Learn to play ukulele : Fingers hurting?

When you are new to the ukulele, guitair, or really any stringed instrument, your fingers will hurt.  This does go away after time, as you build callouses on your fingers, however, there are a few things you can do do reduce the pain.

1) Ice your fingertips.  If you ice your fingertips before and after playing they should hurt les.

2)  Try pressing significantly lighter then you have been.  Play a note, and press down in the middle between two frets.  Pluck about once every second and slowly loosen your grip until the string doesn't ring well.  Now, play the ukulele using the same pressure.

2a) Now, play with that same pressure just on the back of the fret.  This way it will sound nicer without you having to press as hard.

3) Take a break.  If you have been playing for a long time in your current session, just take a quick break and let your fingers get better

• Ukulele: the story of one gift
• Easier ways to play E and D chords
• Fascinating Facts About the Ukulele
• Ukulele Strings
• Uke won't stay in tune?
• In and out picking (Beginner)