fatty?

[guitarnoob]

Hi ive allways wanted to play the guitar so my new years resolution was to learn so yesterday went and brought guitar amp etc been watching mojos vids and im picking it up great but my fingers are to big keep catching strings when trying to do cords etc i work with my hands they are huge and battered is there anything i can do?
other than diet lmao
pls help

[469roadking]

Don't sweat it man....we all have those issues when we start out.
Proper left hand placement should help. Thumb at the center of the back of the neck and curl your finger so that the tips are pressing the notes and not the pads. Its a little uncomfortable at first but will be second nature before long.
Best of luck in your endeavors. I have played for 32 years now. Professionally for a time way back when. And this instrument has given me years of joy. Hope it does the same for you.

[Happy Jack]

Yep, we all had problems like that but you will get over them with a bit of practice

Good luck and enjoy yourself

[guitarnoob]

thanks for your advice ive tried curling round but still no joy. can you get wider necks or are they set?
as you can see from the pic my fingers massive lol

[Mojo]

Check out guys like Buddy Whittington and Red Volkaert on YouTube... you'll see that they're fairly hefty gentlemen, and that both are incredible pickers. Don't let it stop you!

To say nothing of my man and fellow Mainer Johnny Hiland...

[Mohikanas]

Jan 3, 2010 17:31:39 GMT -5 Mojo said:

Check out guys like Buddy Whittington and Red Volkaert on YouTube... you'll see that they're fairly hefty gentlemen, and that both are incredible pickers. Don't let it stop you!

To say nothing of my man and fellow Mainer Johnny Hiland...

Don't forget Andy Mckee, couse I mean he has some fat fingers lol ^^

Do not worry too much about it mate, you will solve this problem soon enaugh, just keep practicing

[guitarnoob]

right think im sorted bloke in shop said summat about setup of the guitar??? anyways next question is what can i do to work on my speed of chord changes? sorry to be a pain is there an easier wat to get from one cord to the next thanks

[Mohikanas]

Jan 4, 2010 15:40:28 GMT -5 guitarnoob said:

right think im sorted bloke in shop said summat about setup of the guitar??? anyways next question is what can i do to work on my speed of chord changes? sorry to be a pain is there an easier wat to get from one cord to the next thanks

While playing a chord think of a chord that you will play next, also choose what fingers you want to use for a chord so that you don't have to move your hand or fingers too much for the next chord, like for instance you are jumping from Am to C (you need to move only one finger there). But actually this will become easy and you will switch chords very nicelly once you are confortable with them. I'd try to read this mojocaster.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=guitdiscussions&action=display&thread=106 , just keep practicing and you'll be doing fine

[Happy Jack]

Jan 4, 2010 15:40:28 GMT -5 guitarnoob said:

right think im sorted bloke in shop said summat about setup of the guitar??? anyways next question is what can i do to work on my speed of chord changes? sorry to be a pain is there an easier wat to get from one cord to the next thanks

Set up of the guitar would only tend to bring the action lower ie the height of the strings from the fret board (amongst other things) that would help with pushing the strings down

Nothing easy with Guitar it is just loads of practice I am afraid

To help with chords

Lessons here

threechordguitar.com/vids.htm

I would start with E, A, D maj chords

Start really really slowly and concentrate on getting each chord clean. Play a chord and then take your hand right away from the fretboard and then bring it back and play the same chord again. You should start making the shape before you hit the fretboard.

Some teachers say to visualize the chord but it didn't work with me

Keep practicing it is all about finger strength and muscle memory

Once you can play a few chords E, A, D you need to practice changing between them but again really really slowly to start

Practice 1 minute chord changes

www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgY8hFf8cUo

Once you can change between E A and D you can play your first song - Try searching for a lesson on Wild Thing by The Troggs!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7kwIFt5Xsw&feature=related

Then learn C G and the dreaded F

Edited to say Mohi you beat me to it ;D

[Mohikanas]

Jan 4, 2010 16:09:48 GMT -5 Happy Jack said:

Set up of the guitar would only tend to bring the action lower ie the height of the strings from the fret board (amongst other things) that would help with pushing the strings down

Nothing easy with Guitar it is just loads of practice I am afraid

To help with chords

Lessons here

threechordguitar.com/vids.htm

I would start with E, A, D maj chords

Start really really slowly and concentrate on getting each chord clean. Play a chord and then take your hand right away from the fretboard and then bring it back and play the same chord again. You should start making the shape before you hit the fretboard.

Some teachers say to visualize the chord but it didn't work with me

Keep practicing it is all about finger strength and muscle memory

Once you can play a few chords E, A, D you need to practice changing between them but again really really slowly to start

Practice 1 minute chord changes

www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgY8hFf8cUo

Once you can change between E A and D you can play your first song - Try searching for a lesson on Wild Thing by The Troggs!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7kwIFt5Xsw&feature=related

Then learn C G and the dreaded F

Edited to say Mohi you beat me to it ;D

Whahaha I'm so fast and educational ;D actually your suggestions are more detailed, that should help our new friend start making his guitar crying in no time

[guitarnoob]

thanks for that murdering wild thing as we speak pmsl

[Mohikanas]

Jan 4, 2010 18:01:31 GMT -5 guitarnoob said:

thanks for that murdering wild thing as we speak pmsl

if you're on acoustic, that should make your fingers look destroyed ^^ good luck on that. We all had to breakthrough this chord switching stuff

[Happy Jack]

Jan 4, 2010 18:01:31 GMT -5 guitarnoob said:

thanks for that murdering wild thing as we speak pmsl

;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D You the man, you gonna be the next Hendrix- he started out by murdering Wild Thing



OK maybe he just played it differently ;D ;D ;D ;D

[verbosity]

LoL @ "the dreaded F"

I think its worth remembering that it is mostly muscle memory, as you keep practicing you end up thinking "G" and your fingers will do it for you. It must have been 3 months before I could get any sound that didn't sound totally dreadful.

[guitarnoob]

thankyou all for advice