Problem with hand soreness/fatigue

[piggins411]

I've been playing for 10 years, and I've always had a problem with soreness/fatigue when I play a song with a lot of barre and power chords. The area between my thumb and index fingers, along with the "ball" of my thumb, gets fatigued very quickly, and it's starting to really frustrate me because I can't record a song of mine because about 30 secs into the song, it starts to hurt. Like I said, this is only an issue when I play a song that has a lot of barre and power chords, and it only gets worse on an acoustic guitar, probably because of having to press harder. I feel like this shouldn't an issue anymore after 10 years because it feels like it an endurance problem. Any advice you guys can offer is much appreciated.

 

[SunOfNothing10]

do you play for extended periods of time? Do you take time off the guitar, and go right back to practicing for long periods? Have you gotten advice from a teacher on proper technique?

Bar chords are generally a bit tough on the hands, and you have to try to use the weight of your arm to hold the bar, rather than just squeezing the neck.

I find that when i play a song with lots of power chords, i get almost too comfortable with the simple fingering, and i don't usually play with perfect technique. Partially because basic power chords are a bit boring for me.

Answer those questions and give me a bit more information on your practice routine

Some pictures of how you hold the neck when you play would be helpful too

 

[piggins411]

I don't play for particularly long times. If it starts to hurt, I can stop for about 30 secs to a minute and it feels better. Here are a few pictures: Imgur: The most awesome images on the Internet (sorry about the weird format. Imgur put them in a weird orientation)
One isn't a barre chord but it causes the same issue.

To give a bit more specific context, this is the progression I'm playing:

-------------3---------1------------------
-------------4---------2------------------
---5---------5---------3------------------
---8---------5---------3------------------
---6---------3---------1------------------
---4--------------------------------------

Really it's the first one wearing me out. I've never played a song that uses it so much as the one I wrote. Hope that helps.

 

[bobbyprayogo]

I agree with the suggestion above that you have to look at your technique in holding the barre chord.
You may put an excessive tension on your fretting hand, more than necessary to make a clear sound.
Train your left hand to put minimum tension, just enough to play each note in the chord clearly and without noise.

 

[redstone]

Why don't you play in drop D ?

Anyways, if your fingers aren't too short, you can approach the first chord differently with a casual grip, which should eliminate the soreness.

-
1
3
1
x (mute with the mf)
4

 

[SunOfNothing10]

That is a tough chord shape. Take your time with it, your hand needs to adjust to it. Lessons with a good teacher would be helpful too. Classical teachers are usually very good with technique

 

[Solodini]

I don't play for particularly long times. If it starts to hurt, I can stop for about 30 secs to a minute and it feels better. Here are a few pictures: Imgur: The most awesome images on the Internet (sorry about the weird format. Imgur put them in a weird orientation)
One isn't a barre chord but it causes the same issue.

To give a bit more specific context, this is the progression I'm playing:

-------------3---------1------------------
-------------4---------2------------------
---5---------5---------3------------------
---8---------5---------3------------------
---6---------3---------1------------------
---4--------------------------------------

Really it's the first one wearing me out. I've never played a song that uses it so much as the one I wrote. Hope that helps.

Is that first chord meant to be

5
6
6
4

as a barre chord?

 

[classicalmetal24]

Do you stretch and warm up before playing?

 

[piggins411]

Is that first chord meant to be

5
6
6
4

as a barre chord?

No it's as written. I realize its not a barre chord, but I just lumped it in the context of hand fatigue. I guess I'm just gripping a little too hard to play that chord.

 

[DXL]

Reducing string tension helped immensely for me, but at the moment all I have is my acoustic with pretty high string tension so it has been bad

 

[Solodini]

No it's as written. I realize its not a barre chord, but I just lumped it in the context of hand fatigue. I guess I'm just gripping a little too hard to play that chord.

-
1
1
3
-
4

Try it like this instead. Is that any more comfortable? The way you tabbed it would be uncomfortable for anyone!

 

[piggins411]

-
1
1
3
-
4

Try it like this instead. Is that any more comfortable? The way you tabbed it would be uncomfortable for anyone!

I think you maybe read it wrong. That's not the same chord

 

[jeremyb]

You're probably gripping it too hard, try to tell yourself to relax, and then like anything, you can't do a heap of it right away, you have to work up to it

 

[Solodini]

I think you maybe read it wrong. That's not the same chord

Yup, sorry
-
1
3
1
-
4

That seems more comfortable to me.