Fat Fingers!

Hi,

I am 6'3" and 265lbs and just starting guitar after meeting my biological families (maternal and paternal sides) this summer who, it turns out, are all musicians (and no it's not "in the blood" or genetic determinism). [br][br]I have two teachers, and have been practicing now 4 hours a night after 2.5 months (brutal pain and fresh calluses first while and still get them if I practice too much) as I am aware of the science behind the 10,000 hour rule of mastering any artform, skill, technique, craft, knowledge area, etc. (I am strong at writing and painting).[br][br]This weekend both teachers told me to switch to a "wide nut" guitar -- recommending 1 13/16 or 1.75-1.8 wide nut. As certain chords are definitely holding back my progression.[br][br]Yes, you can learn to play alternative fingering... in my case with my finger size that would mean one-and-a-half-finger A chords, but both teachers independently recommended the guitar change route (to also help with clipping and unwanted muting). [br][br]The simple fact is that as our species evolves we will get bigger (look around at each averagely taller/larger generation -- and if you think it's a negative effect urban legend like hormones in the food feel free to actually pick up and read a recent science book on say neoteny or epigenetics). Guitar manufacturers like Seagull with their increasing line of wide nut guitars are adapting to this reality.[br][br]I appreciate the experience of experts here (10,000 rule again) but I humbly suggest adapting by switching to a wider nut guitar and learn from the beginning with this instead of ham-stringing yourself (pun intended). [br][br]I get that most guitarists and (especially) lead singers are hobbit size (triggering the need to try harder, prove something, and chase success and power), but not recommending us embiggened folk to use a wide-nut guitar is equivalent to telling us to squeeze our 13W feet into average size 9 track shoes and adjusting our techniques if we want to be professional sprinters.[br][br]Just Google wide nut acoustic guitar and see we are not alone. I found your post while searching which wide nut to buy! [br][br]Brian May, who is tiny compared to me, built his own guitar [u]decades/generations[/u] ago and recently had it translated to a custom acoustic with his preferred 1.77 nut (which I'm thinking about buying):[br][br]http://shop.brianmayguitars.co.uk/the-bmg-rhapsody/the-bmg-rhapsody-electro-acoustic.html[br][br]Fat-fingered burls we'll make the rockin' world go 'round...[br]

I’m resurrecting this thread instead of starting a new one.

I’m having the same issues. I have average to smallish hand but it seems like the pads of my fingers mute a string in whatever chord I try. I can play a clean Am and Em, but I can’t seem to play any other ones cleanly. I sat and tried to play a C & G building it finger by finger for just over an hour and managed one clean G. I’ve tried tweaking my fingers every which was possible to get a clean chord but it’s frustrating. Is it taking anybody else an inordinate amount of time to get a clean chord or is spending an hour to get one clean chord normal? Am I being too much of a perfectionist? Should I go ahead and play with a muted string while I learn better technique? I cannot get beyond the video that demonstrates the chords because I just can’t seem to get it right. I’ve read all the responses so I’m not sure what else I can expect that’s different, but I figured I’d try again. Is there any equipment fix (different strings) that would help or do I just keep plowing forward? I’m not having trouble playing the exercises with melodies, but chords are kicking me in the backside right now.

I’m playing and acoustic with an 1 and 11/16th nut.

Maybe I just need some encouragement.

Thanks in advance.

EDIT: it’s the next day and I managed some clean C chords after making micro adjustments with the fingers. Patience, right?

I'm 63 picked up my daughter's acoustic guitar 4 years ago, the wife banished me to the back bedroom said I sounded terrible which I probably did . Being a builder my hands and fingers are shall we say chunkey and like others I've read on here I thought I'll never master this. Undaunted I persisted it took me a while but after a month or two the wife a actually said one night I can recognize a few tunes your playing, what do you think, I said . I recognize them she said but not so good.

Still I persisted 2 years later she walked in smiling I was playing the intro to hotel california her favorite song went straight into the cords she started singing and told me I was marvelous. I'm not I can knock out quite a few times now , one thing I have learned has been mentioned by a few on here don't beat yourself up if you mute the odd string if you are determined you'll find a way there are also alternative ways of playing chords use them but most of all do it for your enjoyment not everyone can be a virtuoso but if you love music you'll find your own style

Good luck