TromboneChat

Have been playing A LOT more than normal lately to get ready for an audition. I’ve always had bumps here, but they have recently gotten so big that I struggle to get the ring off.

Anyone know the medical term for these? They don’t seem like a callus made of dead skin like other instruments will give you. They seem much deeper.

Interesting. I have also a big bump but it is on the middle finger and on the opposite side. I'm primarily a small bore tenor player, but play all sizes but when I'm on bass I mostly play single trigger basses. My heavy practice has always been on tenor and that horn resides where the bump is. May I guess you play a double trigger bass and use your middle finger to move the second trigger.

Sorry I have no answer to your question but it is not just skin building up the bump it must be something else, probably it is cartilage. I think it will go away if we quit playing or change grip.

/Tom

May I guess you play a double trigger bass and use your middle finger to move the second trigger.

Exactly right.

I’ve been thinking about getting a strap, but not because of this.

I’ve had calluses before when I practiced 5 hours a day plus rehearsals. I would suggest contacting a jeweler to see if the ring needs to be re-sized. And perhaps try wearing a leather golf glove on your left hand when playing trombone. If the glove interferes with page turns, cut the tips of the fingers, or the entire first finger, out of the glove.

Yeah, I used to have a big honking callus on my middle finger when I was in music school playing a lot. It decreased after months of not playing. To get rid of it you'll have to get a strap or brace or grip that gives you the control over the horn that you need without knuckle to brass contact.

I've had those (very hardcore) from marching baritone. My right pinky is still a bit larger than my left. Nothing from trombone, though.

I have bumps like that. On both hands, so I don't think it is from holding the trombone. I expect that the only way to avoid them is to stop aging. Unfortunately, I've worked all my whole life to get this old, and I'm not ready to stop now.

I don't have them, but I don't play very much bass. Must be a bass trombone thing?

I had one, but in a different place: my middle finger, towards the thumb side, just like Tom. It slowly went away 35 years ago after I started using a Klebsch strap, a Yamaha strap, an ErgoBone, and then a Get-a-Grip. I haven’t noticed it for at least 10 years.

I don't play bass so I don't have that second finger problem. I did have a bit of callous that went away when I switched to a grip with the brace between fingers 3 and 4 instead of 2 and 3 (piano terminology.)

I did have a thought though because of the shape of lump. Direct pressure is one thing, but side force on a joint is another. I think that the finger joints are probably designed to hang from a tree, carry a suitcase, crush your enemies and hear the lahmentations of the women, whoops wrong movie. Anyway I think those joints are probably strong in the direction they flex but weak sideways, and that bump may come from that side force.

When I was playing many hours per day I had a substantial callous on my middle finger, which supports most of the weight of my bass trombone and, unlike the other fingers, is taking the pressure mostly on the side rather than on the normal gripping surface.


But that ring looks like it's trying to take your finger off. Ouch. I'm surprised your finger hasn't turned blue.

The ring does not bother me while it’s on. After wearing it for 15 years (took it off daily until these bumps grew larger) there is a groove at the base of my finger. It does come off, but getting it past the bumps is tricky. Can only really get it off when I’m mildly dehydrated.

I’m also developing a new callus on my index finger where it touches the bead on the mouthpiece. I’m only playing ~1 hour per day, plus a couple 2 hour rehearsals each week. Not much at all compared to some of you pros.

I used to think that these bumps were part of the joint/bones. But now that they are larger, I can see that they are at least partly fleshy and have some movement in them.

Here is my grip. I’m not a big guy, my hands are pretty average sized. The bump on my middle finger is clearly visible here.



Ordered a leather specialties strap last night.

The way the second valve lever is located on my horn, my middle finger goes on the far side of the brace.

for comparison...

Do you think I would be helpful spread the pressure over a large area of your finger, and the combine that with a brace or strap? May left hand leather wrap with a strap or thumb brace? You could add an extra layer of fabric or leather under the leather wrap too. Alternatively you could tape your finger with athletic tape every time you play until you get used to the pressure.

A little bit of research brought me to something called Bouchard’s Nodes. Maybe this would describe what you have?

I remember getting these on and off when doing a lot of sanding on cabinet and working on my truck and motorcycle a lot. The bumps, similar to yours, also came with a lovely trip to the ER for acute Tendonitis. I’m sure being a complete idiot and not using gloves while applying solvents didn’t help, but I digress…

I seem to have good and bad days, but I can’t say I have anything going on In the left hand now, just the right, but the biggest instrument I play is a single valve Yamaha 322, so nowhere near the weight of those heavier bases…but my right hand issues seem to come from over strain/overuse…or using it as a hammer…

Seems like a strap/grip could be a good way to go to get the stress off the joint…