finger problem

Hi everyone. I just started with first few lessons. But I think my finger tips are too big, or chubby for the strings. no matter how much I try, my fingers still interrupt other strings unwantedly. I tried so much that I got wrist ache. lol. any thoughts? anyone else having this problem? because honestly I don't think that one of the requirements for learning guitar is to be skinny LOL

Hi Alex

Most of us fumble with fingering in the very early days, some more frustratingly than others..

Finger (hand) image? e.g. example here. For a self perception ("I think") vs meaningful objective concensus (we can see it = true/false) perception check. Post it on Imgur or Flickr with a hotlink here if you don't want to post it here.

Larger bony hands with long "skinny" fingers aren't prerequisite to play, but there's a reason there are so many lanky ectomorphs among the numbers of prominent great guitarists.

Those with them can say it doesn't matter, but it does. Characteristic ecto attributes of length and accompanying flexibility do make fretting it easier. As with any other activity, physical attributes matter.

OK hyperbole to make the point, but can you imagine someone the size, weight and shape of a sumo wrestler trying to ascend Mont Ventoux in the Tour de France? How do you think they'd go? i.e. I can swim, but wouldn't stand a snowball's chance in hell of swimming laps like Ian Thorpe with his 6' 5", flipper sized feet and surf ski paddle sized hands no matter how hard or long I trained.

As I say it's probably just fumble fingers getting in the way, but then, we do come in different shapes and sizes.

Alex, im so glad you asked this question. Im having the SAME problem! Fat fingers touching more than 1 string at a time. Im BRAND NEW and dont know what to do. Am I not built right to play the guitar?? Put my fingers on a diet? Have them surgically made slimmer?

HELP! Real as vice for a couple of sausage fingered newbees!

I don't enjoy slim fingers nor an ectomorphic body tending to flexibility and length. Here are some of my observations. Keep your nails trimmed short for a start. Fretting, fleshy tips compress in comparison to boney. When they do, if your nails aren't short, the nail will strike the fingerboard so the string isn't fretted well and its note may not ring true. This may also incite beginners to use excessive pressure fretting which in turn slows you down which coincidentially may increase any perceived pain or tip soreness associated with the activity when new.

Greater attention to form is required. In particular, perpedicularity of fingers to the strings so they don't foul adjacent strings unless intentionally muting or irrelevant. This also translates to greater diligence with arm and palm positioning, thumb placement for optimal facilitation of -usually, shorter fingers with shorter less flexilble intervals between joints. All goes with the genetic build. Short of a potential bionic hand transplant sometime post circa 2400AD, the general rule currently is observe, recognise, adapt.

Flexibility exercises. Although more challenging for those who aren't endowed with that characteristic genetically, they become even more important. And of course, the obvious, if 'sausage fingers' are compounded by obesity or disease associated fluid retention, lose the fat or see a doc about the latter.

Lastly, equipment. All guitars aren't equal. Choose a guitar with string spacing, neck profile, scale length and of a size which advantages rather than disadvantages characteristics of your individual build.