In this month’s Live Q & A session, I answered questions like Is there anyway to stop my fingertips from hurting?, Would a guitar strap help with hand/finger positioning for a beginner?, Do you have a graph for that pentatonic scale?, and much more!

caution advised

I am not a doctor or physical therapist. It may be wise to consult your doctor or physical therapist before doing any stretching exercises. The stretches in this video have worked for me, but we all have different bodies and not all exercises are appropriate or advisable for everyone. This is especially true if you have any pre-existing conditions.

Go slow. In the beginning, keep sessions short. Pay close attention to the sensations in your hands and stop if you feel pain.

Questions Asked During the Session:

 

[20:57] I have short fat fingers and have real trouble with reaching say from the 5th fret to the 9th fret at the same time with my index and pinky. I’ve been trying to stretch it forever.

[22:45] Also related to my fingers is on some chord I cant help muting the lower string with my middle finger even when I play with my finger straight on or angled. What can I do to solve these issues, help please?  

[26:09] How to be able to play bar chords? My fingers won’t lay down for the bar or stretch for them. [30:20] What scale would be best to learn first and can you show us how to play through it at different locations on the guitar.  

[34:52] How can the Scarborough Fair Melody and Fingerstyle be played by an individual to make it one song? Or can it?

[38:00] I struggle with pick accuracy. I keep missing the intended string when picking notes. It is holding up my progress.   

[42:06] I seem all good until I get to the pinky. To be more specific, it’s more about strength than stretching.  

[47:49] Is there anyway to stop the fingertips from hurting?

[51:47] Does the gauge of your strings make a difference in how hard you have to press down on the strings?  

[52:42] Would a guitar strap help with hand/finger positioning for a beginner?

[54:24] I’m beginning to take on the Travis picking technique, do you have any advice when it comes to practice? Should I be using fingerpicks? If so, what would you recommend?

[56:55] Do you have a graph for that pentatonic scale?

[57:10] I’ve been using a soft rubber ball to strengthen my fingers.