The Price of Pizzicato

I love the solo repertoire that I am currently studying.  The Elgar Cello Concerto is one of the most beautiful and emotionally evocative pieces I have ever heard.  I am working on the second movement, which involves lots of plucked chords.  This is extremely fun, and very good thing for me to practice.  Unfortunately, however, this is not the only workout my right thumb is currently receiving.  I have also taken up Mark Summer’s “Julie-O” just for fun.  If any of you know this piece, you will understand my thumb’s dilemma.  “Julie-O” involves many quickly strummed chords.    My right thumb has actually been bleeding several days this week!  My solution?  A lovely band-aid, of course!  Not only does this protect my wounded appendage from the bacteria that might cause an infection, but it also serves as a fake callous!  Now I am able to practice pizzicato even more forcefully, with practically no pain.  Hopefully my thumb will develop a good, hard callous eventually, but a band-aid is definitely a good thing for now.