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Location: Alpine, CA | I'm finding it very difficult, as I have large fingers, to play chords without deadening the adjacent strings with my fingertips. I know you're supposed to arch the fingers over the fretboard, but it doesn't seem to help.
I am learning the guitar for personal enrichment only and don't plan to play for audiences. So far, I enjoy playing the individual notes on the staff and ignore the chords above.
Question: In my situation, is learning chords even necessary? I'm learning to play fingerstyle anyway and play arpeggios (slowly).
Pity me if you like, but don't laugh; I'm being serious here.
Opinions would be appreciated. |
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Posts: 12761
Location: Boise, Idaho | Stay at it. Even if you just do fingerstyle, the notes are part of a chord. A little wider neck might help. |
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Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Many of us prefer a wider neck for the reasons you stated. You might be more comfortable with a 1 3/4" or even a 1 7/8" neck. |
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Location: Sunshine State, Australia | If you can't play clean chords when strumming, you'll struggle to play clean finger style. Your left hand will still be making chord shapes most of the time - the only difference is what your right hand will be doing. (Assuming you're right handed)
As Mark said - 'Stay at it.' |
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Posts: 1851
Location: Newington, CT | Learn chords too. I have mondo hands also. For the normal necked guitars (1 and 11/16ths nut width), practice and find alternate ways to make a chord. There's no ONE way to make a chord...only the best way for youd.
I DID find that a wide neck is my preferred configuration, but not the only one. Depending on how playable the neck is for you, a normal neck can work very well; again depending on how and what you want to play.
Learning chords adds a whole new dimension to your playing. You're enjoying the individual notes now, but there probably will come a time when you will want to expand your horizons. Even if you're playing only for yourself.
Most of all, enjoy it all! No matter what practice you do, you come out if it at least a little stronger and better. Every time you play, you're a bit closer to playing how you'd like to. And, the best thing: no matter how good you get, you'll always be able to improve something, learn something new, discover something else that's rewarding and enriching. You'll never run out of challenge or interest with this instrument |
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Location: Flahdaw | If someone hands me a standard 1 11/16" guitar, I'm like a different person...clumsy, spastic, and inept. I need a 1 3/4". (The Seagull 1.8" neck that I've played is very comfy too) |
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Posts: 187
Location: Nahant, MA | Perhaps try your 12-string strung in a 6-string configuration? That will give you a good idea if the wider neck will solve your problem. |
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Posts: 3969
| It may seem difficult, if not impossible, at first but you definitely need to learn chord shapes and how to properly finger them. They're fundamental to everything else you'll ever need or want to do with guitar. |
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Posts: 16
Location: Alpine, CA | I assume my Adamas 1597 has a standard 1-11/16 inch neck? |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | most likely |
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Location: Sydney, Australia | Originally posted by dp2macrae:
I assume my Adamas 1597 has a standard 1-11/16 inch neck? Absolutely, unless it says "custom" somewhere on the label. The common 1 3/4" neck ovations are the Adamas 1680, Ute, 2008 Collectors, and the Ovation Folklore. Rarer ones are where someone has custom ordered a wide neck on a narrow neck model.
Find someone who has a wider neck model to try first if you can(I just dived in without trying). It seems strange that such a small difference (1/16") could help that much, but it does. |
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Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Take up Bass or Drums.... |
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Location: closely held secret | ...or accordion. Then you can play chords with 1 finger. |
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Location: Moscow | open-G a good system for large hands. there are no barrels. very useful for games.
good luck |
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Posts: 16
Location: Alpine, CA | I can see by two comments (so far) that I should have specified "helpful comments" instead of "opinions." I'll try to be more specific in future posts. |
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Helpful comments are often mixed-in with amusing statements :p
Folklore has 1 & 7/8" nut if you can find one.
Carol's idea of knocking-off half the strings on your 12-String sounds like a Good Plan. |
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Location: Sydney, Australia | Also, as your fingers toughen up, the callouses on the tips get harder, which makes the tips spread less, so you end up with more space, because you don't need to press as hard to get a clean fret - I know this because every time I let them soften up (by not playing for a few months) it is a lot harder to fret cleanly (even allowing for clumsiness setting in).
+2 on Carol's suggestion as a trial (but not a permanent solution). |
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Posts: 4081
Location: Utah | When I play my daughter's Ute it makes me think I need a wider neck. But then I saw Craig Carothers play, and he has massive hands. The guitar looked like a toy next to him, yet he played it skillfully.
ergo, a wider neck may be more comfortable, but skill will make me a better player rather than buying different equipment. (that's not a justification to stop buying more equipment ;) )
So learn to play with good technique, don't blame the equipment.
Don't know if that is helpful, just my humble opinion. |
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Posts: 6996
Location: Jet City | I have short fat stubby fingers, but I manage. Probably due to the callouses.
In my opinion, the solution is playing more, and...
Practice
Practice
Practice
2 things will happen over time. You'll get better, and you'll develop the callouses. It will eventually get easier if you keep at it regularly, everyday if you can. |
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Location: closely held secret | Originally posted by dp2macrae:
I can see by two comments (so far) that I should have specified "helpful comments" instead of "opinions." I'll try to be more specific in future posts. There's plenty of helpful comments here. If you can't handle a little humor as well, start your own board.
A lot of the players here have fat fingers. Some resemble sausages or ballpark franks. Yet somehow we manage to play guitar. Some of us manage quite nicely, thank you, to move our fat fingers around guitars with very skinny necks.
Most of these "helpful comments" are telling you the same thing. If you're serious, practice. The tips of your fingers will develop callouses and harden, making it easier to fret the chords. This in turn will make it more fun to play. We've all been there. |
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Location: Flahdaw | Originally posted by dp2macrae:
I can see by two comments (so far) that I should have specified "helpful comments" instead of "opinions." I'll try to be more specific in future posts. Wow....you sure seem like a fun guy. |
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Location: Jet City | Originally posted by Old Man Arthur:
Folklore has 1 & 7/8" nut... The LX models are 1 3/4 |
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Location: south east Michigan | Well, he does have a whopping 11 posts under his belt so I'm sure he by now understands how this place works. |
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Location: SoCal | Originally posted by Waskel:
This in turn will make it more fun to play. We've all been there. Most of the time, I think I'm still there..... |
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| What, we're supposed to have fun? Then why do they call it "working" music? If we're supposed to have a good time, then maybe we should call it "playing." Just sayin'...
Moody, you ever learn a fourth chord yet? |
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Learning to play chords
