Life Sucks
I'm having a little bit of trouble with my guitar chords. My hand is a little bit small. Im having trouble with all the chords im learning (E minor, C, D, G, A and B7. For G i cant really reach with having my third finger on the bottom string and my 2nd finger on the 6th string it hurts really badly. And for the other chords my fingers always seem to be covering over another string causing it to make an akward sound. Any help on how to improve my chord playing?
Answer
How long have you been playing? To play an acoustic well needs a tad over 6 months before your hands settle into the "biz". If it's less than 3 months (I believe so), just keep pressing on! It's really difficult, you look like a failure, but I'm a depended-on guitarist for cell-ish youth meetings, and i started horribly. Keep practicing.
If it hurts, though, I highly advise you to practice stretching. Don't stretch it until it's pain though. Stretch it slightly less. Or get a smaller guitar, seriously.
How long have you been playing? To play an acoustic well needs a tad over 6 months before your hands settle into the "biz". If it's less than 3 months (I believe so), just keep pressing on! It's really difficult, you look like a failure, but I'm a depended-on guitarist for cell-ish youth meetings, and i started horribly. Keep practicing.
If it hurts, though, I highly advise you to practice stretching. Don't stretch it until it's pain though. Stretch it slightly less. Or get a smaller guitar, seriously.
What should I look for when buying an acoustic electric guitar?
I really want to learn how to play the guitar, partially to help out with my church's youth group praise team. I know that I'd need an acoustic electric guitar, but other than that, I have no clue on anything else regarding the brands that are good, a good price range, what kind of shape/size (if any) that I should get, etc.
If this helps, I have played piano to an intermediate-advanced level for 6 years and I am currently at an advanced level in violin (which I have played for 8 years), so I know about reading music.
I also have VERY small hands for my age, and my overall frame is petite.
Could you give me information on getting an acoustic-electric guitar?
It would be nice to get detailed information from someone who has either had the same trouble as me, or someone who has been playing guitar for a while and knows a lot about them.
Thanks!
Answer
There's no such thing as a one-size-fits-all guitar, so the best thing you could do is go to a guitar store and test drive a bunch of different brands. Each brand tends to have its own feel. Epiphone guitars, for instance, tend to have really chunky necks that make them challenging for beginners and players with small hands.
I'm female and have ridiculously small hands, which makes many acoustics and acoustic/electrics difficult to play. Acoustics have chunkier necks than electrics (I mostly play electric), but I find that Ibanez acoustics and acoustic/electrics have about the most user-friendly necks available. And even though Ibanez is known primarily for electric guitars and basses, their acoustic guitars are fantastic -- often nicer than guitars costing twice as much.
It's definitely worth trying some of the Ibanez acoustic/electrics. There are lots of models that have smaller-sized, thinner bodies, as well, so they're ideal for petite guitarists. The Talman model might be perfect for you, as it has a really thin body (about 3" deep), a thin neck and low action. It plays almost as easily as an electric guitar. It's not the loudest guitar in the world when it's not plugged into an amp, but it's still great as an acoustic guitar for around the house where you don't need a ton of volume. And the Talman has a built-in tuner, which is really convenient.
I'll post a link to the Talman at Musician's Friend so you can read the reviews. It's worth looking for a used on on craigslist or eBay, though, since there are lots of them around and you may be able to find one really cheap. I got a high-end one for $130 including shipping on eBay and it's a masterpiece.
http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Ibanez-Talman-TCY10-AcousticElectric-Guitar?sku=581659
The most important thing is to choose a guitar that feels really comfortable and natural in your hands. Trust your instincts, since they'll serve you better than anyone else's opinion. And be sure to try guitars while you're sitting, since that's probably how you'll practice. Ultimately, the way your guitar feels to you is more important than anyone else's opinion or the name on the headstock. And the more you love your guitar, the more you'll practice and the sooner you'll become a great guitarist. Good luck!
There's no such thing as a one-size-fits-all guitar, so the best thing you could do is go to a guitar store and test drive a bunch of different brands. Each brand tends to have its own feel. Epiphone guitars, for instance, tend to have really chunky necks that make them challenging for beginners and players with small hands.
I'm female and have ridiculously small hands, which makes many acoustics and acoustic/electrics difficult to play. Acoustics have chunkier necks than electrics (I mostly play electric), but I find that Ibanez acoustics and acoustic/electrics have about the most user-friendly necks available. And even though Ibanez is known primarily for electric guitars and basses, their acoustic guitars are fantastic -- often nicer than guitars costing twice as much.
It's definitely worth trying some of the Ibanez acoustic/electrics. There are lots of models that have smaller-sized, thinner bodies, as well, so they're ideal for petite guitarists. The Talman model might be perfect for you, as it has a really thin body (about 3" deep), a thin neck and low action. It plays almost as easily as an electric guitar. It's not the loudest guitar in the world when it's not plugged into an amp, but it's still great as an acoustic guitar for around the house where you don't need a ton of volume. And the Talman has a built-in tuner, which is really convenient.
I'll post a link to the Talman at Musician's Friend so you can read the reviews. It's worth looking for a used on on craigslist or eBay, though, since there are lots of them around and you may be able to find one really cheap. I got a high-end one for $130 including shipping on eBay and it's a masterpiece.
http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Ibanez-Talman-TCY10-AcousticElectric-Guitar?sku=581659
The most important thing is to choose a guitar that feels really comfortable and natural in your hands. Trust your instincts, since they'll serve you better than anyone else's opinion. And be sure to try guitars while you're sitting, since that's probably how you'll practice. Ultimately, the way your guitar feels to you is more important than anyone else's opinion or the name on the headstock. And the more you love your guitar, the more you'll practice and the sooner you'll become a great guitarist. Good luck!
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