Looking for advice from others who have physical limitations like smaller hands that hinder their ability to do certain things with the guitar like long pinky stretches and how they get around this. I also have a form of arthritis that inhibits some movement. Just wondering how others work around this.
There are plenty of guitarists who have small hands. A buddy of mine plays bass (34 inch scale) - he has very small hands and he has played professionally for years. If you Google "guitar players with small hands", you'll find that a several famous guitarists have small hands. So it can be done Some ideas: You may have trouble playing some chords, but you can simplify chords so you need fewer notes. You may also need to move differently. Moving your shoulder, or elbow, may be "bad technique" but it may work for you. Playing higher on the neck may help because you don't need to stretch as much - you can use a capo to play in any key. You may need to get creative so your playing adapts to your physical differences. You can also play a smaller guitar, but that costs money. I have a 3/4 size guitar and it's a blast to play. For inspiration, listen to Django Reinhardt play. He only had the use of 2 fingers on his left hand. As a result he had a unique style, and he is a legendary guitarist. Also. playing slide guitar is a blast and doesn't require as much dexterity or as much stretching. You may have to get creative with your playing style, but I'm confident you can learn. These are just some rambling ideas off the top of my head, but you can learn to play. Your playing style will probably not be like anyone else's, and that would be a great thing! I really hope this helps. Slightly off topic - my brother was born with a severe disability and went to medical school. So I really care about helping people with limitations achieve their goals. Carve your own path and never give up. I really hope some of this is helpful. Best wishes!
