There is no denying that having large hands while playing the guitar or while learning to play the guitar is beneficial. Many young learners and also some adults with small hands often find it hard to learn the guitar. Having large hands for a guitarist is an advantage as finger placement will be much easier. However, many guitar legends have made it big with small hands. If you are someone who is facing this issue, don’t give up or get discouraged. Here are some tips for playing guitar with small hands-
Do warm-ups and stretches
Do you know that learning an instrument requires physical strength and flexibility? As an aspiring guitarist, you need to be more flexible. Start your practice sessions with simple warm-up exercises to make yourself more flexible. Make sure you don’t overdo it. There should not be any strain while doing these exercises. Doing warm-ups and stretches can make you flexible and can help you avoid some injuries. Massage your hands and forearms. Stretch your wrists and your fingers.
Use your pinky finger
For guitar players with large hands, it may be easy to avoid the pinky and use the ring finger to fret the notes by stretching. However, for guitar players with small hands, the pinky finger can be very useful. Try practicing those notes with your pinky finger instead of stretching your ring finger. Gradually, in your guitar learning journey, you will realize that it is much easier to reach for those notes with your pinky finger than with your ring finger.
Position your thumb properly
While learning to play the guitar, try to always keep your thumb behind the neck of the guitar. Don’t put your thumb over the neck as it causes tension on your thumb and wrist, especially if you are a guitar player with small hands.
Pick the right neck of the guitar
The shape of the back of the neck of a guitar varies for different guitars- the ‘C’ shape, the ‘V’ shape, and the ‘U’ shape. If you are a guitar player with small hands, you want to choose a neck that will be easy for you to hold. Mostly ‘C’ shape is chosen as they can be held easily. If you have small hands, try to avoid using the ‘V’ shape and ‘U’ shape necks.
Try lighter gauge strings
Try using lighter gauge strings as they will help you play the guitar with lesser effort. You may try out thicker gauges and see how they feel. However, medium gauge or lighter gauge strings are preferred by guitarists with small hands.
Try smaller-sized guitars
Try using guitars that are smaller in size than the regular ones. For guitar players with small hands, these are ideal as they will be able to fret easily.
Guitar’s scale length
The scale length in a guitar is the distance between the bridge and the nut and it differs for different guitars. Guitars with shorter scale lengths have smaller frets. This can be more convenient for guitar players with small hands as they will able to stretch their fingers easily across the fretboard.
Use capo
Many guitarists feel that using a capo is cheating. However, this is not true. Especially if you have small hands. For playing guitar with small hands, a capo can be a useful accessory.
Practice regularly
Having small hands may be seen as a problem. However, quality practice with the right techniques can help you overcome most physical issues that you may face while learning the guitar. Initially, your journey may seem challenging, especially when you have small hands. However, don’t give up. Commit yourself to learning the craft and practice regularly even on the days you feel down. Slowly, you will be able to grasp the craft and become a professional guitarist.
When you purchase a new guitar, always get it set up. Playing a guitar that has not been set up can be exhausting and also painful. Especially, if you have small hands, it can even lead to injuries. So always ensure that your guitar is in good condition.
The best guitarists are the ones who are very passionate about their craft and that passion gives them the ability to overcome any difficulties they may face when trying to reach their goals. A passionate guitarist makes his limitations his biggest assets. Although learning to play the guitar with small hands may seem difficult, it is not impossible to achieve your dreams. With perseverance and dedication, you can become a professional guitar player. If you would like guidance throughout your guitar learning journey, you can look for a good private online guitar teacher who teaches guitar for various skill levels at Music4humans. Check out the experienced guitar instructors at Music4humans and start learning!
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