I'm just starting to learn how to play the guitar, it's an acoustic!?

Question

It's pretty hard especially since i have small hands and fingers, it's hard to stretch them does anyone have any good pointers for me or know of any good websites to help me in all areas of the guitar any info or comments would be great thanks.

Answer 1

Gees, no one told you about small scale guitars! Well, the guitargadfly is here, so no worries.
There are an entire class of guitars meant for small hand and for women. They have various names such as :Parlor guitar, folk guitar,OOO, etc. What you DO NOT want is one of those giant dreadnought guitars like you see so many people playing. Way too big, and I'll just bet you have one now, and are lost behind it. I've had many women come to me for lessons with these monstrosities, and they're SO happy to get rid of them and get one made for small hands .
You need something like this
http://johnsongtr.themusiclink.net/Herringbone-000.153.0.html
affordable one !
or this
http://austingtr.com/products.php?CatID=5&PageID=36 - NICE guitars for the money.
Good luck!

Answer 2

I agree with the taking lessons. I started guitar trying to teach myself from online videos. They can show you how to play, but not teach you how. I highly recommend lessons, even for just a few months if you can't afford it so you get off on the right foot with the best techniques. However, before you go to lessons, and I wish I would have done this...maybe learn most of your basic chord shapes. I spend a lot of time with my instructor on those and I could have done it myself. Basic Ones would be: G C A Amin Asus E Emin D Dmin and maybe Bmin You could also look at the simpler bar chords that can come in handy. This can all be found in a book. My lesson book is a tab book..it has everything in the back and my teacher writes in everything for me, lets me choose the songs I want, its great. Don't worry about tab, memorizing scales, keys, modes, ect. Your teacher can help you with those, as some are hard to find on the neck. Good luck, and don't give up! It can be very frustrating just trying to get a good sound at first, but always come back, it is doable, and a lot of fun, i am very glad I chose to pick up the guitar. You can never stop learning....

Answer 3

Get a metronome. Play the major scale for every key all over the fretboard. Play slow. It's boring I know but if you do this one thing you'll improve as a guitar player big time. Take it in small chunks. Start with C Major. Then play a diatonic C scale. Then change the f to a f# sharp to go for a G scale... etc. Practice this everyday before playing a song. Play everyday as guitar playing requires physical dexterity and coordination of left and right hands. The metronome will help you learn to keep time which is very important if you ever play with a band.

Answer 4

Finger exercises are the best way to increase dexterity and strength in your fingers, they will grow with time. A smaller guitar form is another good idea, as you can get a beginner classical guitar for under $100 in most music shops in North America. For finger exercises, chromatic scales are a great exercise. Play on each string, in order, open, 1st fret (with first finger) 2nd fret with second finger, 3rd with 3rd finger, and fourth with your pinky. (left hand). Do these kind of exercises every day to warm up, your dexterity and strength will improve drastically. Make up variations/patterns with all exercises so that you do not get bored. Even though your hands are small, exercises for the left hand will make a big difference in being able to get clear tones consistantly.

Answer 5

Find the chords to a song you like and play along with the cd. I played for 5 years and barely improved at all and then within a few months of playing along with cd's I was probably 3 times better. It will be frustrating, but it will help a lot.

As far as stretching, I will use my picking hand to push apart the fingers on my fretting hand, both left to right and front to back. It hurts a little -- especially at first -- but it's given me at least a few more frets worth of range.

Answer 6

Try this book. I used it for a class I was taking. It has about two years worth of exercises that work on music reading, dexterity and technique. I didn't have the CD so I don't know what's on it. The one failing of the book is that the focus is purely on classical guitar and doesn't do anything with reading chord tabs at all.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0825694000/sr=1-57/qid=1155848799/ref=sr_1_57/102-5904959-2132113?ie=UTF8&s=books

Answer 7

I would recomend taking indvidual lessons, for me at least it maakes it A LOT easier than trying from websites or videos. Also maybe subscribe to GuitarPlayer magazine which has a ton of pratices for begginers and advanced guitarists. But sure to learn all techniques to playing which well make you a well rounded musician.

Answer 8

I learned to play by going to a music store and watched other people play. I learned the basic`s and then I see somebody play something at the store and go home and play it. Free music lessons!!

Answer 9

just keep practicing every day and you're hands will get flexible

look up guitar scales on google
be sure to learn the blues scale if you want to rock

Answer 10

I have the same problem. I take lessons and I'm getting better. You should try taking lessons and PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE! Oh and if you wanna learn to play like your favorite band/artist, go to http://www.ultimate-guitar.com
They also have a few pointers.