Hi. very new to the guitar here. A week ago, my brother in law gave me an accoustic to start learning to play the basics with, since i have small hands and short finger (and no i dont give up easily... :lol: ) i have been having trouble getting my left hand around the neck of the guitar...i can do it, but it is a BIG stretch. I was told by someone that if i was interested in electiric, which i am, that maybe i shold start there since someof them have smaller neck, but then someone else says to start with accoustic and work into electric. So, i was wanting to get other opinions or maybe advice on how to make it less difficult to play accoustic.
thanx
Tiffany
Hi Tiffany,
I'm new to this myself, ( < 1 yr ). I have an accoustic, and my buddy has an accoustic and a couple electrics. The electrics, according to him, are easier to play. I'm used to the action on my guitar, so his electrics (to me) are trickier to play, because it takes very little effort to get the same effect. I'm not sure, but I think within a certain range, neck sized vary on both accoustics and electrics. One thing you might try, (and I don't do this myself, but I've read that you should, and it makes sense) is to position the thumb of your fretting hand in the center of the back of the neck. That way, your fingers have more reach.
When I was new(er) to this, I had all kinds of questions that were similar. (how do I stop x from happening?, how come I can't get the strings to quit buzzing?, how do I stretch to make this chord, my fingers don't bend that way?.... and on and on) Another friend kept telling me the same thing over and over... It just takes practice, man. I got tired of hearing it, so I quit asking him, but he was right. Hang in there, you'll get it.
-- Scratch 8)
-- Scratch 8)
"...if heartaches were commercials, we'd all be on TV" -- John Prine
42
Welcome to the Madhouse.
It doesn't matter which you start with. The only right way is the way that works for you. Start with the one that will motivate you most to play. If it's electric, go for it. And there are some things about electric -- thinner neck and lighter gauge strings -- that might work better for you. And that might keep you motivated too.
Hope that helps.
Well we all shine on--like the moon and the stars and the sun.
-- John Lennon
i have been having trouble getting my left hand around the neck of the guitar
Tiffany
How are you holding the neck? I mean, where is your thumb? Is it up over the top of the neck or is it about halfway down the middle behind the back of the neck? I've got very small hands, too. Even though you see many, many guitar players with their thumbs stuck up over the top of the neck (called baseball bat style) I can't do it and not deaden at least the 1st string (high E) when I reach for something like a C or an E where I have to reach up to the fifth or sixth string. I have to keep my thumb in the middle of the back of the neck. And, come to find out, it's actually the "proper" way to hold it even though I do it by default. Check out http://www.freeguitarvideos.com/Beginner/Beg_01.html for a QuickTime mpeg (it's 18.9Mb!) on the subject. Another thing, too, when I first started playing I tried to hold it like a bat and my thumb would literally ache after 20-30 minutes, since I've moved my thumb it no longer aches!
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"Don't wanna ride no shootin' star. Just wanna play on the rhythm guitar." Emmylou Harris, "Rhythm Guitar" from "The Ballad of Sally Rose"
Just to add to the previous good suggestions, be aware that guitar necks will come in different widths and thicknesses. If you go into a guitar shop and pick up several acoustic steel string guitars, or several electric guitars -- you'll likely find some variation in neck widths and thicknesses.
For a real drastic change, pick up a classical guitar, their necks are much wider to accomodate that style of playing. It seems as a rule of thumb, fingerstyle guitarists favor a wider neck
Just to add to the previous good suggestions, be aware that guitar necks will come in different widths and thicknesses. If you go into a guitar shop and pick up several acoustic steel string guitars, or several electric guitars -- you'll likely find some variation in neck widths and thicknesses.
For a real drastic change, pick up a classical guitar, their necks are much wider to accomodate that style of playing. It seems as a rule of thumb, fingerstyle guitarists favor a wider neck (and a wider spacing of strings). Jazz guitarists typically like narrower necks, etc., etc.
Anyway, whichever guitar you decide to go with -- acoustic or electric -- you'll likely find you'll find a neck size that suits you well.
Whoops! Apologies for double post. I didn't see a way to delete the original partial message.
Thanx for the thumb advice!!! it really helped, i can now reach the low e, but if not careful, still deaden the high e...more to practice :lol:
as far as which will keep me motivated...BOTH!!! i love the way each sounds
