[Guitar Guide] Fingers Can’t Reach Despite Stretching! Tips and Tricks for When You’ve Got A Minute

Hello, Conservario here.
There are various chords and phrases on the guitar, but along with barré chords, there are chords that include notes with stretches are the ones that many people have difficulty with.
Are there any of you who have given up on them, thinking that it's no wonder why you can't play them because you have short fingers?
Wait a minute, it's not too early to give up.
If you follow these tips that I am going to show you now, most of you will be able to play music that includes stretching.
Stretching has a positive effect on both phrasing and chords, so you should definitely master it.

There are two ways.

• ① Don't clench your thumb.
• ② Don’t hold your thumb with too much pressure.

I will explain each of these two methods.

① Don’t clench your thumb!

It means exactly what it says.
For example, when you play a C chord, do you hold your thumb out from the top so that it touches the 6th string?

This form is correct when playing a C chord.
If you keep using your thumb to touch the 6th string this way, the 6th string will naturally be muted.
It’s safe to hold down all the strings when you play a stroke, so your playing will be more stable.
However, if you try it, you will find that if you grip the neck like this with your thumb, your fingers will not open sideways.
It ‘s impossible to reach the 5th fret with your pinky even if you try.
But, what if you hold it like this on the back side of the neck without gripping the thumb?

It’s considerably easier to stretch to open your hand.
This form is called the classical form.
It’s called that because it is the standard position for playing classical guitar.
By the way, the first form, in which the thumb grips the neck, is called the rock form.
It is called so because many rock guitarists and rock phrases are held this way.
The classic form is to hold the thumb in the middle of the back of the neck.
You can move it up or down slightly depending on your playing and hand size.
Find a position that you are comfortable with as you fine-tune the position.
In classical form, try to hold the first fret of the first string with the index finger, the third fret of the first string with the second finger, and the fifth fret of the first string with the pinky finger.
If you can do this, you should be able to play any phrase or chord that involves stretching.
If you are not able to do this, practice gradually spreading your fingers horizontally without straining.
At first, it’s okay if you can only reach the 3rd and 4th frets with your pinky.
If you play with the intention of spreading them out every day, they will gradually open up, so you don't need to rush it and just keep practicing.

② Don't put grip the thumb too much.

The thumb is the key to the second method as well.
There is something I want you to try here, so please do it as you read the text.
First, put your open left hand out in front of you.
Put a lot of pressure on your thumb only.
In normal daily life or in performance, you would never put this much force on the thumb alone, but please do your best.
Even if you touch it with your right hand, your thumb should not move.

Have you made it this far?
Now, try to move the fingers of your left hand except the thumb.
......It’s quite difficult to move them, right?
Yes, if the thumb is locked, all the other fingers will not be able to move as well.
Do you find your thumb bothersome when you try to stretch out your other fingers?
There are so many people who don't think about their thumbs at all.
Don't put unnecessary force on your thumb! I know you don't understand the importance of this when I just say it, but now you know.
In both classical and rock form, don't put unnecessary force on your thumb.
Ideally, your thumb should be lightly touching the neck.
I know a number of professionals who play with their thumbs almost completely untouched by the neck.
Please make sure that you can use both ①and ②.

■ To summarize

I have introduced some hand stretching tips.
By the way, I don’t have long fingers.
They are rather short.
So I used to think that I wasn't good at phrases that required some finger stretching, or that no matter how much I practiced, I would never be able to do it....
But that wasn't true.
I can play both normal and technical songs with some stretching without any problem now.
Also, one of the advantages of the guitar is a technique called tapping.
This is a technique where you tap the frets with your right hand to produce a sound.
With this, you can play notes with stretching without opening your fingers at all.
It is also super easy to alternate between playing the 1st fret of the 6th string and the 22nd fret of the 1st string.
You don't have to worry about short fingers at all when playing the guitar.
If you can use tapping and you are able to stretch, you can play any song.
Please add exercises that include stretching into your daily practice.
Your fingers will definitely open up more easily.
Don't overdo it, but also don't be in a hurry.
Thank you for reading to the end.

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