fat tipped fingers?

[juggernaut]

I was wondering if anyone has any tips for fat tipped fingers. I am totaly new and only started playing 6 days ago. I am trying to play just a couple of cords but I'm finding that my fat tips of my fingers are getting in the way. The middle finger the most being I cut off the tip a few years ago and even tho there is a full finger there the tip is rather flat. They keep touching other strings and once they are ajusted there is very little room for error if they move or shift. Also I have noticed that the fat meaty part (first knuckle) of the 1st finger tends to also hit the 1st string from under the neck and it presses on it when playing. It's very hard to adjust this so it wont press on the string. It happens most when I try to take the 1st finger and place it at the 6th string. Any ideas would be great.

[hammetthead13]

this may not help, but i think tony iommi has probs with the tips of his fingers as they were severed. he uses a scalloped neck which may help.

but it's late and i'm tired so this may be rubbish.

[rockonn91]

yeah i had that problem when i started....uhm just stick with it...

dont quit whatever you do.
and if u get a teacher then everything will work faster and better.

id try learning power chords. then u dont gotta worry bout fat fingers.

[BlindFire]

I really don't know but don't give up keep playing. My friend has been only been playing for 2months, and he can play stairway to heaven, including solo and has the same prob except the tip of that finger sort of messed up.

[PonyOne]

i have fattish stubby fingers, and it was a little discouraging at first, but, just stick with it. after awhile you figure out your own ways around it.

i taught a friend who lost the tip of her left pinky just below where her nail grew in how to play... it took a bit longer, more because i had to remember that she had to put her finger on the string differently. she lost it when she was a kid so she didn't know anything different and it didn't seem to bother her. it definitely can be done; it just may take longer to build a callous since the fatty part of the tip of your finger is gone.

good luck...

[Hamberg]

I really don't know but don't give up keep playing. My friend has been only been playing for 2months, and he can play stairway to heaven, including solo and has the same prob except the tip of that finger sort of messed up.

2 months, I don't belive you at all. you make me lol. I am actually jimmy page.

[killerqueen]

just keep at it. as you get callouses it'll get easier.
as for hitting the 1st string with the rest of you hand, that's just practice and getting into the habit of making sure you're hand's in the right position.

keep on strummin! :cool:

[guitarkim5588]

The guy can play stairway to heaven after just 2 months? yo, my friend has been playing for two years and he can only play the begining of the song. no offence but its highly unlikely that he can play the solo part of that song after only 2 months....unless he is like uber amazing at learning guitar.

[Jolly McJollyson]

The guy can play stairway to heaven after just 2 months? yo, my friend has been playing for two years and he can only play the begining of the song. no offence but its highly unlikely that he can play the solo part of that song after only 2 months....unless he is like uber amazing at learning guitar.
I disagree. I think with hard work and a lot of practice, the stairway solo could be done after two months of playing. Now that I look at it, it's not nearly as fast as some of the stuff I've seen some people playing after only a year or two.

[Hamberg]

I disagree. I think with hard work and a lot of practice, the stairway solo could be done after two months of playing. Now that I look at it, it's not nearly as fast as some of the stuff I've seen some people playing after only a year or two.

Yes; but the original quote was that he can play all of stairway including the solo after two months total of playing guitar.

[Jolly McJollyson]

Yes; but the original quote was that he can play all of stairway including the solo after two months total of playing guitar.
I know. That's what I said. Someone could learn that solo after two months of playing guitar. I'm not saying it takes two months to learn that solo! :eek:

[Hamberg]

I've been playing for 11 years and Im still not even going to try to learn the solo.

[guitarkim5588]

yeah, like I cannot see how someone can play that solo after playing guitar just after two months. Its like crazy impossible unless you are a extremely musically talented

[Jolly McJollyson]

I've been playing for 11 years and Im still not even going to try to learn the solo.
haha, I don't mean any offense, but you've been playing longer than I have, and should be able to play that by now. I think you should hit the ol' woodshed, buddy!

[Hamberg]

haha, I don't mean any offense, but you've been playing longer than I have, and should be able to play that by now. I think you should hit the ol' woodshed, buddy!

Im sure I can play it too, but I'm also sure that I can't make it sound like Jimmy Page so I'm not going to try. I'd rather play my own music ne ways.

[Jolly McJollyson]

yeah, like I cannot see how someone can play that solo after playing guitar just after two months. Its like crazy impossible unless you are a extremely musically talented
I'm not saying it would be easy, I'm saying it would be possible.

[guitarkim5588]

hey maybe it is, if i knew osmeone who could pull that off i would give them sooo much credit

[Jolly McJollyson]

hey maybe it is, if i knew osmeone who could pull that off i would give them sooo much credit
As would I, they'd deserve it.

[iiholly]

I teach a kid with fat fingers, and it does make things a little more difficult to teach. Because you're like "alright maybe if you put this finger here" and so on. But after that point you should be able to manage.

[Jolly McJollyson]

I teach a kid with fat fingers, and it does make things a little more difficult to teach. Because you're like "alright maybe if you put this finger here" and so on. But after that point you should be able to manage.
You should make fun of him about it. Destroy his fragile self-esteem. Be like "Think you can play this, Pancake hands!?"

[iiholly]

Well, its hard to lose weight in just your fingers.

[Jolly McJollyson]

Well, its hard to lose weight in just your fingers.
Liposuction...of the fingers....

[konman]

hey, ever considered playing BASS guitar?

[Akira]

Be like "Think you can play this, Pancake hands!?"

LMAO. That had me laughing for like, 5 minutes. :D :p

[rockonn91]

hey, ever considered playing BASS guitar?

yeah thas a good idea

i play geetar and bass and bass really helped me start up geetar.
the frets are bigger and make it easyer for peeps with the bigger fingers.

and u know if u keep at it ur finger tips get harder and slimmer anyways.


in other words over all, just keep at it

rock on :cool:

[konman]

You can also turn lemons into lemonade. It is not necessary for all 6 strings to ring, actually most of the time some strings need to be MUTED! So, keep on playing and just learn how to use what you got for your advantage.

[Hamberg]

yeah thas a good idea

i play geetar and bass and bass really helped me start up geetar.
the frets are bigger and make it easyer for peeps with the bigger fingers.

and u know if u keep at it ur finger tips get harder and slimmer anyways.


in other words over all, just keep at it

rock on :cool:

I don't know man; the tips on my left hand are huge compared to my right

[rockonn91]

I don't know man; the tips on my left hand are huge compared to my right

ahmmmm...well i worked for me lol sry

[icestorm]

Originally Posted by BlindFire
I really don't know but don't give up keep playing. My friend has been only been playing for 2months, and he can play stairway to heaven, including solo and has the same prob except the tip of that finger sort of messed up.



>>2 months, I don't belive you at all. you make me lol. I am actually jimmy page.

ive been playing for just two months now, i can play One (except for solos') :P Nothing else matters, enter sandman, master of puppets solo, layla, tears in heaven, mario :P, and some other basic songs n just trying to learn trilling and trying to develop some excersizes to increase my left hands dexterity, Nothin else matters and One usually impress my friends really well seeing as they see how long ive been playing, i can see that this guy would be able to do it after 2 months, ive been practicing almost non stop everyday during the christmas holidays and will be until i go back to college in two weeks, i feel im kinda being held back as i dont know what will help me progress seeing as my effects pedal has a crap drum machine and i dont know what songs i should learn that are challenging but sound good.