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Guitar chord forum - chordie → Acoustic → Playing styles @methods help
All my life I have wanted to play the guitar, in old country songs. Now I am retired I have the time to learn,at last. But I have a problem in playing the chords, my fingers are fat at the tips and tend to touch the next string. Does anyone have the same problem if so, how did you get round it ? Is there such things finger covers (thimbles) Anybody have any ideas please.
hi lady tut and welcome to chordie.
the first solution that comes to mind is to buy a guitar that has a wide neck like a classical guitar.
i believe that tony iomi of black sabath used thimbles (or similar) as he cut off the tops of his fingers!
Lady Tut -
Many people have had that problem. Some guitars are wider at the neck then others. If your fingers are truly very large at the tip, then a wide necked guitar could be your answer.
That said, I think much more likely is that you need to develop the habit of using the tips of your fingers to press down on the strings just behind the frets. You want to press the frets down with the very tippy tips of your fingers and not with the pads of your fingers. If you use the pads or sides of your fingers, no matter how fine your fingers are, you will still mute the string next to it. Sometimes that is desireable, but it is an advanced technique. For now, just starting out, what you want to do is get used to curling your finger and using the very tips. This is easier if, when you hold the neck of your guitar, you leave a space between the crook of your thumb and the back of the neck about large enough to fit a magic marker through. Your thumb should rest on back of the neck, and you should have a space between the crook of your hand and neck of the guitar, then curl your fingers around to fret the strings. Support the guitar with either a strap or resting on your leg. Your fretting hand does not provide the primary support for the guitar.
Now a word of encouragement...There are very few other situations in which you use the very tips of your fingers like this, so don't be surprised if it takes you a little while to develop the strength and dexterity to do it. You'll also experience soreness in the tips of your fingers. We all went through that stage, and you will too. You'll make it if you stick with it. The first time you get a nice cleanly ringing chord it will feel worth it. Keep up the good work of practicing. Don't worry about how long it takes. That's different for everyone. Just stick with practicing with good form at least fifteen minutes a day and you'll be amazed at the difference a week, and then a month, and then three months will make to what you can do.
- Zurf
Everything Zurf recommends is good stuff. Another thing I have helped beginners with similar problems. Keeping your thumb on the back of the neck , roll your wrist under the neck and your fingers will have a better angle to approach the strings.
I'm in the same situation. I'm retired and picked up the guitar as a hobby. I have BIG arthritic fingers that have a hard time being precise on the strings. I started out with an Epiphone that has a 1 11/16 nut. One day I tried a Taylor with a 1 3/4 inch nut. It doesn't sound like much, but it made a big difference. Also, I found that lightening up on the fretting helps. Squeezing harder does not make up for poor technique when fretting. It only forces your fingers to flatten out more at take up more space. Bottom line for me: use good technique with the finger tips and finger form, lighten up on the fretting and a guitar with wider nut. Keep It Fun, Dean
Newbie Dean - To help you with lightening up on the fretting, be sure to get your finger as close as you can to the fret and still be behind the fret. There's a big difference between 1 11/16 and 1 3/4. You're right about that! Keep up the good work. I've got arthritis in my hands too, but fortunate in that mine is manageable with BenGay still.
- Zurf
Hi lady tut,it is nice too see another lady here,all the advice above is good stuff,I have some arthritis also from age and I try too play on as long as I can,you will find that if you go too a good music store and play around with some of the guitars and talk too the staff it will help you. Welcome to the site!!
Thanks for the all the advice, I am glad I found this site it's good to know you are not on your own and can turn to more experienced players for help. Money is a bit tight so I will work on the no cost advice first. Thanks again everybody
I'm also new been playing for six months arthritist in my hands also play slow and get good streach if it hurts bad slow down and work into it slow again play what you can when you can. I played a nice guitar last week and know I hate mine so I hung it up and know playing my electric which is much Easyer to play any way. And I would not be where I'm sigh out all the great help here
Lady Tut ...
One other thing that will happen with practice is that your fingertips on the fretting hand will become calloused and harder than they are now. You're likely experiencing some sore fingertips right now, but that will pass quite quickly if you practice daily. You will then be making solid contact with the strings, and not have to press as hard which flattens your fingertips, as Newbie Dean mentions.
Zurf's suggestions are all very good ones. Keep at it, and the initial problems with string contact and coordination will lessen.
Guitar chord forum - chordie → Acoustic → Playing styles @methods help
