I've been practicing pentatonic scales. Do I need to worry about touching other strings or do I have to try to arch my fingers over them? I can hit the notes fine but because of my small hands sometimes mute nearby strings in the process - particularly when reaching for the low E string with my stubby & bent little finger.
Another question - I'm learning on a cheap starter (<$100) electric and am convinced that it's not set up very well (strings too high at bottom of neck, intonation off, differing string heights, neck needs shimming, etc.) If I'm still playing in 6 months I'd like to upgrade (recommendations are welcome) and don't want to put much $$$ into this one. There are a number of web sites that give setup instructions. Is this something a tinkerer can do or am I better off having it done professionally and waiting a little longer to upgrade?
The upgrade part first.
Most guitar shops (at least in my experience) will do a set up for you when you purchase a guitar from them.
Yes you can do your own setup on your old one but be very careful you don't trim too much off.
The high action will definitely contribute to the muting problems you are having.
It is good practice to have your finger come strait down on the string but may be very difficult to do with your current rig.
