I have a deformed finger trying barre chords

Hi I am trying http://www.guitartricks.com/lesson.php?input=11222&s_id=432
but my little finger is deformed and if I try this it cant be done with the little finger
any tips

Maybe we should start a club for us deformed finger people who play guitar, just kidding. I suffered a industrial accident which tore up my ring finger on left hand enough I could not form cords. So my conclusion was to learn guitar again on a lefty. Its working but a slow process since I took a very long break, a decade or so, in between. Just a thought you might think about.
Good luck with your playing.

Hi gmixstudios,

That is a challenge! I'm trying to replicate that situation and the best thing I can think of is to remove your pinky from the fret board and use your 3rd finger instead, then mute the note your pinky was on with the flesh of your index finger.

You will loose a note in the chord and it won't sound exactly the same but it is a way around it if you have no other choice.

Who knows, you may end up creating your own chords.

This Guy created his own way of playing

Hi! I also have a deformed pinky that happened when I was stabbed by a psycho with an umbrella in C.B.G.B's in NYC in 1978. At that time in my life, I started bodybuilding and guitar lessons. Needless to say both were put on hold. The bodybuilding for about a year and the guitar for 32. I just bought a Gibson Les Paul Studio, and a Fender Blues Junior amp. My left pinky is permanently bent in an "L" position. I am working around this problem the best I can, but I'm having some difficulty with cords that need my pinky. We must keep a positive attitude and work around this issue. People that are blind play and lets not forget the drummer for Def Leppard. I have finally found brothers in arms (pinkys).

Johnny Binky

Hi, Johnny,
I emphatize with your problem! But, most importantly, I admire your positive thinking about it by trying to do whatever you can to overcome the problem. Truth is, we're on the same boat! I have a problem with my left Index finger and we know how important that finger is to learn to play the guitar. It's crooked and I am having the utmost difficulty fretting F major and B major chords. And that's only the beginning because I wonder how I would be able to do the "barre chords"
However, I remember someone said: "If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else". That said, I also remember another person saying: "You must do the thing you think you cannot do". So, like you, I am having a positive thinking that however, difficult it is, I will try my best to get around with my difficulty.
In addition to Def Leppard's drummer who overcome his difficulty, let's not forget about Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder. They're both blind but their musical talents and contributions to the music world is unmatched. Ray learned to play piano, etc., and earned millions of dollars as a singer songwriter. Stevie also learned to play piano, write songs and sing, thus making millions of dollars.
But our goal is not like theirs! We just would like to learn how to play the guitar and enjoy life as it is meant to be, right?
Happy guitar playing!!!

I have a crooked pinky and it caused me trouble when I first started out. I overcame this problem because I was determined to learn how to play guitar. Concentrate on fixing the problem. It may take some time but don't give up and keep trying!

I knew a guy in Toledo Ohio, that had been shot in his left hand. He did go on to learn to play as a lefty, but he had a technique as a righty that was very good. he learned to play using his thumb,index finger, and pinky. He was very good, and played well that way.

Atta boy, Dan! Atta boy!!
That should be the kind of attitude that we should all have -- to all of us, who have some kind of problems with our fingers!
Just remember the old adage: "If there is a will, there is a way1"
That's what you did, Dan and look what hapened! Through persistent trying, you did it!!!!
Happy guitar playing!!!

To GMXStudios,
I clicked the site you provided and I understand your problem!
I, myself has a problem, not with my little finger, but with my Index finger. The same finger we will use to barre chords. Now, try this solution!
Use a CAPO, so instead of using your Index finger to barre the chords, you can use that Index finger to fret and free your little finger that you're having difficult using or cannot use. Good enough?
The only problem in using CAPO is if you want to navigate from fret to fret, meaning up and down the fretboard using the barre chords. You will keep on placing and removing the CAPO, from one fret to another. But, at least, you can play and solve your problem with your little finger, right?
Same suggestion with all you guys, like me, who have problem with a finger!
Use the CAPO so you can use a finger to substitute the finger that you are having difficulty using or cannot use.
Hope this suggestion will help!!!
Keep on playing!!!

Well its been 5 months since Ii started to try and play guitar and I have learned a so far. I have posted today to see how all the other people that have deformed { what ever } are progressing with there playing. In 5 months I have aquired 8 guitars and play 2 to 3 hours a day. Still having trouble with barre chords and just trying to remember every thing you learn is a chore. I have been focusing on the blues and a lot of soloing. This site in addition to other material is the main reason for progress Hope every one in this situation is doing fine. This is such a possitive addiction.

I have a friend with Focal Dystonia, which means that his left hand does not work very well, and it hurts him to do anything with the left side of his body at all, including typing. He has become a left-handed player and has developed a great legato technique to make up for his lagging left hand.

My advice would be to play to your strengths because you can end up being much better than anyone else at one particular thing. Like Django, he only had two fingers so he used all sorts of crazy techniques that played off of his strengths with those fingers, and he invented all sorts of completely awesome stuff because he ended up using his two fingers in ways that nobody ever thought possible.

Thanks for the positive feed back. Today on aol. there is an article and video about a man from Minn. that has dystonia and has changed from playing right handed to left. It has taken him 6 long years to accomplish this feat and is now playing on stage again. The mans name is Bill McLaughlin There are 300,000 cases in the U.S.A of dystonia.

I hear you all and I join you. I have arthritis in my hands and in particular my left index finger is twisted and has spurs on it. I can't close the finger enough to play a cord.[br]I have searched everywhere for suggestions on how to get around this critical limitation. Other than having a positive attitude not gotten much else. I thought of ordering a Sager Parlor size guitar but can't see that as a way around the issue without some new method or technique.

Any suggestions are welcome.

Mike

How long have you been playing? If you haven't been playing long, it's not at all unusual to notice muscles that take time to develop. Careful, consistent and continued practice will get you there.

Three things:

If the nut is too high, low position barre chords will be much harder than they have to be. As a test, pop a capo on the first fret and play a low position barre chord. If it's a lot easier than without the capo, the nut is probably too high and there might be benefit from a setup. The nut adjustment is the easiest to screw up, Sarkari Result Pnr Status 192.168.1.1 so it's best to have a pro deal with that.[br]Be sure your hand position is correct. Your guitar looks like a nylon string model, ie a classical. Have a look at the fundamentals of classical technique. It has been developed over a long period of time and works well. Your thumb looks like it might be a bit far from under you index finger, which pivots the hand, and reduces the effect of the muscles and tendons.[br]Use the least amount of strength required. Do not crush the strings. If you have to, either the guitar is incorrectly set up or your hand position is wrong.