HELP! Fingers Too Fat For Guitar? Tips To Help You End the Struggle

There are many different issues and struggles associated with learning the guitar.  The common issues are fingers cannot stretch far or fingers too fat for guitar. If you are suffering from the same issues, know that you are not alone in this battle, and there are possible ways that you can do to end your struggle and just focus on becoming better.

Many guitarists with larger hands, including the beginners, experience this “fingers too fat for guitar issue.” when guitar playing.  But for some, this is not really a serious problem, and there are ways on how to deal with this and end the player’s struggle. But regardless of you have skinny, long, or fat fingers, know that this is just fine.

Regardless if you have chubby fingers or stubby fingers, short, skinny, and long ones, know that this is a perfectly normal issue. These problems might result in difficulties in fretting notes. But before you quit playing because your fingers are too fat for guitar, think again and remember that your fingers are perfectly fine, and you can still make use of these fingers without worry provided that you use the right guitar.

If you have been wondering why fingers are too fat for guitar, this might actually be due to various reasons. Other underlying factors include guitars not properly positioned in the lap, fingers cannot stretch yet, and fingers are not arched and curled sufficiently.

So for those struggling, because they think that having fat fingers will interfere with their ability to play, well, this is not the case at all times. Your fingers may not be too fat for the guitar; you probably didn’t develop the right playing technique for you yet.

Learn the Basics of Getting the Right Positioning of Fingers at Optimal Angle

How do you really deal with the fat finger issue? Before you start typing fingers too fat for guitar and search about this online, there are basic things that you need to learn and do right to be able to position your fingers at an optimal angle in the fretboard. These include the following:

Hand Position

Avoid grabbing the guitar neck with your palm. If you are just starting, make sure that your thumb will press against the guitar neck’s back and ensure that your palm is not touching the neck at any cost.

Finger Position

If you fret a string, use the tip of your finger, ensuring that your finger is properly arched and pointing down to your fretboard perpendicularly. The longer side of your fingertip must be paralleled with the neck of your guitar.

The majority of the beginners have no issues with this when they’re fretting only a single guitar string, and their fingers are just fine. Problems only arise when they are asked to hold down a particular chord out of the main 8 guitar chords. This is when their fingers begin touching the adjacent strings since they cannot stay perpendicular and arched into the neck. Most beginners experienced this problem that will naturally be cured as soon as fingers start stretching.

Guitar Position

You need to ensure that you’re properly holding the guitar. Taking, for instance, you’re playing guitar right-handed. Its body must be resting properly and comfortably in your right lap. The back of the guitar must be on your stomach, and its neck must be slightly tilted in an upward position relative to the guitar’s body. Moreover, looking to your guitar, it should not be parallel with your own chest; the left side must be moved forward slightly instead. The right side must move backward through the aid of your plucking hands.  The shape of the guitar neck, like a wider neck with a wider fingerboard can make it harder as well.  Electric guitars are easier to play as well.

Also check out – is playing guitar bad for your fingers? – are electric guitars easier to play? – why is acoustic harder than electric?

Fingers Too Fat for Guitar-Unveiling Tips to Help You Still Play Your Guitar despite This Issue

Given all the information regarding the basics of holding your guitar, you can now proceed with finding some helpful tips to play the guitar, even if you have fat fingers. But the truth is, your fingers are not fat all. It is just your techniques that need to be polished and chiseled. So, fingers too fat for guitar can no longer stop you from playing now but remember the following tips to help you:

• Always make sure that you’re holding your guitar the right way
• Your hand must also be in the right position
• Many finger stretching exercises can help you, and with time, your fingers will surely get stronger, and muscle memory might also develop
• Take time to practice a lot to harden your calluses somehow. The moment you develop these calluses, you no longer need to press the strings so hard. This also means that your fingertip will not spread out so wide

Follow these tips, and you will be surprised by the good results.

Learn The Right Techniques. This Will Surely Create a Big Difference

These techniques that can help you overcome your issue are:

• Ensure to press using the absolute tip of your fingers
• Make the necessary adjustments especially when fingers are within the guitar frets
• Maintain correct posture. Having fat fingers can be resolved by certain techniques, but it is also important to maintain the right posture when playing the guitar. Remember that your entire posture can affect how well you play
• Stay on top of the neck as you can

Embrace Your Flaws and Keep Practicing With What You Actually Have

Many individuals are probably used to this line, but practice makes perfect. Regardless if you have fat fingers, you will be able to overcome this problem and will be able to grow to your own playing style. You should embrace your flaws, and your physicality and your brain will also do lots of adaptation works in the background.

Draw Inspiration from Famous Guitarists with the Same Issues

You can also get tips and draw inspiration from famous and talented guitarists who also struggled with this fat finger issue. You can take time to learn how popular players who actually have problems with their fat fingers succeed in their craft. Despite such challenges, they persevered, they kept playing, and they successfully made it big.

Their success stories and triumph might be what you also need to persevere and keep practicing and learning until you gain mastery. Never let fingers too fat for guitar issue rule you. Instead, use this to rule the world, particularly the world of music.

Final Thoughts

There is really no need to worry about having fingers too fat for guitar because this isn’t a serious and big issue at all. This can be managed and resolved. You just need to have the right techniques, motions, motor skills, and, of course, the right instrument.

Individuals might be searching for specific answers and tips for small fingers, long fingers, fat fingers, or whatever the case may be. The best way to handle this is to realize that this isn’t a big issue. Having fat fingers might even be an advantage to you. Having these kinds of fingers should not stop you from becoming an amazing and talented guitarist someday.

The best thing you can do is to rock on and keep playing truly, and things will be fine soon enough. Engage in quality practice sessions and let your passion for playing the guitar be your driving force to become better or even be the best – even with huge hands and wide fingers.