Small Hands

[V4lve]

Hi,

Having small hands makes long quick stretches along the neck a bit of a challenge for me. Currently trying to learn the bridge part for the Jackson's "I Want You Back" and finding the first two phrases a bit hard. Requires me to move my whole hand quickly (rather than simply place a finger) which is a bit hit and miss and makes it easier to loose my way. Anyone got any tips?

Ta

[crez5150]

[quote name='V4lve' post='618521' date='Oct 6 2009, 01:30 PM']Hi,

Having small hands makes long quick stretches along the neck a bit of a challenge for me. Currently trying to learn the bridge part for the Jackson's "I Want You Back" and finding the first two phrases a bit hard. Requires me to move my whole hand quickly (rather than simply place a finger) which is a bit hit and miss and makes it easier to loose my way. Anyone got any tips?

Ta[/quote]
[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BA03-BABY-AXE-Mini-Guitar-Fender-Bass-BLACK_W0QQitemZ280395647507QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV?hash=item4148e20a13&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14#ht_1042wt_941"]Try this[/url]

[V4lve]

[quote name='crez5150' post='618524' date='Oct 6 2009, 01:31 PM'][url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BA03-BABY-AXE-Mini-Guitar-Fender-Bass-BLACK_W0QQitemZ280395647507QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV?hash=item4148e20a13&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14#ht_1042wt_941"]Try this[/url][/quote]

[crez5150]

[quote name='V4lve' post='618530' date='Oct 6 2009, 01:42 PM'][/quote]

[thunderbird13]

I have a similar problem and I've just damaged my little finger which has been caused in part by stretching too much. As a result of this I've been practising this week very slowly with my little finger tied to my ring finger with a hair band. It was a bit weird at first but its helped me think in terms of 3 or 4 frets rather that stretching and trying for a range of 4 or 6 frets

[alexclaber]

Are you already pivoting around your thumb?

Alex

[V4lve]

[quote name='crez5150' post='618541' date='Oct 6 2009, 01:51 PM'][/quote]

Perhaps I should have kept this...

[V4lve]

[quote name='thunderbird13' post='618549' date='Oct 6 2009, 01:57 PM']I have a similar problem and I've just damaged my little finger which has been caused in part by stretching too much. As a result of this I've been practising this week very slowly with my little finger tied to my ring finger with a hair band. It was a bit weird at first but its helped me think in terms of 3 or 4 frets rather that stretching and trying for a range of 4 or 6 frets[/quote]

Not sure. My thumb tends to float. Was trying to focus on anchoring my thumb earlier but not suer where it should be. Opposite my fingers or closer to the head? Opposite felt weird but seemed to help.

[alexclaber]

I have fairly middling hands but rarely do truly one finger per fret - instead my thumb stays where it is (in the centre of the back of the neck most of the time) and the rest of my hand pivots about it. This lets me cover quite a lot of fretboard without shifting. So when stretching up the neck my thumb ends up headstock side of my index finger whilst when going the other way it can end up level with my little finger.

Alex

[The Funk]

[quote name='alexclaber' post='618562' date='Oct 6 2009, 02:01 PM']Are you already pivoting around your thumb?[/quote]

That's what I was going to suggest.

[V4lve]

[quote name='alexclaber' post='618598' date='Oct 6 2009, 02:32 PM']I have fairly middling hands but rarely do truly one finger per fret - instead my thumb stays where it is (in the centre of the back of the neck most of the time) and the rest of my hand pivots about it. This lets me cover quite a lot of fretboard without shifting. So when stretching up the neck my thumb ends up headstock side of my index finger whilst when going the other way it can end up level with my little finger.

Alex[/quote]

Aha. So you move your thumb only when you need to change positions. Thanks. I will try that.

[XB26354]

Another tip is to play something really slowly and focus on two things:
1) Reducing the amount of pressure you use to fret each note - it is probably less than you use now
2) Reducing the tension across the fretting hand by playing slowly enough to be able to relax the hand between notes.

Point 2) above is greatly helped by using the thumb to pivot as mentioned above.
As someone who used to get hand cramps and pins and needles, the above has helped tremendously. I have reasonably large sized hands and am now fine playing one finger per fret down to the nut on a 6-string with 35" scale, even for three or four hours with no pain or tension.

[Marvin]

I always have problems with Root/Octave sequences or runs. I'm hoping it will just come with persistent practice. But it kills my hand sometimes.

My plight is not helped by, although I have largish hands most of that is accounted for by my palm, and my fingers are not as flexible as I would like them to be ( a combination of nature and onset of mild osteoarthritis). And I also find it difficult to stretch to one finger per fret in part as my little finger is very small (this has just been confirmed by this - I put my hands against my wife's who has very small hands and all my fingers are no bigger than hers, damn ) - but also bends inwards, that is no lie. Oh crap.

[chris_b]

[quote name='V4lve' post='618521' date='Oct 6 2009, 01:30 PM']....Having small hands makes long quick stretches along the neck a bit of a challenge for me. Currently trying to learn the bridge part for the Jackson's "I Want You Back" and finding the first two phrases a bit hard. Requires me to move my whole hand quickly (rather than simply place a finger) which is a bit hit and miss and makes it easier to loose my way. Anyone got any tips?....[/quote]
You should be moving your hand not stretching your fingers. Play the part slowly and speed up as you get better.