Guitar girl with piano hands

Hi everybody! I've always wanted to learn to play the guitar, and I'm finally at a point in my life where I can do it! My husband bought me a nice acoustic for Mother's day this year, and I bought a smaller acoustic for my daughter, so now we are learning together. This site is great, because it goes through each little step for us total newbies, and we can hit 'replay' as many times as needed. What's getting to me at now is that I know where I'm supposed to put my fingers on the fretboard to play the notes, but I can't seem to get them to ring clearly. I've tried rolling my fingers around different ways, but I always get some ringing in it. I've watched the videos several times now, and even with my fingers curled around, I still can't get it to sound right. My hubby says I've got 'piano hands', not 'guitar hands'. My nails are cut pretty short for work, so its not that. I sing fairly well, and I would really love to be able to write and play my own songs, but I've hit this rock and can't seem to find a way around it! Any help would be much appreciated!

Hi,

actually this is nonsens. There are no piano or guitarhands - I know it because I play both instruments professionaly :D . But of course you need to have short fingernails when you want to play guitar. This is the one point. The other one - it takes time till your fingers know the exact position that this sound gets reduced on the minimum or on a level where you can control it. But it is nearly impossible to move on the fretboard without creating any kind of sound. So take your time be patient and enjoy the little steps of progress and have fun with your guitarplaying. :)

HP

Originally Posted by: DucchesHi everybody![/quote]
Hey & welcome to GT!

Originally Posted by: DucchesWhat's getting to me at now is that I know where I'm supposed to put my fingers on the fretboard to play the notes, but I can't seem to get them to ring clearly.

It sounds to me like an issue of soft fingertips.

This is typical of any guitar beginner. You simply have to keep practicing until you've built up a bit of toughness (calluses, i.e. an extra layer of dead skin!) on your fingertips.

When you play a fretted note, place the very tip of your finger right behind the appropriate fret (as the music notation indicates). It is important to use the tip of your finger. Beginners find their fingers can be tender & occassionally are tempted to use the pads of their fingers. With time (and dedicated practice!) your fingertips will harden with calluses. It takes time, be patient. It is worth it.

From the last knuckle of your finger to the fingertip, arch your finger so it is pointing straight down into the string & fretboard. This will give you the most leverage & power. In addition, your fingertip should be right behind the fret you are playing. Don't place your fingertip on top of the fret! You will get a muted sound right on top of the fret. Also, don't place your finger too far behind the fret. In that case you won't get enough leverage & you will be making it too hard on yourself. Right behind the fret is the best location.

Your thumb should be placed directly opposite your fingers on the back of the neck. Your thumb should provide just enough pressure to keep your hand firmly in place on the neck and opposing pressure to help your fingers hold down any fretted notes.

Other things to consider are string height & string guage. It might be possible to lower the strings closer to the fretboard. This can make them easier to press down. This is called lowering the action. Also, a lighter, thinner guage of string can make it easier to play.

Any reputable music store should be able to handle this. But, don't just ask them to do it! Go to a local store, try several of the guitars. Ask them if they have a guitar with action & strings lower than yours. Then you can get an idea of what you might personally benefit from. If you decide to do it, take your guitar in & ask them what's best for you, ask them for their professional advice. If they adjust the action or change the strings try it out on the guitar before you leave. Don't just pay & walk out assuming it is better!

However, before any of this starts to get out of hand, you need to remember first and foremost to practice! The finger strength and dexterity necessary to play guitar is primarily built as you practice.
[QUOTE=Ducches]My nails are cut pretty short for work, so its not that.

Fair enough, but how short is "pretty short"? Nails on the fretting hand need to be short enough to completely avoid interferring with your finger getting the most leverage possible on the string. Otherwise, you might be fighting a losing battle.

I wish you & your daughter the very best of success learning the guitar. Let us know how it goes!

Hi Duchess and daughter,
Welcome to GT..
You say "playing the Notes" Assuming you mean working on scales not chords.. It would be a little more help if you were specific of what you are trying to do. We can not see you..
You say your finger nails are Pretty Short.. I would say mine are Extremely Short.. And they need trimming. To me, if I can pick up a pick from a flat surface, they are too long.
How are your calluses..? If they are still soft your flesh tends to suround the string and dampen the vibration. For a mental vision, compare a cotton ball to a ping pong ball.
What section and lesson of fundementals are you working on..?
Knowing this could help us zero in on where your problem is occurring.
I think it's great that your daughter is learning with you and your family is supportive..
Have agreat day and keep on picking
Gordon

I'm new here, too. But I've been playing guitar for more years than I care to admit. I started out playing the accordian when I was a kid and I taught myself how to play guitar with the help of a friend and a chord chart. I wish I had a tool like this site back then!

You may need to build up some calluses on your fingertips, which is a really important thing for acoustic guitarists. Also, make sure the action (height between the string and the fret board) isn't uncomfortably high. You'll probably need a guitar repairperson to lower the action for you. Be careful, though - too low and you could get buzzing sounds if the strings vibrate against other frets. Thinner gauge strings might help too. It may even take some time to build up some hand strength - there really is a difference between fretting a string and pressing down on a piano (or accordian!) key.

Bottom line is keep at it - like anything else, you're going to get it with practice.

Thanks to everyone for the advice! Right now, my daughter and I are are working on the core lessons part one. My nails are only about an eith of an inch long, but I discovered the other day that if I turn my first finger a certain way, I'm able to play the note clearly! After weeks of frustration, it's s big relief to be able to do that! We are also playing with some fingerpicking patterns, which makes practicing the chords more fun. When we get a little better, I will post a clip here. Thanks again, this site is awesome!!

Originally Posted by: Ducches... My nails are only about an eith of an inch long, but I discovered the other day that if I turn my first finger a certain way, I'm able to play the note clearly! ...

I'm glad you're seeing some improvement!

For myself, I have found that if I let my nails get longer than about 1/16", it interferes with my playing. I eventually got tired of constantly trimming them just short of making trouble for me, and now I keep them trimmed back as short as I can get them.

I hope that 'turning your finger a certain way' allows you to achieve what you want, but be prepared for the possibility that shorter nails may work better for you.