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Help for small hands
Hi everyone, so how I am going with lessens so far?
I started the 30 day challenge almost 2 weeks ago and for all but 3 days have played/practiced between 20-60 minutes (I’d already been toughening up my finger tips for the past couple of months). I’m only just pulling together the first 2 sessions of week one and don’t feel anywhere near week 2, so I think for me the 30 day challenge might be closer to 60 or 90 days (that’s OK hey? As long as I’m making progress). My hands are very small (& I understand children’s hands are very small too, and children manage) but having to move my hand along the fret board is making everything I do clunky and cumbersome.
I’m hoping someone might have some extra tips for those of us with small hands? The lesson videos look so much easier when you only have to lift your fingers up and down and not move your hand … so I’m wondering, would it be good or bad for my progress if I used my pinky instead of my ring finger as then my hand would stay in the one place on the fretboard while I’m learning (like in the learning video).
Thanks
Sandy
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4 Replies
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Hi @d2rsandy and welcome to the TAC community! I have smaller hands, and I completely understand what you’re experiencing. You might want to take the stretching lessons in the Skills section. I wouldn’t necessarily use the pinky in lieu of the ring finger, because it is not proper placement, would become habitual,the pinky might be needed to fret a different note at some point. It’s okay if you have to lift your hand to help with the reach. Your reach/stretch will become easier as time goes on. Another s I lotion when doing scales is to use a capo in a lower fret (such as the 5th fret). Frets become more narrow as you go up the neck, and you’ll find it much easier to play.
As for the 30 Days to Play, you can take as long as you need, but I caution you from remaining on a lesson until you feel you can play it perfectly. TAC’s philosophy is that if you play a minimum of 10 minutes per day, you will improve. If you play the minimum time, mark a lesson :: practicing then do so, but remember it’s about progress, not perfection. You can also mark a lesson as a Favorite (heart at bottom left of videos. Then you can access it any time by %oing to your profile and clicking Favorites.
Lastly, remember to breathe and have fun while playing.
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@d2rs congratulations on sticking with the 30 day challenge!! And yes I agree with @Loraine that it’s perfectly OK to take longer than 30 days. It takes whatever you need.
I have small hands as well and there are plenty of kiddo’s and accomplished guitar players with small hands, they give us hope that with good technique, anything is possible!!
One really good tip which Loraine has already wisely suggested, is to use your capo!! Especially when first learning a song or exercise, put your capo on 2nd fret. The frets are that much smaller, making any stretches that much shorter. Once your fingers get a handle on the muscle memory, it’s easier at that time to slowly recede the capo closer back up the neck towards the nut. Also the capo helps lower the action of the strings, making it easier to fret the notes as you are first learning a piece. If you are playing along with a video or a person, then just lower the tuning on your strings by one whole step. (Instead of EADGBE tuning, tune it down to DGCFAD. Then when you put your capo on the 2nd fret you will wind up in regular standard tuning so that you can play along and be in tune) Having your strings all tuned down by one whole step also makes the string tension less, which makes it that much easier to fret your notes as well.
Hope this makes sense and hope it helps a little!! Best wishes and enjoy your guitar time!!! C3M
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This reply was modified 2 years, 10 months ago by Carol-3M-Stillhand.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 10 months ago by
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Thank you so much, will take that all on board and keep going with the ring finger. I’ll also do the stretching and the capo to help, thinking the capo further down will be good to try … in fact, off to do it now. Have a great weekend 😀😇🎸❤
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Also, I’m spending more time because it’s taking me ages to comprehend and make the right sounds and not even close to perfect, in fact after all this time I have no rhythm and even though I look the whole time I’m still hitting the wrong strings on both the fret and strumming (even with my glasses on lol). I’m one of those that when I finally get it, I’ll get it, it’ll just take time … of which I have an abundance.
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