Any guitarists about?

[lucysmam]

Dd1 is happily playing her new guitar upstairs but she says her little finger is not quite long enough to reach the top string without a struggle so she's been using her thumb.

I've tried searching but with no joy - is there something I could buy her to help "extend" her finger a bit? Or an exercise you'd suggest to help her reach a bit easier?

Thank you!

How old is she? Is the guitar the right size for her?

She's very nearly 13. She tried out several in the shop before settling on this one; I said maybe it's a case of getting used to it (she plays ukelele - obviously much smaller so she's not had to stretch her hand/fingers so far)

It might be worth checking with shop whether she would be better with a 3/4 instrument for now? Does she have a teacher?

Thank you, we'll go back and check over the next couple of days - I think it might be a bit late today.

No teacher yet - lessons are to be part of her birthday presents next month.

finger exercises. Its boring and repetitive but good for strength and reach. DC has been playing for 3 years, hated slowly fumbling them at first but now blasts through them like lightning.

oh and DC started on a full size from age 8. No problem in lessons.

Thanks dolly, we'll have a google together (probably tomorrow now - we're off to Panto shortly & I'm trying to secretly finish some birthday decs for dd2 before we leave).

The stretching is hard, especially at first.
Even Ed Sheehan plays a three quarter size guitar.

I have short little fingers, it is a known condition. Palm up, is the tip of her little finger shorter than the first crease in her ring finger? If so, then she has it too.

I'm just trying to think what you'd need your little finger on the top string for as a beginner ? Maybe a C chord if you are playing C/G instead of C/E (open string) ?

Or is it trying to go through a scale ? In which case cheating and shifting the hand to move the finger is allowed .

On a different tack, Django Reinhardt managed to play better with 2 fingers than I can with four . And Keith Richards lost the top string years ago ...

I came here to say I have a short little finger and can’t reach all strings sometimes and have learned I’ve got a condition! Thanks sproutsgalore! (DD has them too, she’s 10 and pays a 1/2 sized guitar.)

@DGRossetti she says she was trying to play an F chord on it.

@sproutsgalore we're now, all three of us, comparing little finger lengths

Plays a 1/2 sized guitar, not pays

F ?

No little finger on top string there . Unless you are trying a barre chord. And even then little finger is on 5th string ?

Does she have lessons? Her teacher will be able to work on technique with her.
Is it a steel strung/acoustic guitar? If so, using the thumb on the E string is pretty standard, but in place if the first finger, not the pinky. If it's a nylon strung/classical guitar, then using the left thumb to stop the strings definitely isn't good technique.

DS played a full size electro acoustic from age 9 (an ibanez so on the smaller size neck) classical stuff he gave up at 11 but was using a 3/4 then so I doubt it's too big for her.

I am fairly certain it's just practice/muscle memory really. DS is 13 now and can play bar chords etc and hes not particularly big for 13, about 5ft5/6 I think. He has always had lessons so the teacher could advise the best exercises or way to reach the chords.

Just to add he learnt all the chords first without barring them as he hands weren't big enough. There are loads of variations so she needs to find the ones that work best for her (not always the same variation depending on which chord you are changing from) but I dont think F is the easiest from what I remember.

Are there some beginner guitar tutorials on youtube she can use.

If she finds it easier to use her thumb then she's not holding the guitar correctly and that is why she can't reach. The neck of the guitar needs to be held at a 45 degree angle, not horizontal. Horizontal is what some experienced players do but it's not how you learn. Secondly her thumb needs to be low down on the back of the neck, around half way. It should not be peeking over the top,

Thank you all for your help yesterday -I couldn't afford guitar and lessons for Christmas so am putting money aside for lessons for her birthday that I'll then continue to put aside (does that make sense?) so they can carry on.

I'll show her the whole thread when she eventually gets up.

@DGRosetti I'm sure she said little finger & F but am wondering if she's maybe confused herself or I misheard now I've read everyone's comments

(On a side note, I think the Youtuber you've linked is the one my dad suggested she watch until she has lessons)

@lucysmam I am happy to take some photos of how DS plays the chords, he definitely knows the easiest versions for small hands. I can post them on here if you ask her which chords she wants

I do an F with my little finger near the top. It makes it easier for me to reach it. There are a couple of variations on some chords. In general though, you have to have your hand more curved around the neck than you'd think - the teacher will show her.

I actually have a mutant little finger on my left hand due to a bread cutting accident and I manage to play despite this so tell her not to worry, it will get easier :)

I can't imagine holding it at a 45 degree angle, correct or not. The guitar would be off balance on my knee and very hard to keep in position. I'm not classically trained though.

I think it will be a question of practice. Some of the finger stretching is very hard, particularly at first. My little fingers are short but I have no issues with this. It just takes time, in the same way that when you first start playing barre chords, you struggle with the strength in your first finger.

The guitar shouldn't be on your knee. It should be between your legs with your left leg higher, using a guitar footrest. The upper curve of the guitar body should be on your left leg and your right leg should be against the base to hold it in place.

The finger stretching is only hard because people are holding the guitar incorrectly.

Like this.

And this.

Get the positioning right and you'll find it so much easier.