Tony’s Acoustic Challenge – The New Way to Learn Guitar › Family Forums › Community Support › Small Hands and Short Arms!
-
Small Hands and Short Arms!
Posted by queenkobraxx on September 7, 2021 at 11:58 pmHello!
I am a lefty forced to play right handed due to an old fracture in my right hand so I already have strumming control issues but to compound that I am finding that I am struggling a lot with chord change timing due to having shorter fingers. Now I know that if Paul Simon can play as well as he does that there is a way! I am just having a hard time with it so I thought I might ask! I have watched and read tons of media and tried to use my thumb more to extend which helped my wrist with the inclusion of a wrist brace. Stretching helped that also. I play a Fender Concert acoustic electric which is a smaller and thinner neck…..idk….help?!😄
Thanks!
ASR replied 3 years, 3 months ago 13 Members · 19 Replies -
19 Replies
-
Admire your dedication! I have shortish, fat fingers. Have at times relied heavily on 3 and 4 string chords in order to play basic accompaniment for songs I’m learning. Then gradually expand as my fingers adjust.
-
Thank you! My band mate has thick fingers as well. It’s funny when he uses my acoustic because he has the opposite issue. He’s normally a bassist though. Good Luck to you also!
-
-
Hi @queenkobraxx – My hands are smaller, and some chord transitions and chords can be difficult at time. I will say that through playing this past year, my fingers are more limber and have the ability to stretch much further than at the beginning. Keep up the stretching exercises and practice as best you can. One trick during lessons is putting a capo on (I fret the 5th fret and practice higher on the neck where it’s thinner and the frets are closer. Much easier to play scales and such.
-
Yeah I did notice a huge difference with the stretching! Its great to hear there’s hope lol! Thank you very much!!!
-
-
Maybe a shorter scale guitar with a thinner neck, like a Taylor GS Mini would help, or even take the idea to the extreme with a 3/4 scale classical? Of course the classical neck won’t be thin, proportionally speaking, but it will be small. 😊
-
I may look into getting something with a shorter neck. Until then I’ll just keep plugging away! Thank you!
-
-
I have just started learning to play the guitar (actually have had my guitar for one week!). I have small hands and am experiencing some of the same problems with chord changes. It can be very frustrating. I gives me some hope to hear that your fingers become more limber with practice, however. 🙂
-
This reply was modified 3 years, 5 months ago by
[email protected].
-
The stretches are super helpful. Good Luck to you also!
-
This reply was modified 3 years, 5 months ago by
queenkobraxx.
-
This reply was modified 3 years, 5 months ago by
queenkobraxx.
-
This reply was modified 3 years, 5 months ago by
-
This reply was modified 3 years, 5 months ago by
-
@queenkobraxx , I totally relate to where you are coming from! I do not have exact physical limitations you have described but many others. Physical limitations aside, I found in my journey that my mindset was 1000 times more important than any physical advantage I was born with (or not) or had be removed by circumstance. When I freed myself of the burden of “I can’t because…..” my physical limitations mattered less. I was able to take accurate stock of where I was without the cloud of “this is too hard” or “I can’t because…” obscuring the reality of what it took for me to learn to play. Here I found the rock solid launch pad from which I could nurture desire and allow my desire to play overcome my physical limitations. This combined with the clear direction I found with Tony P. and the TAC program emphasis on mindset “fun and focus fuels progress” has put me in a place as a player I would never have thought possible six years ago. My mindset was my problem. It was not my physical limitations. When I freed my mind my fingers followed.
Looking forward to hearing more from you about your journey. I wish you fast progress toward your goals.
-
Just started a couple months ago but two things I found as a fellow small hands is the way you spread your fingers and pushing the wrist forward more help reach the top (low) strings.
What I mean by the way you spread your fingers is don’t spread them apart but spread them “long.” I’ll try to find a picture if I can.
-
I’m into this about a week now and I have average sized hands and I’m also struggling with the “stretch” of hitting fret 3 with index and 5 with ring while still trying to maintain a proper arch. Pushing the wrist forward makes for an uncomfortable contortion, but I’m just doing the best I can and working through it. I’m told it will eventually work itself out as the hands and fingers adjust to these new unfamiliar positions.
-
-
Sounds like you @queenkobraxx and I have similar hand and wrist issues. My fellow guitar geeks have already given you sound advice. I do find my Taylor GS mini easier to use compared to my Taylor 414. I prefer to use the mini as my TAC workhorse for the skills courses and daily challenges. Once feeling comfortable I try using the other guitar. I do Tony’s stretching exercises and focus on wrists, hands and fingers before I pick up a guitar. Been with TAC for almost 6 months and noticed my dexterity in each hand’s digits are much more flexible. Best advice is to do the “10 minutes +” each day and the stretching anytime you can. Good luck with building up your finger tip pads too (found using an ice cube to rub them briefly reduces the swelling and discomfort). Play on queenkobraxx!
-
After reading all the comments/advice you have gotten @queenkobraxx , I find I have nothing to add as far as advice. However, I can add my well wishes. It takes time to progress in our guitar skills and it can be frustrating at times. But we do improve if we are persistent and have good direction. The persistence is on us, and we have found great direction here on TAC. I think it is the best direction available.
I will add my 2 cents to the smaller guitar advice. But don’t buy the first one you find, try them out in person at a store. There are so many factors to how a guitar feels that you can never know for sure with out actually playing one.
MG 😀
-
Hi everyone, I joined the wonderful world of TAC yesterday and have begun my journey with the 30 days to play course. The 1st exercise is Practice Fretting with the Blues Shuffle. I have small hands and there is no way (at the moment) that I can play the 2nd fret with my index finger and the 4th fret with my ring finger like Tony unless i literally take my hand off the neck and sway/hop with my hand between the two frets. Is this an acceptable way to play? I can’t reach the 4th fret with my ring finger whilst my index finger is on the 2nd fret. I have read this thread and other members have mentioned stretching exercises. Can someone please point me at a resource for this? Also thinking is it worth buying a 3/4 guitar? At the moment I have a Tanglewood Nashville III.
Many thanks,
Michael from a sunny but bluesy Liverpool
-
This reply was modified 3 years, 4 months ago by
CamboNo5.
-
Hi @CamboNo5 , on the left side bar there is a button that looks like music notes, that takes you to the Skills Section. There in the Skills Section is a tutorial for “Daily Stretch For Guitar”. This is a great place to start! Stretch to feel the release not to feel the stretch.
-
@CamboNo5 I have the same problem! currently there is not physical way for me to stretch my finger like that. It has gotten easier with practicing it a bit more with me having to move my hand down to the 4th fret. I feel like these abilities and skills just come with more and more time practicing the movement. Let me know if you have found anything that works well. Good Luck!
-
This reply was modified 3 years, 3 months ago by
ASR.
-
This reply was modified 3 years, 3 months ago by
-
This reply was modified 3 years, 4 months ago by
-
I too have short arms and fingers, plus arthritis in my thumb/wrist. I bought 2 Zager easy play guitars — 1 travel size and 1 full size. I have found them easier to play than my Taylor mini. Happy playing.
Log in to reply.