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Different Finger Types for Guitar
Intuition GUITAR
We all tend to have differently shaped and sized hands and fingers. In this article I'm going to talk about different types of fingers: chunky, thin, long and short, some disadvantages, benefits and ways to deal with some of the disadvantages.
Chunky Fingers Wider fingers have more surface area on their tips. This can cause difficulties for the fretting hand with strings that are closer together such as those of the electric guitar. For example it might be harder to fit the 1st, 2nd and 3rd fingers in on the D, G and B strings for an A open chord as shown below left…
The A chord is a good example but this issue can be a general one. Using the 2nd, 3rd and 4th fingers can help (as shown to the right). The use of the little finger contributes to a less tighter fit for the three fingers. Wider fingers may find it easier to play a partial barre. Further right is an A chord played as a half barre, you won’t hear the high E string but the chord still contains notes that make it a major chord. For partial barring the “Smoke on the Water” riff comes to mind, where you half barre across the D and G strings.
Classical guitars are good for beginners as they have nylon strings, which are easier on the fingers of the fretting hand. They also have strings spaced further apart. Some people may have fingers of a size that makes trying to squeeze them in for an A chord seem impossible, so a guitar with strings further apart can make all the difference. For wider fingers the "finger roll" might be easier also, this is moving between notes that are on the same fret of adjacent strings, as shown on the animated picture below right.
Thin Fingers Thinner finger-tips with less surface area have more clearance between the strings when pushed down on the frets, making it easier not to affect other strings. For thinner fingers, finger rolls can be more difficult, you have to rely more on rocking the end of the finger by its joint. Sometimes this is even done with the little finger. Note that finger rolls are relatively rare until you get to intermediate / advanced level.
This is a finger roll
Long Fingers Longer fingers can find it easier to span more frets without having to move the hand up or down the fret- board (and minimal movement is always better for speed). However a full Barre chord could be a bit more difficult for a beginner with longer fingers due to less leverage.
More leverage for full barre chords, although shorter fingers won’t have as much span across the frets, particularly on the Bass guitar, which has its frets further apart (especially at the bottom of its neck.) As much as it makes good practise to span your fingers out across as many frets (yes that's 4), if the stretch is so far that you can't get enough force behind the finger(s) to push down on the fret(s), then there’s no harm in moving the hand up or down a little to reach these notes. To the left, this is demonstrated between the 1st and 4th frets of a Bass guitar using the 1st and 4th fingers.
Similarly, using the 4th finger for octaves on the bass is not uncommon. To the right, the hand is spanning the 1st and 4th fingers over 2 frets (rather than the 1st and 3rd fingers), with the  1st finger on the 1st fret low E string and the 4th finger on the 3rd fret G string.
This is by no means a comprehensive list of all possibilities. Other discoveries can be made in practise. Don't be too perturbed or resign yourself to difficulties that are due to what your fingers are like, the above is only advice. Not having particularly long fingers hasn't stopped me from playing the Bass. How you practise and how disciplined you are, are more important.
Barre chords were no problem for the Terminator
Short Fingers
 © Intuition Publications 2012 - present
Lessons & Tips Lessons & Tips Contact Contact Reviews Reviews Books &  eBooks Books &  eBooks Home Home
Finger Types
Different Finger Types for Guitar
We all tend to have differently shaped and sized hands and fingers. In this article I'm going to talk about different types of fingers: chunky, thin, long and short, some disadvantages, benefits and ways to deal with some of the disadvantages.
Chunky Fingers Wider fingers have more surface area on their tips. This can cause difficulties for the fretting hand with strings that are closer together such as those of the electric guitar. For example it might be harder to fit the 1st, 2nd and 3rd fingers in on the D, G and B strings for an A open chord as shown below left…
The A chord is a good example but this issue can be a general one. Using the 2nd, 3rd and 4th fingers can help (as shown to the right). The use of the little finger contributes to a less tighter fit for the three fingers.
Thin Fingers Thinner finger-tips with less surface area have more clearance between the strings when pushed down on the frets, making it easier not to affect other strings. For thinner fingers, finger rolls can be more difficult, you have to rely more on rocking the end of the finger by its joint. Sometimes this is even done with the little finger. Note that finger rolls are relatively rare until you get to intermediate / advanced level.
Long Fingers Longer fingers can find it easier to span more frets without having to move the hand up or down the fret-board (and minimal movement is always better for speed). However a full Barre chord could be a bit more difficult for a beginner with longer fingers due to less leverage.
Classical guitars are good for beginners as they have nylon strings, which are easier on the fingers of the fretting hand. They also have strings spaced further apart. Some people may have fingers of a size that makes trying to squeeze them in for an A chord seem impossible, so a guitar with strings further apart can make all the difference. For wider fingers the "finger roll" might be easier also, this is moving between notes that are on the same fret of adjacent strings, as shown on the animated picture below right.
More leverage for full barre chords, although shorter fingers won’t have as much span across frets, particularly on Bass guitar, which has its frets further apart (especially at the bottom of its neck.) As much as it makes good practise to span your fingers out across as many frets (yes that's 4), if the stretch is so far that you can't get enough force behind the finger(s) to push down on the fret(s), then there’s no harm in moving the hand up or down a bit to reach these notes. Above right, this is demonstrated between 1st and 4th frets of a Bass guitar using 1st and 4th fingers. Similarly, using the 4th finger
for octaves on the bass is not uncommon. To the right, the hand is spanning the 1st and 4th fingers over 2 frets (rather than the 1st and 3rd fingers), with the  1st finger on the 1st fret low E string and the 4th finger on the 3rd fret G string.
This is by no means a comprehensive list of all possibilities. Other findings can be made in practise. Don't be too perturbed or resign yourself to difficulties that are due to what your fingers are like, the above is only advice. Not having particularly long fingers hasn't stopped me from playing the Bass. How you practise and how disciplined you are, are more important.
Barre chords no problem for the Terminator
Short Fingers
Wider fingers may find it easier to play a partial barre. To the right is an A chord played as a half barre, you won’t hear the high E string but the chord still contains notes that make it a major chord. For partial barring the “Smoke on the Water” riff comes to mind, where you half barre across the D and G strings.
 © Intuition Publications 2012 - present
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This is a finger roll
Finger Types
Different Finger Types for Guitar
We all tend to have differently shaped and sized hands and fingers. In this article I'm going to talk about different types of fingers: chunky, thin, long and short, some disadvantages, benefits and ways to deal with some of the disadvantages.
Chunky Fingers Wider fingers have more surface area on their tips. This can cause difficulties for the fretting hand with strings that are closer together such as those of the electric guitar. For example it might be harder to fit the 1st, 2nd and 3rd fingers in on the D, G and B strings for an A open chord as shown below left…
The A chord is a good example but this issue can be a general one. Using the 2nd, 3rd and 4th fingers can help (as shown above right). The use of the little finger contributes to a less tighter fit for the three fingers.
Classical guitars are good for beginners as they have nylon strings, which are easier on the fingers of the fretting hand. They also have strings spaced further apart. Some people may have fingers of a size that makes trying to squeeze them in for an A chord seem impossible, so a guitar with strings further apart can make all the difference. However, for wider fingers the "finger roll" might be easier also, this is moving between notes that are on the same fret but adjacent strings, as shown on the animated picture further below.
Thin Fingers Thinner finger-tips with less surface area have more clearance between the strings when pushed down on the frets, making it easier not to affect other strings. For thinner fingers, finger rolls can be more difficult, you have to rely more on rocking the end of the finger by its end joint. Sometimes this is even done with the little finger. Note that finger rolls are relatively rare until you get to intermediate / advanced level.
This is a finger roll
Long Fingers Longer fingers can find it easier to span more frets without having to move the hand up or down the fret-board (and minimal movement is always better for speed). However a full Barre chord could be a bit more difficult for a beginner with longer fingers due to less leverage.
More leverage for full barre chords, although shorter fingers won’t have as much span across the frets, particularly on the Bass guitar, which has its frets further apart (especially at the bottom of its neck.) As much as it makes good practise to span your fingers out across as many frets (yes that's 4), if the stretch is so far that you can't get enough force behind the finger(s) to push down on the fret(s), then there’s no harm in moving the hand up or down a little to reach these notes. Below, this is demonstrated between the 1st and 4th frets of a Bass guitar using the 1st and 4th fingers.
Similarly, using the 4th finger for octaves on the bass is not uncommon. Below, the hand is spanning the 1st and 4th fingers over 2 frets (rather than the 1st and 3rd fingers), with the 1st finger on the 1st fret low E string and the 4th finger on the 3rd fret G string.
This is by no means a comprehensive list of all possibilities. Other discoveries can be made in practise. Don't be too perturbed or resign yourself to difficulties due to what your fingers are like, the above is only advice. Not having particularly long fingers hasn't stopped me from playing the Bass. How you practise and how disciplined you are, are more important.
Barre chords no problem for the Terminator
Short Fingers
 © Intuition Publications 2012 - present
Home Home Books & eBooks Books & eBooks Lessons & Tips Lessons & Tips Contact Contact Reviews Reviews Reviews Reviews
Wider fingers may find it easier to play a partial barre. To the right is an A chord played as a half barre, you won’t hear the high E string but it still contains intervals that make it a major chord (Root, 3rd and 5th). For partial barring the “Smoke on the Water” riff comes to mind, where you half barre across the D and G strings.