Hi again Jason,

So, I’m guessing from the picture that it is your index (first) finger that is slow to come in for a landing due to range of motion issues? Am I right on that?

if that is the case, I would set up a specialized little training exercise for your hand, in which you would place the slow finger into proper position for the C chord, all by itself, over and over.

Watch it with your eyes, watch the spot you are headed for on the neck of the guitar, and see if you can just let that finger succeed in finding that particular spot, very slowly, taking all the time it needs, over and over. The key word is SLOW. And repetitive. You are focusing on this ONE LITTLE MICRO-SKILL while you are doing this exercise, and nothing else.

There is no such thing as failing at it. It is simply a training exercise. Sometimes you’ll hit it well, other times it will be off kilter. All normal. No judgement allowed - just do, and observe.

In this way, you are creating a new neural pathway for that finger which has sustained an injury, and may feel it has ‘forgotten’ or ‘lost’ the ability to do certain things. Old comfortable neural pathways were disrupted by the injury and recovery, and now you can build some new ones!

I’d add this meditative exercise into your practice time every day if you can. Five minutes or so.

Ultimately, down the line, we hope that the slow finger will have learned some new nuances of angle, loosen up or stretch muscular impediments just a bit, learned to suspend any doubt or hesitation that is slowing it down, and it can bravely lead off the formation of a regular Open C chord, trusting that the other fingers in that chord are going to meet it and fall into place.

All my my best wishes to you and all your fine fingers, Lisa