Blisters from sticks...

[Dexter]

Ok, well ive been playing for over 20 years today while playing i developed blisters on my right ring and fore fingers. Im a right handed drummer. I have a callous on the bottom of my right index finger that is barely noticebable from drumming but generally i dont get blisters. I have been using Zildjian Super
5Bs for years and other than the index finger they have given me no trouble. I could feel my fingers stiniging, but didnt notice anything until they started bleeding......
So....Any ideas on why i would be getting blisters after 30 minutes of moderate playing? Loose grip? Too tight? Im an educated drummer from a few different teachers. One teacher told me i had " drummer hands"....he was a bit weird. Its not hot here in Melbourne at the moment as we're in winter.
Thanks guys.
Dex

[atomcorr2]

i've been playing over 40 years ,and still get blisters sometimes ,, i've found over the years that if my drums arn't set up perfect i'll get a blister on my middle finger on my right hand , but when the drums are set up right ,, no blisters .. so id say something has changed with your grip ,or you have changed the position of something on your set.

[xsabers]

Are your hands drier than normal? Perhaps you just need to put some lotion on for a while to see if it makes your skin less likely to create friction from being hard and brittle. If your grip isn't different and your sticks aren't different, then...?

[AlexGoodwin]

This is where I had all the blisters but I know have rock hard skin in these black areas.

I dont get blisters often, the only time I do is when I have been playing alot more at that time!

[veafer]

The last time I had blisters from playing the drums was at bandcamp......from playing 8 hours a day with bad technique. (I was still learning how to play) I was told it was from gripping the sticks too tight. I taped up the fingers, and played on. Your case may be caused by a minor, un-noticed change in grip. It does happen from time to time. Too tight or loose of a grip may be it. It also could be the sticks. I've seen some drummers play with sticks that are rough from normal wear that would just destroy my hands. I hope you get the problem solved cause I know it don't feel good at all........

[Tadman]

+1 on above post. If I have a surge in playing and have not built up my callouses from where the sticks naturally rest, that can cause blisters, as well. I bring drum gloves or some blister patches in my gig kit (they sell blister patches/band-aid like things at the drug store/chemists) just in case.

[scottd]

dont worry soon it will be caloused (sp) if you keep playing regularly

[SEAN8293]

itl stop eventually, i used to get blisters all the time but your skin will get stronger once the blisters heel and itl b harder to get blisters, same thing happens with bassists

[Dexter]

Ok guys, thanks for the advice. I believe some of you ( if not all ) are probably right. I reckon my grip was too loose. Possibly trying to compensate for the tightness in my right wrist due to an old injury, a torn scaphoid ligament. Might have to go back to the drawing board on my grip or just relax......more..or less. Could just be a one-off? Ahhhh..the life of a drummer.

[nio]

I've been playing well over 25 yrs and just started wearing gloves in recent years (2 yrs). I would get the blisters in same area of my right hand as in the pic. However, the worst is after, when I started developing dry skin which would end up developing cracks. I toss it up to how my body chemistry has changed over the years. The gloves not only helped stop the blisters and dry skin, but also improved my grip ... no more slipping drum sticks...