A Few Pointers For Guitarists With Small Hands
Ever had a problem playing guitar with hands that are smaller than average? No matter how hard you practice, you don't seem to get it right. Maybe you've even taken some Houston guitar lessons, and you're getting discouraged. The good news is that you're not alone.
A guitar is a fantastic instrument. However, being able to play guitar is often a challenge for people with small hands. While it's not impossible, there are a few pointers that you can follow to increase the likelihood of achieving success on guitar. This article provides strategies guitarists with small hands can use to sharpen their skills and improve their sound despite their hand size.
Make Sure To Set Up Your Guitar
Making sure to do a proper setup of your guitar will go a long way to make the sound come out better. This is especially important if it's a new guitar. A new guitar may have poorly seated nuts, high actions, and bad intonations, making it more difficult to play.
To be on the safe side, the best thing to do when setting up a guitar is to hire a professional. They have the tools and expertise needed to lower the string action or adjust the neck.
Try to Stretch Before You Play
A lot of new guitar players don't know the importance of stretching before they start playing their guitar. This is super important if you have small hands, as it will help improve the nerves in these areas and increase blood flow there. Just like athletes, stretching helps your fingers become more flexible.
Additionally, not stretching out before playing can also lead to injury and pain in your hands.
You Should Try Using a Capo
Using a capo can make a big difference in your guitar play. Although experienced players mostly use it, Capos are great for beginners, especially those with small hands. It allows you to play more fretting hand chords and scales without having to stretch too far across the neck.
Furthermore, they also help you play some songs more easily by allowing you to move notes up into higher registers without stretching your fingers out further than they need to go.
Don't Under-Utilize Your Pinky Finger
The pinky finger, although a super useful guitar tool, is the least used finger by guitar players.
If you have a small hand, you really need to focus more on using your pinky fingers. It should be one of your most used fingers for playing chords.
Consider the Scale Length and Neck Shape
The scale length of your guitar is the distance from the nut to the bridge. If you have small hands, you will want to go with a shorter scale length. This is because the shorter the scale, the easier it will be to reach high notes and play fast. The neck shape is also important for small-handed guitarists because it affects playing action, which in turn affects your ability to press down on spongy strings with less effort.
While different neck profiles are described with letters like "U," "C", and "D," If you have small hands, a "C" shaped neck is best suited to your needs.
Use lighter gauge strings
When it comes to guitar strings, you will find many options in the market. However, if you find it hard to fret notes due to small hands, then you should consider going for lighter string gauges. Although your guitar may sound less full, you will find it easier to play. With time, you can try out thicker or medium gauge strings.
Try a 3/4 Size Guitar
Unknown to many, you need to choose the size of your guitar based on the size of your hands. Choosing a guitar size that is too big for your hands may be tempting, but it is not a good idea. It will surely limit your playing ability. Players with small hands should try the 3/4 size guitar. These guitars are much easier to handle and cheaper than full-sized guitars.
Keep Practicing
Irrespective of the size of your hands, you need to cultivate the habit of practicing daily. You can't just play the guitar once in a while and expect to become an excellent guitarist. The only way to get better is to practice. It would be best if you also tried to play as many songs as possible so you can learn new techniques that will help your playing become better. It's okay to start slowly, especially if you're a beginner and your hands are small. You can start with chords and simple songs and work your way up to more complex material as soon as possible. You'll find that the more you practice, the easier it becomes to play.
Don’t Give Up
The fact that you’re reading this article shows you’re making efforts to make your guitar playing easier and more enjoyable. So keep at it and don't give up.
Is Guitar Easier with Bigger Hands?
The first thing you need to know is that many factors determine how easy playing the guitar is, and they all interact in complex ways. While having a large hand may have certain advantages, it doesn't guarantee your ability to play well.
If you have small hands and can follow certain strategies, you may be able to play better than a person with larger hands. Therefore, more than the size of your hands, your skills and ability to follow instructions will determine how well you play.
In summary, if you're a guitarist with small hands, it doesn't mean that you're doomed to play like a noob. While it will take some extra effort, if you follow the guidelines presented above, you'll be on your way to a much more comfortable and enjoyable guitar experience. If you are interested in learning more about how to play guitar effectively despite having a small hand, you don't need to stress much; visit; https://www.cyfairmusicandarts.com/guitar-lessons-houston-cypress.
Name, Address, and Phone
Cy Fair Music & Arts,
7103 Glen Chase Ct.,
Houston, TX 77095,
(281) 855-8855
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