Technical opinion.

[Rudolf Wagner]

That’s an interesting question and I can see why opinions on the topic would differ.
We have above-average long fingers (it was the first thing the midwife noticed when we were born 🙂 ) and while I think it helps with certain aspects of guitar playing I really don’t think it’s necessary to become a decent guitarist.

Take Django Reinhardt as you probably know … he played the fastest, grooviest Gypsy Jazz there ever was with only 3 functioning fingers. Joni Mitchell had polio as a child and couldn’t bend her fingers properly so she delved into the world of open tunings. One of the first live concerts we ever went to as young teenagers was James Brown, and we remember noticing the big funk guitarist with him who had really short fat fingers. 🙂 He was incredible! We were thinking “If he can play like THAT with those hands, surely we could master an F chord soon”.

I think every hand shape and size has its advantages and disadvantages, but these guys prove that you can make them all work for you. Due to my finger shape I still really struggle with strings on certain barre shapes not ringing out properly where I know people with stubbier, thicker fingers have an easier time with that. But I have a great reach which comes in handy for most lead playing.

I would say, find what playing style suits you best and work from there. Maybe skip the crazy chord shapes for now and improve your picking, speed and scales through regular practise. The more comfortable you become on the guitar overall, the easier it will get to unlock other techniques.

I hope that helped a little bit 🙂

[Jacki Hopper]

Good Q asked and enjoyed, Lisa’s reply, that was my new thing learned for today, Thankyou…

Lol, while yes, it is evident from the getgo that I noticed the extra long fingers that both Mona and Lisa were blessed with making playing guitar or any stringed instrument a tad more easier…

Whereas in my case, I was blessed with extraordinary tiny wee hands and short stubby kinda thin fingers and small wrist and short arms… And my reasoning for not being able to ever master the basics of guitar/uke properly is my inability to correlate in my brain the connection of what I see /read on how to do something, ie: learning basic guitar/uke chords and holding properly…. That is I can understand what I’m seeing/reading but when it comes to actual application… It won’t occur… For whatever reason, I cannot get the hang of it… It’s frustrating because I want to learn as I have a uke and have watched my 2nd oldest bro self teach himself guitar growing up, he even tried to teach me the basics, same result… He could see my frustration… (I think it ‘s also an attribute to my being born full term at 3 pounds 3 ounces (premature baby size), almost died, but survived, had to remain in hospital a month until I was 4-5 pounds to be able to come home)

I believe because of my birth size,  I was always going to have and still do coordination/balance/hand-eye issues, thus my correlation-connection coordination brain issues… So… I’ll just have to stick with tambourine and percussion type instruments?

[Darryl Boyd]

I often wish, after having watched an MLT video, that I had longer fingers.

I too have short fingers but manage OK on the guitar. I mostly play rhythm which I prefer, and which helps I’m sure, although I play a few solos here and there.

You’d think a small, thin neck would be preferable to someone with small fingers but my experience is the opposite. I find a neck on the chunkier side of things to be easier to play. Something that can help with reach is choosing a guitar with a shorter scale length to make stretching up the neck a bit easier.

There are many ways to play the same chord on the guitar so finding more comfortable chord positions can help too.

[Jacki Hopper]

That’s true Darryl, but I’ve tried… The only thing that would work is… The Dollar store kid toy plastic guitars, they’re more my size and I could have a chance to just maybe have success in finally learning to play the uke/guitar and rise above my issues above mentioned… If only, the real. guitar /ukes came in that size as they are in a toy/dollar store… Unless you met me in person, I’m telling you right now, my hands and fingers are extra ordinarily tiny, not your average size… Then again, I’m only 4’6-ish tall (a few inches under 5 feet tall)… Lol

[Jung Roe]

Oh wow, such an intriguing question Mike, and loved reading your answer there Lisa!  Interesting story about Joni Mitchell and her disability with Polio as a child and overcoming it to become a brilliant musician and song writer.  It sounds like a good dose of passion, will and desire is a big factor too by some of the examples cited here.  I am sure both you and Mona could give an invaluable master class in musicianship if you wanted to one day.

[Mike A]

Thanks for your insight and advice Lisa and Daryl. Now I just have to make time and sit down to practice. One day I’ll write a song titled “hurry up and procrastinate”. ???

[Michael Rife]

Interesting question.  Often after watching Lisa play guitar I have noticed that she can make some big stretches on the fret board.  Part of it, I think, is due to long fingers, but much of it is due to a lot of practice, I believe.

I have also heard that Joni uses open tuning……open E using a capo, I believe, but didn’t know it was due to polio. Also, early in his career Keith Richards started using an open G a lot.  Mike.