small hands

[granaghan]

I love the blues. From "Gatemouth" Brown through Zeppelin, Clapton all the way to the White Stripes' "Catch Hell Blues," I can't get enough. I grew up playing the fiddle, so my music theory is solid. I've only recently bought my first Mexican Strat and I would love to be able to learn to play as technically sound as possible, but I have hit a roadblock. I am stuck on the lesson "Movin it up the neck." It seems that I just don't have the reach to bar (barre) the chords in the lesson and play the riffs that the video teaches. My hands are just too small to bar one fret and reach 2 and 4 frets up, as taught in the video. Am I doomed as a blues guitar player? Has anyone else run into this problem? Should I just stick to the fiddle?

[ronniedebop]

hello Granaghan, Ronnie from scotland, have been playing for about 20 years now, (58years old so started late) and like you my hands are quite small and dumpy so have barre problems also, if I may suggest try going back to very basics of holding guitar etc it may be you require to train your thoughts to positioning, and try stretch exercises, it won't come quick but stick with it about 15mins a day go slow and go easy, hope this helps best of luck
Ronnie

[caponi14]

I agree with Ronnie, you should simply do some exercises that incorporate alot of stretching. But don't over do it! what i mean by this is that you can't do it for too long, it will damage your fingers. So go easy on it!
Ofcourse you can play the blues because of your small fingers/hands. It just needs practice and you will get there in time.

Casper