TakeLessons Targets Guitar Players with 5 Tips for Building Calluses

Online, December 26, 2011 (Newswire.com) - Today Van Halen announced their upcoming tour, promising a blast from 80s past for those who grew up playing along with "Jump." Eddie Van Halen's riffs and solos were well-known to music fans, critics and guitar players ranging from beginners to advanced. Not many guitarists can live up to that kind of talent.

For beginner guitarists, often the hardest part is getting through the callus-building stage, when one's fingertips are getting used to the movements against the guitar strings. TakeLessons (http://takelessons.com), the nation's fastest growing music lessons provider, took the opportunity to share with blog readers 5 helpful tips for building calluses.

The following is an excerpt from the blog:

"1) Swab rubbing alcohol onto the tips of the fingers on your fret hand two or three times a day. This will remove excess moisture and help develop and maintain calluses.

2) Use water sparingly when washing your hands. Water can destroy calluses and force you to begin again. Keep your fingertips dry as much as possible.

3) Play the guitar at least 20 to 40 minutes a day. Use all your fingers as much as possible.

4) Use a product like Rock-Tips, which creates a tough protective membrane on your fingertips. It is made to both protect your fingertips and build calluses faster.

5) Rub your fingers on rough surfaces as often as you can, or carry something like a rough stone with you, so you can use it throughout the day to toughen your fingertips."

By sharing the tips with blog readers, TakeLessons hopes to continue engaging current students and help with any musical goals they may have. Readers are invited to share their thoughts by commenting on the TakeLessons blog, where they can also find a handy list of subjects to focus on when learning the guitar, and comments are also welcomed on Facebook (http://facebook.com/takelessons).