers ..Advise Please!

  1. #1

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    Default Hurt Fingers ..Advise Please!

    After playing congas this Sunday ..kind of hard too ..... the finger next to my pinky finger (left hand) hurts a lot. At the first joint from the top. This is where I make most of the impact on the conga head.

    Anyway ... is this normal? Are there any tips to help prevent this? I see some players with tape on their fingers.. are they protecting their finger joints or skin.. or what?

    This realy sucks beacuse I can't really play with the pain.

    Any help is appreciated!!

  2. #2

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    Default Re: Hurt Fingers ..Advise Please!

    We've had the discussion about taping fingers here before. I don't believe that tape on the joint will protect you from that kind of pain. I think tape is really only going to protect the skin. Try adjusting your left hand stroke so that the palm of your hand is taking the impact rather than your fingers. Your fingers should land completely on the head and should not take any impact from the rim or bearing edge. You will also find that you will get a cleaner open tone using your palm. Hope this helps.

  3. #3

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    I'm sorry I'm not being serious here but I couldn't help but think of that scene in Paul Blart, Mall Cop where he hunches down to care for a wound and he pulls a little kid's band-aid to cover a small scratch. LOL -- I just cracked up!

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    Quote Originally Posted by drummer View Post
    I'm sorry I'm not being serious here but I couldn't help but think of that scene in Paul Blart, Mall Cop where he hunches down to care for a wound and he pulls a little kid's band-aid to cover a small scratch. LOL -- I just cracked up!
    I know.. it does sound kind of babyish.. but it hurts like Hell Everyone was making fun of me at practice last night too.
    I should put some hollywood scar makeup and stuff on it with a huge open sore and all kinds of stuff coming out of it and go show up at church ..make em' all feel really bad

  5. #5

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    Default Re: Hurt Fingers ..Advise Please!

    Were you having to play harder to be loud enough to cut through the band? If that's the case, you might look into getting some mics on your congas and run it through the pa or a small amp. That way you don't have to play harder to be heard.

  6. #6

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    Default Re: Hurt Fingers ..Advise Please!

    When I was playing congas the other day my hands hurt like crap, got real bruised lol.

    Probably because I was being stupid and trying to ignore the pain haha
    - Zack

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    Quote Originally Posted by jdl1881 View Post
    I know.. it does sound kind of babyish.. but it hurts like Hell Everyone was making fun of me at practice last night too.
    I should put some hollywood scar makeup and stuff on it with a huge open sore and all kinds of stuff coming out of it and go show up at church ..make em' all feel really bad
    Don't worry about it. I broke my toe over the summer and all I did was step into the pool. My wife was laughing at me all day.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Gretschhead View Post
    Were you having to play harder to be loud enough to cut through the band? If that's the case, you might look into getting some mics on your congas and run it through the pa or a small amp. That way you don't have to play harder to be heard.
    I have a mic on each conga... guess I'll have to review my flawed technique.

    Thanks for the advise!

    The last time I did this was playing the djembe, hitting with the side of my thumb. There is a nerve there.. I found out the hard way.

    Well ..at least my pain ammused some people.. maybe that's worth it

  9. #9

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    Default Re: Hurt Fingers ..Advise Please!

    Cuquito, no pictures show up.

  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by leedy2 View Post
    Here you have two great conga player's look at placement of hands this is what you should be doing so you don't have pain in hands specially Eddie Montalvo he is one of the best in my eyes.Hope this helps you.
    YouTube - Little Johnny Rivero demonstrates his monster tumbaos
    YouTube - Eddie Montalvo demonstrates his famous tumbaos
    Thanks, Leedy2. I think this is pretty close to how I play (not skill of course). Now I'm thinking I may have hurt it when slapping the cabasa (the metal bead kind) when getting it to spin.

    Thanks for the comment!

  11. #11

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    Default Re: Hurt Fingers ..Advise Please!

    Quote Originally Posted by leedy2 View Post
    1) drum you should be hitting with all four fingers, if you are hitting drums with tip of fingers alot of your nerves end at tip so it going to hurt.
    2) get xray check you may have whats called a boxer fracture from hitting drums improper must hit with all fingers.
    3) drum you were using may have a thick skin and you were hitting harder than you need to
    4)if all of these apply need to get books on tecnique on playing ,your just hurting you hands more and will affect in long run as you age
    FYI
    A Boxer fracture is a fracture involving the base of the fifth metacarpal from a fist impacting a stationary object

  12. #12

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    Cool Re: Hurt Fingers ..Advise Please!

    Quote Originally Posted by drummer View Post
    Don't worry about it. I broke my toe over the summer and all I did was step into the pool. My wife was laughing at me all day.
    I can top that, drummer. I broke a pinky toe several years ago when I walked into the footboard of my bed. Nuff sed on that...

    Now on those sore fingers...make sure your finger joints are NOT hitting the conga rims...whether they be traditional rims or "comfort curve" rims, hittin' a rimshot literally on the rim is a great way to bruise your joints or break them...

    since we've already established that the micing may need some work, I don't want to belabor the point--but you should be able to just gently TAP your congas and get a good sound out of them. If you're having to hammer them with all your might, check your tuning, bro'...
    keep the beat goin' ... Don't keep it to yourself!

    Charlie

    "If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away." --Henry David Thoreau, "Walden," 1854

    "There's a lot to be said for Time Honored tradition and value." --In memory of Frank "fiacovaz" Iacovazzi

    "Maybe your drums can be beat, but you can't."--Jack Keck

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