How do you keep your fingers warm?

It’s getting colder in the northern hemisphere, and it’s time to ask: how do you keep your fingers warm during practice/rehearsal?

36 comments · 95% upvoted · other discussions

comments

PerspectiveFair5156

Practice and rehearse in rooms above 17°C. 

cuddlebabez

17c would be nice but my fingers still go num in any room below 20 lol

ThreeLivesInOne

Our rehearsal room is heated. For cold outside gigs, I use fingerless gloves with heating pads.

afropuff9000

Go to a sam's club or Costco and get a box of hot hands. When you're not playing, put your hands in your pockets with hot hands.

Get a space heater for your jam spot.
Find a new jam spot that isn't so cold.

Known_Lengthiness_11

TITW!

codytheguitarist

Set your bass on fire mid-gig

reddithas2manyus3rs

The only sensible solution really

Theta-5150

“In the pocket”….

Red_sparow

Fingerless gloves if I'm playing outside in the cold.

Careless_Set_2512

Put them under a warm tap every so often

Known_Lengthiness_11

You should try playing upright when it's below 45---absolute nightmare

Busy_Assumption5142

I bring a fluffer

rkatapt

Do you rehearse outdoors in the cold?

I tend to warm mine up with a cold beer. I also live in the south so I have never needed to warm or think about my fingers during those situations. Indoors is heated and I don't think I have ever played an out door gig below 50°F.

Dunno, some people play with gloves on. Put some HotHands in there.

SolanarCoolMusic

I've used those gloves that Scott uses
https://scottsbasslessons.com/

They are thin and fit well which means they don't mess with your fretting articulation. They might even damp some of the unwanted ringing.

chili_cold_blood

Once I'm warmed up, my fingers tend to stay warm as long as I'm playing. To warm my fingers up initially, taking a shower works, and so does putting my hands in a bowl of warm water.

tierratanmala

drinking an playing.

Necrolust1777

I played outside last year for a Christmas party, we were inside a tent just. I could hardly move my fingers for two songs. Next time bring mittens.

Mossy72

Cram them in my ass between songs

bijibijmak [OP]

bASS

Mossy72

😂

Nathan-Detroit

Nature's pocket.

PoopyInThePeePeeHole

I use the singer's ass. Helps them hit those high notes

JuulJDP

where we rehearse it always gets very hot very fast. It ain't weird sight for us to bring a pair of shorts in the winter and we stand there, in shorts and no shirts while outside it is below 10 degrees

roomtempquiche

Play faster

RedditWhileIWerk

Practice/rehearsal, no issue, I don't practice or rehearse outside. Simple as.

If we start playing outdoor gigs when it's freezing outside...I'll probably need to have a conversation with our bandleader.

If I've absolutely GOT to play somewhere it's cold, I guess I could switch to using a pick. Can still hold one of those with gloves on. Fingerless gloves for fretting hand?

I don't think I could fret properly with any glove that would keep my fingers warm. Skill issue I suppose. :/

YogSoHot

I use a heater in the room.

Failing that, fingerless gloves.

joe_noone

In High School I worked in the produce department at a local grocery store. The backroom was refrigerated and I'd be stuck there for hours processing [wet] vegetables. I found warming my hands on my neck works the best.

bijibijmak [OP]

Ooh interesting! I should give it a try. Hope it doesn’t pick up grease though.

BoscoeMusic

Get some heated fingerless gloves?

kebab_Burger

play fingerstyle so fast that i generate heat

rocket-child

Fingerless gloves

Desperate_Speed_9777

By any means necessary!! 😂
Seriously though I have had this problem my whole life. Fingers and toes get stiff and painful in the mildest of cold temps.
Hot water helps if you have access.
I was actually able to find a pair of lightweight fingerless gloves that I can play in, compression gloves for players can help too. Good luck 🍀☮️💟🤘🏼😎🤘🏼

bijibijmak [OP]

Yeah my go to is hot water but it only works for a few minutes. Problem usually is the drive to rehearsal in the winter. Even though I wear gloves and use the heated steering wheel, the fingers still get stiff enough not to be fluid enough.

chirpchirp13

wtf? Is your circulation okay? Are you playing in storage sheds? I’ve played countless hours of music in Boston and have yet to have the weather be an issue.

bijibijmak [OP]

It’s not the room it self but the commute there during the winter. Even when wearing thick gloves and using heated steering my fingers could get stiff enough to not be fluid anymore.

chirpchirp13

More water intake a less booze/fatty foods.

I’m not trying to be a dick and give you shit. But really, it shouldn’t take your extremities more than a minute or two to acclimate to any rooms climate control. Exceptions being: coming in from sub zero temps and having bad circulation.