Originally Posted by: cheaviag

Originally Posted by: brandon.c.mchenry

Hi all

I am 49 and just bought a Fender Squier package to get started. Never played before but I want to learn badly. I realize patience and form is key for any discipline but sometimes I get really frustrated with myself. I have very short, fat fingers and find myself in a lot of uncomfortable positions trying to reach strings and not mute nearby strings as I practice. Please tell me this is a normal muscular issue and my tendons and muscles will learn to stretch properly as I continue to practice :) I suspect as much but beginning to feel like I am never going to be able to bend my wrist and place my fingers correctly.

Going to keep at it regardless, I am really want to learn and be able to play for my own fun.

Brandon

I'm 61 and just started as well about 2 weeks ago, trying to get a clean note on the second string on the simple E minor is a pain in the arse.. (and finger tips!) What i've found is that by slowing myself right down, placing my finger on the 3rd string first fret and then strum EACH string to make sure i have a clean note on the third string AND the second string helps, I then lift the finger, and put it back down again and repeat the process. It's all form and flexibility but it's bloody hard to start with. At the moment I can manage about 30 minutes a session due to finger tip pain not counting finger stretching exercises (see you tube) and the spider stretching one that Lisa teaches. My only advice, is to slow right down until you get each lesson down pat at a smooth pace and in time mistake free before moving on to the next lesson, I also go back over earlier chords as well just to try to develop that muscle memory.. but i'm hoping for calluses to form real quick (and please make the calluse thin and tall to offset what i feel is fat fingers but in reallity is just poor form)

Simple E minor is now a lot easier and the finger tip pain has gone, easier to get everything where i want it to go in the majority of cases now without looking.. practice is the key to teaching your hands to work together and teaching your fingers where the strings live.. when i posted the above it was damned near impossible to get it right, and now it's about 90~95% of the time it comes out clean.