Bloody Hands

Phil Maturano

Phil Maturano

DRUMMERWORLD PRO DRUMMER
While most numbskulls are on this kick about posting pictures of bloody and blistered hands holding sticks... I am happy to report I don't have any blisters, no bleeding and I can play my ass off in eight hour practice sessions or 2 to 3 gigs a day. How do you do this? Dedication to technique. Nuff said
 

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I always wrapped my sticks up until 2012. Been playing since the early 80's. In 2012, I decided that I was tired of wrap and I was tired of paying for it. So I just went bare stick to hand. Haven't had any problems at all. My hands look like yours no matter how much playing I do. I've never had lessons or consciously developed my technique, it developed on its own just from playing all these years.
 
While I've only been playing for a hair under 2 years, I am also sorry to report that I have no blood, blisters, or unsightly calluses to speak of.

The fulcrum on my pointer finger does get a little dry and chapped in the wintertime though. Nothing a little Burt's Bees doesn't fix within a couple days though.
 
I don't have, and never have had blisters or blood on my hands from playing the drums. I've been playing drums a long long time.

However, about a year ago I played a gig outdoors. The band was loud and there were no microphones on the drums. I was being drowned out.
So I played really hard and loud. I tried hitting the drums harder. After about three songs I developed two blisters. Enough said....................


.
 
I have lifted weights without gloves for decades, both hand weights and bar. Nothing Olympic mind you but the constant grasping of iron bars couple with movement and weight has toughened my hands up considerably, not bricklayer tough but enough to withstand a night of stick work.
 
I bloodied a knuckle once when going for the floor tom. Other than that, no blood.
 
The only time I have ever had blister issues was on a tour a few years ago. I think it was due to sweat and playing with wet hands for 45 minutes every night. I play just about everyday so my hands are very conditioned but playing in sweaty conditions every night for two weeks did a number on them. I will tell you there is a huge difference between practicing everyday and gigging everyday, I will definitely be better prepared the next time we tour.
 
I've got no blisters or bleeding, but that's only because of the AWESOME callouses I've developed. Some of them are older than a lot of people on this forum.

I didn't realize it was something to be ashamed of...I will be from now on, you can bet!
 
Wow what a letdown Phil. I was hoping your hands were a mess so I could sit back and watch everyone take shots at you.

JK of course :p

I must have missed the numbskulls posting their pics, I was away for a few days. Was it here?

Philrudd you crack me up.

But back OT I'm totally on board with your dedication to practice technique Phil, there's no way I'd have the gig I do without all the hours spent. Any "idea" or "whatever I am going for"... I need a certain amount of facility for it to be fully realized. And the more facility I acquire, the easier it flows out. So it's completely worth the time spent.

A good idea with poor execution/dynamics....there's so much that needs to come together to get the desired effect.

It's really cool when it does though.
 
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Really? Nobody gets blisters? Wow, I'm impressed.

Maybe I just don't practice enough, but I still occasionally get blisters and twice recently got blood blisters.

Ah well, whaddaya gonna do?
 
I have only played for 1 year.. but i play 2-4 hours at least 6 nights a week.. and have never had so much as a blister.. and i can assure you i have CRAP for technique.. so.. yeah.. i think this thread is wrong..
 
Nice to hear from everyone on this. The movie about the drummer (can't recall what its called) really made a bad impression with the general public about this situation. In general most pros are free form these problems but many beginners do suffer from the issue. As a few folks here have mentioned...Its all about keeping a loose grip and control of the rebound. I hope wherever you happen to live that there is a chance to take some lessons with a cat that really knows about technique so you can have a long healthy and happy drumming life :) All the best P
 
Not that I did it while playing, but it it still fits the topic:

2urp7oi.jpg
 
I never had blisters because of drumming, I must be doing something wrong, like not practicing enough maybe :)
 
I used to have blister problems when I first started playing.. it was from using a death grip on the sticks and improper technique. Anyone who holds a stick correctly shouldn't be having a problem.
 
calan said:
Not that I did it while playing, but it it still fits the topic:

2urp7oi.jpg
Click to expand...

Ewwww. How the hell did you do that? Looks like you tried to grab a spinning spade bit
 
I used to get a blister that would get cracked and bleed on the pinkie of my left (snare) hand. It came from playing the butt end of sticks and holding the chewed up tip end. I finally bought a pair of sticks that I only use for playing butt end. Tip end stays smooth. Problem solved.
 
larryace said:
Ewwww. How the hell did you do that? Looks like you tried to grab a spinning spade bit
Click to expand...
Worse. Rope burn. It's kind of hard to explain properly, but I was heading up a steep and narrow path on a four wheeler when the tires got loose and the brakes weren't grabbing well from the leaves and other debris. I already had a rollover from a similar incident, so I death gripped a nearby rope rail.

Better a ripped hand than some cracked ribs again (or more), I'd wager
 
Blisters are part and parcel of having to play hard. When you get one, at least you can be assured if its taken care of and you let a callus form you'll never get another one in that spot.

Part of the reason I like Regal Tips lacquer is I tend to get much less hand trauma than from the finish of other sticks.
 
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