Tom,

I hope i CAN CALL YOU THAT SINCE i NOW PAY FOR YOUR HELP RATHER THAN LURK ON YOUTUBE! Sorry for caps, but heck its an example of my fat fingers and flexibility issues. Any way, for example making a 3 (thumb to pinky) with my left hand has become easier, when I do it with my right hand the 3finger is half bent down.

When I hold my arms out in front of me, I cannot turn my palms face up horizontal, they’re still tilted inwards. I worked with my hands for many years, then got a degree and have worked on a computer for 16, and I still cannot type without looking at the keyboard.

Since taking up the guitar a couple of years ago, I watched those finger yoga like stretches and attempted them myself and I will say my left hand has improved, so I am not in total despair of never gaining flexibility. However, working just the top of the fretboard finger one placement fine, finger 2 good, finger 3 barely can reach over fret 2 unless i twist and angle in ways that makes my fingers wider.

I have started to compensate by using my pinky rather than 3 finger, or the twist etc. these cheats are now bad habits that hurt good form.

I can spread my left hand out like a fan, but, when holding a guitar, keeping my thumb in proper place I cannot physically hold 3 or heavens 4 frets wide without BAD form.

I stretch and fiddle with my fingers during the day, but it just feels like finger 2 and 3 are destined to always come together on the fret board.

Did anyone else have this issue and resolved it by stretching and years of practice? Starting as a kid doesn’t count.