Method for Healing Hands

[Firebrand]

Guys,

I must have played to hard in the last few gigs, because I have an annoying little callous in between my 2nd joint of my ring finger on my right hand (the one closer to the palm). I can't play with that hand because every time I strick the drum, it feels like a knife is being stuck in the joint!

What types of creams, hand treatments, and other techniques should I be doing before or after gigs to protect my hands.

Of course, I'm going to be using my Nexcare Waterproof tape a little more religiously now...

[akdom]

Hi there

Tape is great when your hands hurt.

When it comes to healing, I always suggest to find out what causes the damage.
I can see a few reasons:

-Your hand position is not perfect yet and you need to adjust it. A good hand position doesn't hurt, even if you play long and/hard.

-You play way too loud! you hit too hard! One of the reasons can be that you do not hear yourself enough. Either the band plays too loud and in order to have your "place", you need to hit your drums harder, or you just need a repeater next to you. The important is the sound in front of the stage. If the public hears you and you cannot hear you, ask to improve the mix on stage by inputing more congas in your repeater or just setting it closer to you or better oriented.

Of course, this is just my point of you and others will find other solutions.

Heal well


B

[Whopbamboom]

I had one of those in exactly the same place on my left hand, and it got extremely painful to play on at times. Turns out it was a wart. My mother had one in the same exact place. I don't know how common this is, but it definitely hindered my playing. A temporary relief that allowed me to play a few days without pain was the clipping off of the callous with a flat-bladed nail clipper. The curved ones don't work nearly as well. Unfortunately, this flat-bladed one was one that was sitting in a junk drawer for many years and I don't think they make anything but curved-bladed ones now. Though perhaps you can scout the internet. They used to sell the flat-bladed ones for toenails. Anyway, I wound up having the wart frozen off at a dermitologist's office when I went in for some other skin work, and now the problem is a distant memory. So this would be THE fix, if yours happens to be caused by a wart. And you might possibly be able to do it at home with a Dr. Scholl's "Freeze Away" kit which is intended for just this purpose.

[thomas newton]

Sorry to be obvious but all the reasons for your sore hands are there in your OP. Playing too loud, too long.

Personally, I don't think there is anything heroic about beating up your hands - they are part of the instrument and you should take better care.
If they hurt, stop playing until they don't hurt anymore. If you have to play for your rent or to feed your babies, that's survival - otherwise get the sticks out, play clave, bell, shekere, whatever....

Pain will stop you playing with hands in the long run because your brain will not let you readily do things that hurt.

[CongaTick]

Painful new calluses that develop are a result of technique that's off-kilter. Though I get Northeast winter, dry-air fingertip splits, my fingerpad calluses are constant and --except for a longtime one on the edge of my thumb where it seems to hit the rim too often--- I play hard and long without any discomfort. If it ain't a wart, check your stroke carefully. The amplification suggestion is also very valid. I always play fully mic-ed and mixed in a band setting. Save the hands, not the polar bears!

[Derbeno]

I had one exactly in the same position twice.

Treated it each time with Dr Scholl callus remover pads.
I basically held the pad in place with tape for a few days after that it was nice and soft and I just peeled it away quite easily.

The last time was about 10 months ago and it never came back.

[Firebrand]

I agree with all you guys said. I most likely got this from a few previous gigs where the congas were not sufficiently placed in the mix. It's sometimes hard to convince sound men and other musicians that you're needed in the mix. they think you suffer from "me me me" syndrome...this conception that percussionists are so enamored by their own percussion sounds, that they're incapable of understanding that they're too loud...etc....so they're ignored. As of this last year, I've started to become a lot more adamant with sound men, even refusing, one time, to play unless the sound was raised on the monitors.

I don't think my technique is the problem, but by all means, you guys can tell from this video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwymCjEoedA

As to what I'm doing to solve it:

1) the callous seems reduced...I took a file and reduced it a little.
2) I laid off my standard conga routine for 4 days...seems like the joint is better now. It needed some rest time.
3) no more playing without Nexcare Waterproof tape on the joints of the index, middle, and ring fingers (the main fingers of impact for open and slap tones). I bought some over the weekend and it's going into my conga bag immediately.
4) More demand of better sound at places with sound...and I'm going to start lugging around my Behringer powered speaker and mixer combo with at least one mike and one mike stand. If I got to make my own sound, so be it.

I'm more interested in advice for non-expensive creams that can be used to prevent the buildup of such callous. I've heard divergent theories regarding Urea in Urine, or Urea in creams...or Shea Butter, etc...can someone give me a definitive breakdown on what creams should be used...how regularly, etc.

[akdom]

hi there

when it comes to cream, if you really need to use it, you can use any greasy cream. I used to use "propylacticare". thin and very oily. One drop per hand.

Neutrogena is fine too... Karite butter etc...

BUT you shouldn't need to use cream.

I read that you will mic your drums with one mic? Why not using 3. Your band money could pay for that no? After a couple of gigs you should be able to offer you a nice set of microphones.

Another thing, if you always use the same material for stage performances, just mix your drums in the repeaters and note the mix position. You will be able to mix yourself in no time for next gig.

With my main band, we always use our own repeaters and mixing tables. I can mix myself without even playing. I set everything and I know the sound will be good.

Goos luck


B

[Firebrand]

Akdom,

Thanks for the advice on the creams...I guess anything that keeps the hands soft is good.

For mikes, I bought a pack of drum-clip on mikes...they worked (kinda) on my original rim LP Classics...they won't work with Comfort rims (the ones on my white Patato congas...featured in the video).

What's a good set of 3 conga mikes...an affordable package that clips on nicely or is designed for congas?

[akdom]

Hi

Nice video by the way.

It's not the first time I hear than clips do not work on comfort curve... I have a patato quinto and it works fine..


B

[Firebrand]

Thank you!

I've seen some "curved" long, thin mikes that seem to clip on or tape on to the comfort rims in some of the pictures on this forum. Anyone know the manufacturer?

Maybe I can make that work.

Otherwise, a boom stand with a double mike holder and Shure's could do the trick...but...if I can take less hardware and more in a small big, better.

[akdom]

look at the pic of my avatar, you'll see my patato with one seinheiser (spelling??) clipped to it.


But your setting is 4 drums, so clips will be in the way...



B

[Whopbamboom]

Those "Long, curved, thin" mic's you've seen are probably small-diameter condenser mics on a gooseneck. Shure makes one, model # Beta 98 D/S. At least one other mic manufacturer makes a similar one. I'm too busy to look it up right now though.

[Tonio]

You could try the LP claw- for microphones.
http://www.zzounds.com/item--LBL592A

They get i a nice position for congas. I have used them with my Comfort curve classics. The BETA 98's are nice, but not sure if they will fit on a comfort curve crown. Especially if you're on a budget-they are around $220, you could do better for live gigs with sm 57, 58 BETA 57, 58. Or even Audix D2's, D3's, or any mic really since the mic claw can hold almost any mic as long as you have an appropriate clip.
Also Sennnheiser 904 has a built in clip that should fit on comfort curves, and they sound good.

Go to your local music store and check em out! Lots to choose from.

With only 1 mic ( video reference you provided) your only getting the ambience and not isolated. Its is hard to hear the open tones, sounding a little pitty patty-you need some meat ,no offense intended.

T

[TAMTAM2205]

My tips are :
1. Take care of your hands if you live in cold and dry region.
I use one drop of olive oil before i'm leaving my flat going to the concert. Just a drop.
2. Try to warm up each time before you play, even if you are going to practice.
3. And the most important thing - improve your technic. Every problem that has your hand is coming from bad technic.
Try to find your common stile and right position for every hit you give to the drum.

Heal well.