Between COVID, teaching online, taking a brief vacation, and moving to a new city, it would be fair to say that it has been awhile since I last practiced. Sadly, it has been weeks ... even months. However, I have been determined to get my fingers back in shape, and I even purchased some new music to get me motivated. However, that made me subject to the horrible monster waiting to come out and cause me physical pain. I'm talking, of course, of the infamous blister monster.
Sadly, blisters are a part of playing the harp, especially if you have not practiced in a while. The best prevention is to maintain your callouses, sadly. However, there are a few more things you can do to help keep those pesky blisters at bay.
First, don't wash your hands immediately before playing. If you do wash your hands, be sure to wait at least 10-15 minutes before practicing your harp. While it sounds perfectly logical to wash your hands before playing, doing so softens your fingers and subsequent callouses, thus making them more prone to blisters.
Second, pace yourself when practicing. If you are new to the harp, you will want to be especially careful. Start by practicing in ten minute increments, and gradually over days/weeks work your way up to a more significant practice time - I usually recommend 25-30 minutes for beginners. Also, make sure you are not playing continually in forte or fortissimo. Building strength in your fingers is important, but part of music is being able to gracefully play at varying volumes to add emphasis and musicality to your playing.
Third, do not pop them! Just like pimples, resist the urge to relieve the pressure by taking a pin and poking a hole in the side of the blister to allow the puss to ooze out. It's disgusting, messy, and risky. Bacteria can get inside and actually make it worse. Trust me ... I'm speaking from experience. If the pain is unbearable, apply a warm, moist compress after playing. You can also take over-the-counter meds like Advil, an anti-inflammatory, to help reduce any swelling.
Finally, a helpful tip in dealing with blisters is super glue. Yes, you heard me, super glue (not a sponsor). I always carry a small tube or bottle of it with me at gigs, and it comes in handy for when your blisters have naturally popped. Add a few drops on top and let it dry. (Disclaimer: This is not sound medical advice and is probably even recommended against by most doctors.
However, this is a fairly common trick among musicians. To use, apply the super glue to clean, dry skin that is not raw; otherwise, it will sting and potentially damage your blistered area even more.)
I hope this post finds you all well. If you have any questions about blisters or other harp-caused ailments, let me know! Happy practicing!