So your advice is for us to find a placement for our fingers where they're not touching other strings. Brilliant, not sure why I didn't think of that, so obvious.

I got some good advice from a local guitar teacher that saved my bacon as far as my short, fat fingers go. I took my guitar to a good luthier and had him adjust the strings as close to the frets as he could without getting buzz. The farther you have to press the strings down to fret, the more your fingertip spreads out. By being able to fret with light pressure instead of monster-mashing, I use less area of my fingertip and don't mute strings nearly as often. It takes a more delicate touch and a bit more practice, but I'm playing things now that I couldn't even get close on very recently.

I thought it was a judo video.

I use to have the same problem. I found 3 ways that helped me alot.. 1. trim your nails down as much as possible.. this means filing them 2. try to play with the guitar on your left leg (if you strum right handed) 3. play with the very very tip. your going to have to curve your finger to do this honestly i had these problems for a long time but if you quickly look and just analyze whats happenining you will find the root of the problem and be able to fix it. hope this helps! and good luck!

My fingers look like hot dogs.

well, i've moved the finger forward to the point where it's hard to put the string down and it still touches the lower string, so i guess the very rare case here.

One thing that I have noticed is that if I take too long a break from playing, my fingertips get too soft, and so I have to push them further into the string. I need to practice enough to maintain calluses on my fingertips, and keep my fretting hand nails as short as possible.

My fingers can touch 3 strings so moving it up towards the ceiling does totally naff all....I'm beginning to give up

this video look so 80's, love it

For pain in the fingertips use that liquid bandage stuff. It works great! I'm told it's just about the same thing as nail enamel (the stuff you put on over nail polish to lock it in). I'm a newb and this is really helping me learn because I can practice longer.

I threw a shit fit the first night haha now on night 3 and so far its getting better. ill man up and become slash in no time

Thank you so much man, needed someone to tell me it’s normal to be absolutely terrible at pressing chords down right away. Thought I had fat fingers but I definitely just need practice more than anything

Thanks for making this video, was struggling with that

Thank you for this video. I've finally understood what is a "good" position... It's a position that goes to me! Thanks.

"over 1000 private students" wow that is a serious gig

Some people do actually have large fingertip bones that won't fit between the strings with a 1 5/8 inch nut. The solution isn't to tell them not to touch the others strings. The solution is a guitar with a 2 inch wide nut.

Wow, you're right! I always thought I had giant fingers, but when I tried your "move the third finger of the D chord to the ceiling" tip, it actually worked, thanks :D I didn't know you could "move" those upwards :)

I have tried many ways but for any chord one or multiple strings mute .i dnt knw how to overcome this

I have very thick fingers but it helps me play guitar easier. I can play some chords with a couple of fingers instead of three. So dont despair if i can play with fingers that are over 3/4 inch wide at the finger tip , so can you. I can play any guitar in fact i prefure a narrower neck at the nut as it helps me play easier.

I'm sure there are guitars out there that are good for fat fingered player . For example Seagull guitars , or how about 12 string guitar modified into 6 string guitar ?

Thanks, glad the lesson helped out :)

The problem is I ordered Yamaha 112c from the internet , it’s so small for me , i’m losing weight for this

Problem solved for me. My fingers don't physically fit between the strings esp around the B string on electric guitars. I am 6'5" and 250 lbs, wear a size 14 shoe and have to special order gloves. I took a mirror and verified this. Believe me, it has been a constant problem on many things. After much experimentation, I took a 12 string and removed 6 of the strings. While I might never be a rocker, at least I can have some musical enjoyment.

thanks for the vid but i have tried these things. i can play bass but guitar is challenging. i have tried a lot of these things you said and have even figured out a few chords where i can push down two strings with one finger but some will not work. i am patient and have tried. didnt know they made wider necks so i will check that out thank you

My Fingers are long and thin but for some reason my Fingertips are SO round that they mute every string in most chords

My fingertips are wide as hell, I had to break down basic chords to make shapes or use one or two fingers to play three and four finger chords. And can't use a wide neck because my fingers aren't long . Epiphone d shape necks worked great for me .

My hands are big. To play an A chord, I have to use a compressed E form, so that the fingers all line up. Or add the A note on the 5th fret using a barre finger on the normal A chord.

Very good!

Thanks .... I'm a beginner n was thinking the same .... but ur advice helped ....but still I think how will I be able to play n switch that fast when I'm so slow at playing individual chords ....pls advice....

I developed this moving my fingers manually with my other hand into a correct position technique on instinct. It works great, the problem is once I remove my second hand the fingers rubber band back to their original incorrect position haha. I think it's more a case not of my hands are currently physically incapable of adopting the correct position and holding it. Plus the finger posiition on different cords on different strings is different every time (by that i mean the part of your finger tip I need to use varies depending on what I'm doing) and she I have a half centimetre groove cut into the palm of my finger tip from practicing the previous cord I was on the finger naturally slips the string into that groove when it's the incorrect position for that finger tiip for the next cord. These grooves currently stay imprinted on my finger tips for over an hour sometimes. This is not conducive to switching cords rapidly haha. I have that memory foam finger tip upgrade

Once beginner players develop finger calluses, the problem mostly goes away. Calluses will make things so much easier.

so any sites state this " fat fingers no problem " does anyone out there do a video where the instructor has fat short fingers?

Good advice.

Thank you!

I'm not making excuses to find a reason to stop playing, I've been playing for 22 years. Just in the last 5 years or so, my fingers are too thick to play cleanly. I can't play most chords cleanly because of parts of my fingers mute other strings from leaking over. I need a guitar to be made that is about 20% larger scale to compensate for the thickness and size of my fingers. Imagine Arnold Schwarzenegger trying to play close fingered chords on a ukelele. No amount of willpower or tips will help him. It's just not happening.

This is great. I'm just learning, and the D chord is killing me. My ring finger is just not cooperating!

Nice guitar! Do you mind if I ask what kind it is?

so basically he said, "if your fingers touch other strings then adjust and don't" could've never guessed thanks sensei

mike V: you should seriously consider looking for guitars with wider nuts. some acoustic guitars have this, but this varies model to model, and classical guitars are usually the widest. wider nut = more space between strings

get a classical acoustic, 2 inches at the nut (top of neck) vs 1.5 to 1.7 for a regular acoustic

I used to put on concerts for hundreds of people. I stepped away from the guitar for 20 years ... picked it up again recently and although knowing what you are teaching, I can no longer play it. Do they make prosthetic finger tips?

Playing D chord is a problem for me. Like, I really kept clipping and sawing(Not a tool saw) my nails down to nubs because it kept diggin and goin under my nails and when I put my finger down it would expand and mute the other strings.

I'm having trouble at the 16th fret playing chords :(

I have tried this. I even tried to squeeze the tips of my fingers with pliers. ihave been working construction all my life.

try alternative versions of the chord... like I can't play the 2 finger a7 easily but the barred version is easier

I think my fingers are to big as they arent pencils like some ive seen. Whether i am on the E, A, D chords my (bicep) or lower finger fat on my index finder keeps touching the 1E. I try and adjust my thumb on the back ad make my hand much straighter but its so uncomfy. no matter where i position my finger tips, same thing. (i just started 2 days ago). All i seen seem to have a natural grip but me, the way i position my fingers i need my guitar basically straight up. Any idea?

Is that a Quicksilver guitar? Ed Roman? Look like it.

Hot glue gun and make/shape a new tip on the end of your finger? :)

HELLO MR CAN YOU PLS CEVE ME SAME NAMES OG GUITARS FOR GIG FINGERS TNS ALL THE WAY FROM MALTA

I don't have any problem with the D chord. E chord on the other hand...

I bought a 3/4 length guitar thinking that would help. Nope... The distance between the frets is less, making chord play and simple note by note play harder than ever. So I guess is must custom build this. First get. Neck that will fit (full size) then cut it down at the base end... Leaving the head alone. But that presents another problem... Dang. And My guitar must be left handed to boot. Maybe I should freight train it. I hope there are some railroad tracks near by.

I can't do this technics with f chord

ty have a diddly doodley day!...M'kay

I quit bitching about my fingers when I saw the guy from San Diego who was born without arms and plays guitar with his feet.

instructor what width nut is on your guitar ?

The nut size on my guitar is only 38 mm. My fingers don't fit very well.

I have the Ibanez ‘wide-neck’ dreadnought - problem solved!

Most modern acoustics have a 43mm nut,, replace it with a 45mm nut it gives you another mm between strings ,, or buy a guitar with a 45mm nut to start with.

Hi, just watched this video because I am having a huge problem with the A chord. My first, middle and ring finger bunch up together with this chord, my fingers are very thick as I work with my hands a lot. BUT, I still want to play guitar, quitting's not an option for me. Please get back to me asap. Thank you.

its the A chord bro im alright at guitar but i cant get my fingers in that A for love nor money my dad can barely get two fingers in it

I have deformed hands and stubby fingers. You know what? I didn't even notice until year 5 of playing guitar when another guitar player pointed it out. YOU CAN play! There's a man with no hands playing guitar with his feet. It's a matter of adjustment... yes, there are things you won't be able to do as easily as with someone with normal hands, but so what? Build a style around that and find what you're comfortable with. That's what I did. Year 15 soon!

I can play chords, its just hard, the only stuff I cant do is barre chords.

Your guitar nut is wide as hell, probably well over 43mm, Almost a classical guitar profile.

''I just just landed my 1,000th student this week, I guess you could say things are getting pretty serious" Like if you get the character reference...

sometimes my fingers tend to swell

The 19070's called, they want their eyeglasses back.

Some people even describe my hands as" meat hooks". Please help.

Problem is when they aren't just being insecure or making up an excuse, and they don't just think they have fat fingers, but instead they are actually overweight, and their fingers are actually fat. With fat fingers, its VERY hard to do any barre chords, as with your finger not able to go totally straight and when pressing down, the fat can result in it being muted or just sounding not really pressed down, having thinner fingers helps a ton because you have more hardness in that finger that is closer to the guitar, letting you properly press it down using the bone that you cant really use if you have fat fingers. Fat fingers are useful only for muting strings. Its even worse with short fat fingers. I can do chords where you press with the tips and stuff, but wide chords and stuff are a lot harder yet I can do them. Usually with fat fingers the tips are still just fine to use, in fact basically all the time, what really screws people is pressing two or more with one finger.

Y'all might wanna try a Pawn Shop before you actually go to a Local Music Shop, I went in one today to get my High E string replace and all of their guitars were from $850-$2,500 Might wanna check a guitar from a pawn shop before you buy big.

skinny and large fingers are the most suitable for guitar, on the other hand large and fat fingers are made for bass.

Nice jitsu gi

80's highschool year book photo

Great. Another 'expert' with small fingers telling us how easy it is. Next!

Even the largest gloves do not fit me.

Bruh who's this

Can't I simply cut that finger off?

"I've taught over a 1000 private students." Let's assume it's 1001 and he's been teaching for 10 years. That is 1 new student every 365 * 10 / 1001 = 3.646 days. Let's assume he teaches 1 student 1 hour a week and works 5 days a week for 8 hours a day. So his schedule can contain 5 * 8 = 40 students at most. That means that the average student has to quit after 40 * 3.646 = 145.84 days to allow a new student to sign up so he achieves 1001 students in 10 years of practice. That is less than half a year that students resign.

:-D

You aren't the right guy to be talking about this subject as I can clearly see that your fingers are about half the diameter as mine.

why not just make a wider nut guitar doesn't need to be super wide like an acoustic but a 1 7\8 . i played normal nut for years no luck , got a wide nut guitar fixed my problem !!!! . don't just listen to someone if u have tried everything even what goober man says here , get a wide nut such a big lou guitar only maker besides custom

This is a little dismissive of people who do have unusually large fingers or fingertips. Not everyone is a whiny kid making excuses. My uncle, may he rest in peace, had trouble learning due to losing his fingertips in a motorcycle accident. They were much wider after they healed. Myself, I'm 6'2" 380lbs. Even when I was thinner, I had only met one guy with fingers as large as mine. It's not just my fingertips, but my knuckles block each other from holding certain chords. I've just started trying to learn again for the Nth time and I'm reading up on alternate tunings. Sometimes you have to adjust the tool to meet your needs, and not the other way around. Please consider being more inclusive in your teaching.

This guy's advice to a drowning person is, "Don't drown.". 🤦‍♂️👎