Skinny fingers and bar chords

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DavidT

Posts: 181
Joined: Mar. 17 2005
From: Seattle, Washington, USA

Skinny fingers and bar chords

Hola,

I have skinny fingers and I find that I have the dis-advantages when applying barred chords. My skinny bone index finger would not provide capo-like bar very well because that fact it does not have enough pad [meat] to work as a capo. I have to train it by manuevering the finger musles properly to avoid string buzzes.

Any one have the same issues? and how do you adapt it?

Gracias

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Dave

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 8 2006 18:50:38

Ron.M

Posts: 7051
Joined: Jul. 7 2003
From: Scotland

RE: Skinny fingers and bar chords (in reply to DavidT)

Rasgueo,
Eat more pizzas and MacDonalds..

(Have you seen "Supersize Me"?)
Actually I have pretty skinny fingers too.
Try adjusting by turning the index finger slightly anticlockwise, sometimes you can get a better barre that way.
Also you've got to think it through..
It's rare that you have to barre every single string!!
So concentrate on the ones that need to be held down and adjust any way you can.
Some shapes are more difficult than others.
Anytime I have an opportunity to double up my "m" finger on the "i" I use it..
Why not..

cheers

Ron

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 8 2006 19:39:34

XXX

Posts: 4400
Joined: Apr. 14 2005

RE: Skinny fingers and bar chords (in reply to DavidT)

Hard to imagine a finger that skinny. I cannot think that its the skinniness.

Ron already mentioned that you can also exclude strings from the barree, especially on the first 5 frets.
On higher frets it is more comfortable for my hand to do the full barre. You have to find out which works better for you.

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Фламенко

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 8 2006 20:03:48

Miguel de Maria

Posts: 3532
Joined: Oct. 20 2003
From: Phoenix, AZ

RE: Skinny fingers and bar chords (in reply to DavidT)

Maybe you should join Ron and get some Scottish food. Apparently the Scottish diet is one of the worst in the world for heart attacks (probably second to the US). I read that a recent Scottish addition to world cuisine is Mars bars, battered and deep fried.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 8 2006 20:22:01

rick

Posts: 56
Joined: Oct. 20 2003

RE: Skinny fingers and bar chords (in reply to DavidT)

it doesnt matter if yr fingers are skinny or fat. there are great players with both. some if it is learning the placement that you need adn the various pressures to play whatever is required. it is a journey. If you play bar chords like in rock and attempt the same pressures in a piece like capricho you will find it unsatisfactory. sometimes you can adapt to what other player who is successful is doing, and sometimes you just have to try various sublte changes and pressures to be able to pull it off. not the most satisfactory answer, but the best I can give. my classical teacher who is awesome has extremely delicate long bony fingers, I was in awe of him until I realized that it has nothing to do with guitar playing. he has innate talent which I dont, but with a litte practice and sublteness it can be achieved. remember you are working on fine motor skills and direct pressure, power, has little to do with it.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 8 2006 20:50:38

Ron.M

Posts: 7051
Joined: Jul. 7 2003
From: Scotland

RE: Skinny fingers and bar chords (in reply to Miguel de Maria)

quote:

I read that a recent Scottish addition to world cuisine is Mars bars, battered and deep fried.

...and deep fried Pizzas, another traditional junk food delicasy, washed down with Irn Bru.

(At least we have the good taste not to put salt and vinegar on the Mars bars.)

Ron

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 9 2006 8:17:53

Jon Boyes

Posts: 1377
Joined: Jul. 10 2003

RE: Skinny fingers and bar chords (in reply to DavidT)

quote:

ORIGINAL: rasgueo
I have skinny fingers and I find that I have the dis-advantages when applying barred chords.

It's not really relevant Dave, barring is purely about technique. Students with big fleshy fingers could also say (and do..) that they have too much flesh and lack a bony hard surface with which to do barres, they would say that your physiology gives you an advantage.

There are some amazing young chinese girls with tiny hands/fingers out there who have no problem playing virtuouso classical guitar repertoire stuffed full of barres and awkward fingerings (Wang Yameng springs to mind, she was about 16 whe she hit the world stage IIRC).

Take a look at Pumping nylon for some good advice on barre technique. Ron and Rick mention some stuff, you can also use your arm weight, turn the finger onto its (flatter) edge and a bunch of other little tweaks as well.

Good luck.

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Spanish Guitarist in Devon, Cornwall and Somerset

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 9 2006 8:57:07

henrym3483

Posts: 1584
Joined: Nov. 13 2005
From: Limerick,Ireland

RE: Skinny fingers and bar chords (in reply to Jon Boyes)

my reply is to get a grip master and do the exercise for barre chordes for 3wks every night for 5mins and it'll sort the barre finger out no problem.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 9 2006 17:26:09

Ron.M

Posts: 7051
Joined: Jul. 7 2003
From: Scotland

RE: Skinny fingers and bar chords (in reply to henrym3483)

Henry..why not just practise guitar?
I'm a kinda "direct" guy...you know I don't think these "roundabout" methods really work myself...a lot of it is like skin cream adverts or hair restorer, Lourdes etc.
I tend to think of it as "The Snake Oil Approach"!

That's the job that needs to be done..you know it..now do it!...

That's how I tend to approach things myself.
I don't think ToddK has ever used any "non-guitar" aids to help his playing...
So that's a pretty good advert also..

cheers

Ron

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 9 2006 19:45:52

XXX

Posts: 4400
Joined: Apr. 14 2005

RE: Skinny fingers and bar chords (in reply to DavidT)

Do you mean with grip master something like this: http://www.fitnessworld-muenchen.de/onlineshop/d_TZU_003_Bremshey___Maxi_Grip549.htm ?

Well I used it and it helped me.
But you know the words: its not about the muscles, its not about the size

, it is about coordination. So start practising, practising, practising...

Ron you are right there, but its wrong to compare anyone with guys like Todd, etc... they are guitarmaniacs in the positive way, having started playing with 10 and practising alot.
You cannot expect that from a "normal" person. Hope this doesnt come off offensive, know what I mean?

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 9 2006 20:15:12

seanm

Posts: 169
Joined: Apr. 5 2005
From: Halifax, Nova Scotia

RE: Skinny fingers and bar chords (in reply to DavidT)

This reminds me of the 'string tension' thread. I have to ask what muscles would you be developing with a grip master that will make one's bar chords better? Because, after discussing the whole 'build up your hand muscles' thing in the other thread, I went back and to check my own technique. I've always maintained that you do not need muscle strength to play a bar chord (or almost any other normal guitar technique). So I did an exercise I used to do and that was to play a entire piece without using my left hand thumb. Not a recommended performance techique but I could do with out much trouble. The strength is in the weight of the arm and comes all the way down from the shoulder. Think about how a cellist plays .. they rarely use the thumb on the back of the neck. I realise we hold the instrument differently but the concept of using you arm weight is well known ... same in piano. I really think if someone goes about building up hand strength without realizing that your arm should be doing all the work will simply end up with the same problems, tense, tired hands squeezing too hard and will still be unaware of leveraging more than just finger muscles to play. Whew! Kinda ranted there .. sorry.

Sean

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 9 2006 20:28:54

henrym3483

Posts: 1584
Joined: Nov. 13 2005
From: Limerick,Ireland

RE: Skinny fingers and bar chords (in reply to seanm)

deniz,

its one of these babys they have differing tensions, the black being the hardest tension.

ron,
i whipped my barre chord problem after 3wks practice with this baby, i would'nt recommend it if it wasnt good, because simply put it isolates the finger muscles and sinews needed for the tech and you dont get bummed off as much while practicing cause your index dont have the power nor the endurance to keep up.

i have the thing the whole time in my pocket, 5mins here and there each day really has helped my finger interdependance and speed.its a great device.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 10 2006 15:41:27

seanm

Posts: 169
Joined: Apr. 5 2005
From: Halifax, Nova Scotia

RE: Skinny fingers and bar chords (in reply to DavidT)

Cool. I didn't realize how guitar specific it was. I like how it isolates the fingers from the use of the thumb by sitting so low in the hand.

Sean

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 10 2006 15:52:39

John O.

Posts: 1723
Joined: Dec. 16 2005
From: Seeheim-Jugenheim, Germany

RE: Skinny fingers and bar chords (in reply to DavidT)

Skinny is better, trust me! Canizares has fingers that look like nothing but skin and bones, I'm amazed at the chords he can play and the agility of his left hand.

Two important things you have to keep in mind are 1) holding the bar chords at the very front just behind the fret piece and 2) getting the knuckle in the right place so that the 2nd and 3rd strings are covered. Eventually you'll find it has less to do with strength, more with tension.

John

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 11 2006 12:05:46

Francisco

Posts: 879
Joined: Jun. 13 2005
From: SW USA

RE: Skinny fingers and bar chords (in reply to DavidT)

Wow, I haven't seen one of those in years. I bought one when I was about 16, and used it quite a bit. Can't quite remember if it made a difference, but it stayed with me for a long time. When my wife came across it for the first time, her curiosity was peaked. I won't mention what she initially thought it was for.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 11 2006 12:29:19

XXX

Posts: 4400
Joined: Apr. 14 2005

RE: Skinny fingers and bar chords (in reply to Francisco)

quote:

ORIGINAL: samwise
I won't mention what she initially thought it was for.

Ahahaha.... what did she thought

?

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Фламенко

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 11 2006 13:52:17

photog

Posts: 24
Joined: Feb. 19 2004

RE: Skinny fingers and bar chords (in reply to XXX)

I read somewhere of a Flamenco guitarist having the top of one of his fingers missing, yet could still play. I think if you really want to play you adapt to what you've been given.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 11 2006 17:03:32