Hand position

I just recently purchased my first acoustic guitar a Yamaha f-325. I am concerning for the fact that I try to position my hands to perform the basics chords and feels like my hands are small and can't reach to the next frets. I have average hands size I believe. Will it get better in time and I will be able to do it? What is the best position? Are there any particular hands exercises to get them loose?
:confused:

Thanks

Your dexterity isn't use to making lateral stretches... Once you practice more you will notice that you'll be able to stretch farther and farther... keep practicing... You can do a few excercises though.... a made up a few that I do at work everynow and then when I have nothing to do... One that works well to keep my hands strong is to take a rubber band... one that you can put around your finger.... put it on so that all your fingers are inside the rubber band... You may need to wrap the band around a finger or two so that it provides enough tension... Now what you will do is spread your fingers apart and resist the rubber band as it tries to pull them back together... Do this as many times as you can until you feel like you can't do it anymore. wait ten minutes or so and do it again. Your hand may be a little sore but this will help you be able to stretch your hands out... it will also strengthen the muscles in your hands and allow you to fret a lot easier... You should do this everyday... obviously you'll want to do this after you play... or if there's a day that you're away from your guitar... It will whip your dexterity right into shape. Good Luck and welcome to the boards.

I will work on that. By the way I got this guitar because I had a dream I played a song for my daughther on her sweet fifteen. She is 9 right now. Do you think I be good by then?

:confused:
Thanks

A guy taught me how to grip the guitar properly.

Its important (IMO) if you are a beginner to not use the baseball style grip yet which involves letting your tumb come up over the top of the fretboard. Rather position your thumb so that its halfway between the top of the fretboard and the bottom and lie it flat on the back of the fretboard ( you may need to tilt it slightly to one side). Curve your fingers into an arc when pressing down notes and dont lie them flat on the fretboard. Also push you hand out so that your wrist and the fretboard are on the same line. Practice playing your chords in this position and bit by bit your muscles will remember the stretches and the shapes.

Good luck and if you dont understand anything feel free to post again.

Ok I will try that as well and practice.
Thanks

I've only been playing acoustic for a month. I was very discouraged that I would never be able to make a simple "C" chord because my fingers weren't built to reach across 3 frets without disjointing at the knuckles.

But, I'm happy to report that my practice paid off because now "C" is a piece of cake! It's all in the way you lay your palm under the neck. My next challenge is a couple of bar chords that are hard.

Keep practicing... it WILL all come together.

Thanks, it gives me hopes is only a week since I started. Hopefully in amonth I could say the samething :)

After 6 years of practice, sure you'd be doing/sounding great as long as you make good practicing habbits. What song did you want to play her btw?

Oh, I am not sure yet about the song. It is just one or the most important reason I decided to learn. :)