I’m not sure exactly how good of a tip this is considering I just recently came across the idea, but with small hands myself, I still find playing barre difficult for long periods of time. I watched a video a few weeks ago with a guy asking if I’ve ever wondered ho a tiny eight-year-old girl can be playing barre chords so well. We’ve all seen those videos right? And I said, heck yeah! How on earth? He said the small children are sort of pulling with their arm to add pressure to the strings. That’s something that’s never occurred to me. It seemed like bad technique so I never even considered it. it will take some time to get it right where I’m not overdoing it, but I can tell it’s making it easier already.
Excellent lesson. As a short finger player. My middle is but 3 and a quarter. I can rip through scales yet have little clue of music theory. Practice made it possible, yet I most often get lost trying to improvise. The fingers will find a way to play. Best wishes and long life to you.
Mate you are an absolute legend with your comments on short (and fat) fingers. What I have done is taken a 12 strings guitar with a wider neck and removed 6 strings . I fitted a new nut with string spacings to suits me and allowed a little more space from the e strings (both 1 & 6) to the edge of the neck. This gives me more space between strings to avoid buzzing. You are spot on, there is compromise between neck width and string spacing for the short fingered person. We need more shared tips from those who have tried various solutions. Thanks again Ross Brisbane Australia
I’ve always had small hands too and really struggle! My first guitar had a really thick neck and it pretty much put me off! But I persevered and eventually got a new guitar with a thinner neck and started to make progress!
Cool special effects! 😉 "I'll just move that out of the way; it'll probably fall off the table." Anyway, I am in my 60's, short arms and fingers, trying to learn guitar, and just last night I had to leave off practicing because I felt like I was about to get an actual sore on the knuckle that presses the high e string during bar chords. I really needed your help with the F chord. Thank you!
I once saw a video of a bass player playing his instrument. The unusual thing about that guy was that he had an accident years earlier and lost half the length of his fingers on the left (fretting) hand. And he was _still_ able to play quite well. From that point onward I stopped worrying about the length of my fingers.
Great video. Still remain a problem, the companies which make guitars don't think of these ( or don't care of this part of players). As beginner, it's so difficult to find a "cheap" guitar to try with these options : not large neck, 3/4 .. And to complicate the situation I am left-handed. For small hands, the folk guitar is "better" because the neck, but it's hard to find 3/4 folk guitar ...
My guitar teacher always tried to get me to have my fingers pointed on the string like you were talking about. Well sorry Marv your fingers are like 3 inches longer than mine it ain’t happening. Nice to see people with hands like mine do exist out there!
What a lovely old fella. Yes i have short fingers and small hands with zero stretch. I think it took me 6 mths to hit the barre chords fluently. Us short finger lot need to have the perseverance of a Jack Russell Terrier to play.
Maybe I should be specific-- the issues that I've been having with the C chord: 1. being able to pressing down all the way/ hard enough with the first finger (on the B string) 2. while not touching/muting the string beneath it (the E string). Thank you again! :)
You’ve adapted all your life obviously, by as you say, being small. You also say you’re not a techie, so struggle with filming for TubeYou. Let me tell you something now, you are one amazing guy, an amazing lesson to us all. Try and fail maybe yes but try and try again and you will succeed eventually .. And you certainly don’t need to edit your videos, your concise, in focus and above all engaging.. I’m a little un too, my Dad used to tell me when i was learning to box in East Ham, I would often say, “ but they are all bigger than me “ he would reply.. “The bigger they are Son the harder they fall” Never forgot that and it has always put me in good stead, i went on to become a National schoolboy finalist representing Newham.. NOODLES..
Hi Morrisson so happy to see you back in action! I have shoet fingers and they are stumpy too! I play and sing neverless! Who cares! As long as i enjoy ! Thanks for sharing ! Hope you are well and happy as always.
Sir, bigtime respect to you for retaining enough belief in humanity to make this most useful video. The wonderful spirit shines through the entire explanation! Thank you very much!
I had wrist surgery on my left hand that made bar chords very difficult. I stumbled upon your videos and they have helped me so much! Thank you, I am Morrison for sharing your wisdom and talent. I love your videos.
I don't have much of a grandfather, so you are my idol. thank you for being such a wonderful and helpful man. You give me hope. <3 I cried just watching this. Such humanity and humility in this man and when you've watched so much doctor who, you know the feelings I got watching this, lol. :')
i'm 5,5, and i would say medium length, also super skinny so my pinky doesn't have much padding so i have to be super accurate. you watch gilbert or vai those dudes are 6 foot plus or something, i mean them playing a regular guitar is like me playing a 3/4 or something. so shorter scale might be an option also lower action lighter strings for sure. neck width, find guitar with narrow neck width and maybe a different C shape Dshape etc although i find those thin guitars like jackson or w.e to be not so comfortable but necks that are thinner like nut width would help with small hands
I envy him. 45 years into my life and with all the bs i've had to deal with.. pretty much made me an asshole bitter w.e. but if i try to be kind and happy like this guy i feel fake because i feel like being a bitter asshole is just a part of me now :/. one could only aspire to be like this guy. reminds me of my late grandfather who was just happy to be alive.
I am happy to be alive Robert and it's been quite a struggle to get this far. Most people get terrible chalenges thrown at them of various types. I try to do a good turn for someone less fortunate with no expectations and this will cheer me. Best wishes.
"When you're choosing a guitar, there's lots of things you should consider. The first thing is not to listen to people with long fingers." Hahaha! Funny because it is true. Thank you! I am over 60, have short fingers, and currently trying to learn guitar on a 24" scale electric guitar, double cutaway. Chord shapes are still painful, but getting a bit better, while the head-stock is often near my left cheek. 😄 I have not tried using my capo yet... Thanks again!
I know you apologised for not editing the video but I must say that it is so refreshing to watch content like yours. Every other video on RU-vid feels contrived but I seem to be able to listen to you easily because it feel like a genuine conversation 😄🫡
I "Followed" you on Spotify, and now that I've seen the picture that goes with your recording, I may have figured out your problem with love! Hahaha! Amazonian pin-up girls CAN be a little flighty. 😉 Seriously, though, you did an excellent job composing and playing on that recording. Do they provide back up musicians where you record, or did you have to recruit them?
Wow, that fellow was really rude to you! Do you ever find places where you can play for an audience? Open Mic nights, fairs, and so on? When I was a member of an amateur theatre group, we used to do our dress rehearsal for free for residents of a local nursing home. Recently, I lived in a building near a nursing home and saw musicians performing in their backyard. I'm sure there are other places you could get on stage, as well, because you are a good guitarist and song writer.
