I have heard many people say something along the lines of that their hands are too small to play guitar and I had a female student who was a teen a few years ago who really struggled to do power chords. I actually don't think her hands were too small just that she didn't like practicing the power chords which she admitted, many things that feel a stretch the first time can be done once you practice for a while. Or am I wrong? I am not talking about kids here, I am talking about adults who say "I tried to play guitar but my hands are too small" is there any truth in that?
together we stand, divided we fall..........
No. Some guitars are just too big. Light strings and thinner necks will do it...
Cat
"Feel what you play...play what you feel!"
The person who couldn't do the power chords had a pretty standard electric....... shouldn't have been a problem really. I have just heard so many people say that their fingers are too small to play though.
together we stand, divided we fall..........
Don't seem to slow this lil fellow down any. :twisted: Look! He's even wrapping his thumb!
"Work hard, rock hard, eat hard, sleep hard,
grow big, wear glasses if you need 'em."
-- The Webb Wilder Credo --
I have heard that many times. I think it comes from peoples first impression upon picking up a guitar and not being able to produce a single note. They think they suffer from some physical deformity for not being able to play Sultans of Swing immediately. People really believe that playing guitar is magic, and far more difficult than it is. That's fine, just keep paying me.
Lol I still believe playing guitar is magic :P and it is still difficult, in the respect that there are still things I can't do.
I'm not going to pay you though Ezra.
together we stand, divided we fall..........
If their guitar isn't comfortable to them they're not going to want to play. There's always Daisy Rock, and some of their guitars don't have flower shaped bodies, but the cool ones do.
This girls guitar was actually black with loads of silver sparkly bits :P I think she was just too busy with her friends to practice really. I saw her forming F power chords and doing fairly well, moving them was another thing and that's where practice and getting comfortable with the shape comes in. I don't think he fingers were too short, though she probably said that too.
together we stand, divided we fall..........
I've been playing for over 45 years. When I started, I never even thought that my small hands would keep me from playing. It was only when I got a lot better that I realized that I still couldn't play some things and it wasn't due to lack of ability or practice. So I just find a different way to play than what's in the book. Who's going to notice that I left out a note or played a chord in a different position? Maybe an instructor, but nobody else.
Short scale guitars can help. Obviously nut width and neck profile matter too.
Anyone who thinks that small hands don't make a difference hasn't had to deal with it. But you can still be a good player no matter what your reach is.
Renee
I've heard a lot of people say that too. It usually is just an excuse. They just need more practice to strengthen their hands and develop more flexibility, so they can make those stretches. The size of your hands can make a some difference, but for what most people play, it's not much of a factor.
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www.playing-the-guitar.net
My 11 year old son has been playing for 3 years, and he doesn't seem to have issues with hand size.
He does practice quite a bit, though (4-5 days a week, 30 min per day). Certainly a lot more time than I put in.
I wrapped a newspaper ’round my head
So I looked like I was deep
If you think your hands are too small, check out this kid on a full size Strat.
He's real good :D I wish I could hear myself playing when I was not so good a guitar, I think for many guitarists once they have got good its hard to remember what they sounded like before......
together we stand, divided we fall..........
