short fingers vs long fingers

I didnt know where to post this, but here it is. This is kind of a wierd problem that I have always thought about. Basically, my fingers are a lot shorter than a lot of peoples (not freakshow short, just shorter than normal lol). Its harder for me to reach certain frets, or to play certain frets with my pinkie, because it just doesnt reach there. I cant really play standing up unless I bring the guitar strap very high, because I would have to really strain my wrist to be able to get my fingers on certain frets.

Pretty much on EVERY video I see of guitarists, I notice that they have long fingers (normall really, but longer than mine). Its really obvious in sweep videos where you see them use their pinkies. They have a lot longer reach, and can play things a lot easier.

My question is, has anyone ever thought about this, or experience it themselves? Im getting really frustrated because everything I play is a lot harder since I have to strain a lot more to reach frets.

Edit: just wanted to point out that I have been playing guitar for about 11 years now, and can play well. I just have trouble now since for the past 3 years I have been trying to learn sweeping, and a lot of other advanced guitar techniqes for speed metal. This is where things become a problem

Well, I've got great big shovel hands... but a different set of problems. Sure I can reach pretty big stretches for sweeps or legato / whatever, but it's hard for me to alternate pick runs high up the neck because my fingers get all bunched up.

What do I do for that? Basically I pretty much avoid doing it, or drop the speed a touch if I'm going to. I'd suggest a similar for you - if you can't hit the high note on a sweep with your pinkie, maybe try tapping it instead - adapt whatever the technique / exercise is so it works better for you... :cool:

The MASTER (Eric Clapton) dont need a pinkie... he dont use the thing .. he incorperates very fluid and fast hand position changes

oh, by the way, i to have small hands (no relation to lurch from the addams family i guess :D ) but i did manage to stretch my reach by spreading my fingers in stretching ..excercizes...oh and scale length of the guitars are a pert of it altho minute (fenders 25 1/2"? gibson 24 1/4") which puts the frets on a gibson type slightly closer together

Hunter,

Don't worry, you don't need to be able to have a long reach to play everything on guitar. For sweeps, there are a variety of different patterns which utilize more of the fretboard as opposed to one position with long stretches. Make sure to search for as much different positions that you can find.

For example:

Too big a stretch?

e-17-12--------------------------
b-------13------------------------
g----------14-------------------------
d-------------14----------------
a----------------15--12-----------


Try this-( Same notes . different pattern)

e-17-------------------------------------
b---17-----------------------------------
g-----17---------------------------------
d-------19-14------------------------------
a-------------15-12------------------------

This can also apply to scale patterns as well.

I hope that helps give you some ideas.

Actually, I think the second one you posted is a lot harder lol. The 19 - 14 stretch is the same as the 17 -12 stretch in the first. I see what your saying though, theres not just one way to play something.

e-17-------------------------------------
b---17-----------------------------------
g-----17---------------------------------
d-------19-14------------------------------
a-------------15-12------------------------

This does not need to include a stretch...I should've explained this in the example, but here you would roll your first finger on the 17th frets, play the third finger on the 19th fret, and move the third finger down to the 14th fret. Then you would use your pinky (15th fret) and first finger (12th fret).

As you can see though, looking for new ways to play things can apply to more than just patterns as well. (Finger use, position changes, etc.)

Sorry if I wasn't clear in my earlier post.

I say find a guitar with a real thin neck it will help a lot. I have a friend that has been looking for years and finally found a guitar that has a thin enough neck for her hands and she bought it on the spot,if guitar is something your serious about then I'd suggest getting whatever you can to help your situation.

If you interested the guitar my friend bought was a very nice high quality Godin SA. The model she got had a thiner neck than even a super thin Ibanez.


oh yeah doesn't Yngwie have little hands? he practically trademarked the sweep.

I think I have medium hands.

But people think I have long fingers! :confused:

I think my gingers arent too long, but everyone tells me, 'You're good at guitar, cos you got long fingers'

I say that's just BS.

Whether short or long, you can still play ;)

My fingers! not my gingers sorry :p

Ever heard of Michael Romeo :P Symphony - Xs guitarist has extremly small finger and his an accomplished shredder :p

Ya just gotta work with what ya got.
I've got totally long fingers (actually had girls in bars say stuff like 'holy crap your finger are long)
Even so, there'd disadvanteges to that too cause you can't play as fast cause your fingers have to travel further.

Just work with what ya have. Learn to take advantage of it.
For instance... I have a major problem with my little finger not being able to work fast enough. Every time I press my first finger down, my pinky finger sticks staight out and I can't bring it down fast enough to do fast runs.
So, over time I learned to do tapping instead.
Any time I need to do a fast run, I'll tap it with my right hand to compensate.
After awhile, you don't even notice anymore.

I've got really small hands and short fingers also....Some chords are impossible for me to play. I've just learned to cope and play what and how I can... :D

I'm 6'3"... so I have decent sized hands and long fingers. They're not freakishly huge or anything though. I have a friend that's about 5'8" that has longer fingers than me...

I think long fingers can both be a good thing and a bad thing when it comes to guitar playing... Fingers are pretty complicated mechanical structures with intricate joint and muscle systems. The longer the fingers, the weaker they usually are and the slower they are... so someone with longer fingers would have to work harder to build speed but work less on dexterity... while someone with short fingers would work more on dexterity to reach the notes that people with longer fingers easily reach.... and they would work less on speed... Shorter fingers are normally quicker and easier to control at full speed.

Just slight differences, but both have pro's and cons.

I hear ya! I have long, slender fingers. My fingers are the exact same length as my husbands. I was told by someone recently what I have "great guitar hands". Whatever, I don't think there is such a thing. Like you said above. I have the dexterity, but fight the speed.

Originally Posted by: iceandhotwaxThe MASTER (Eric Clapton) dont need a pinkie... he dont use the thing .. he incorperates very fluid and fast hand position changes

He uses his pinkie...

I have short fingers or as I like to call them 'PlaySkool' fingers. And thanks to having broken each and every one of them at least once, many more than that, I have to work constantly on dexterity and flexibility. But it gets better the more I play. My real problem seems to be a weakness in my left wrist. I have no idea how to build up endurance in the wrist. Is this a problem for anyone else? How do you correct that?

Originally Posted by: hunter60My real problem seems to be a weakness in my left wrist. I have no idea how to build up endurance in the wrist. Is this a problem for anyone else? How do you correct that?

I have the same problem. I don't know how it starts for you, but for me since I have short fingers, I have to angle my wrist a lot more to reach around the neck. If thats the case for you I think theres really nothing that can be done. I HAVE to bend my wrist almost toa 90 degree angle or I won't be able to reach frets on the 6th string, or play some chords without mutting strings with my fingers.

Ya man, it sounds like you have the exact same problem as me. My fingers aren't rediculously short or anything. It's primarily may pinkie that gives me problems. I have to move my wrist to hit the low E quickly with my pinkie, and, while i'm no guitar god, i feel like it's only going to give me grief the better I get. However, that being said, here's two things to consider. With smaller fingers, we have the advantage of increased dexterity and precision, AND, this most importantly.....If a man with no arms can learn to paint the mona lisa with his toes, we can conquer this problem. The human body is an amazingly adaptable machine.

Originally Posted by: hunter1801I have the same problem. I don't know how it starts for you, but for me since I have short fingers, I have to angle my wrist a lot more to reach around the neck. If thats the case for you I think theres really nothing that can be done. I HAVE to bend my wrist almost toa 90 degree angle or I won't be able to reach frets on the 6th string, or play some chords without mutting strings with my fingers.

You or anyone else with this problem hang your guitar like a gunslinger? The lower the guitar, the more you're going to have to angle your wrist. I don't have giganto hands, but the rare times I play while standing, my guitar is above my belt-line, just as if I'm sitting. This makes fretting a helluva lot easier. One of my guitar heroes, Roy Buchanan, used to wear his guitar way above his waist, practically on his chest. May not look cool, but at least you can hit hit the high frets without contorting your wrist or body.