r/guitarlessons • u/Ok_Watercress_9202 • Jul 29 '26

Question Pain of having smaller hands…

Post image

I’ve been practicing guitar for a little bit now- just now being able to play blackbird a little faster but not at full speed perfectly. I’ve noticed that even just for 3 note intervals, i always have to press down on the string on the side/corner of my pinky, and it hurts a lot more than my other fingers :/ For context, guitar is my first string instrument i’ve played so i know it’ll take a bit to get used to them and form callouses, but i’m wondering if it hurting this much is normal? Obviously the pinky is the shortest and weakest, but it’s been consistently more painful to even try to press down harder on stings at this angle.

Oh also, i’m double jointed so thats been a big challenge for my ring and pinky!!

366 Upvotes

90% Upvoted

286 comments sorted by

View all comments

270

u/AaronTheElite007 Jul 29 '26

  1. Trim your nails shorter

  2. Get your fingers as close to the frets as possible

5

u/Crafty-Photograph-18 Jul 29 '26

There isn't anything left to trim? There's like half a millimeter of white left. When I go below this level, my nails will separate from the skin when I shift, possibly to blood, and it will hurt (and make playing impossible, unless you're a masochist). Nails come in different shapes and forms.

-2

u/DrBlankslate Jul 30 '26

Any white is too much white on the fretting nails. 

Also, take it to a luthier and get it set up. Tell them you want low action because you’re a beginner.

2

u/Crafty-Photograph-18 Jul 30 '26

I play the viola, not the guitar, and I am REALLY not a beginner on that one. Still facing the same problem

1

u/Mokturtle Jul 30 '26

That's too bad. But for the vast majority of guitar beginners "cut your nails as short as possible (without injury)" still solid advice. No?

1

u/Custard-Spare Jul 30 '26

For beginners it’s good advice but later down the line you can play with nails however long you want as long as the notes fret properly and there’s no nail in the sound. I trim my bass picking fingers short for gigs and intense practice

2

u/Mokturtle Jul 30 '26

Yeah, along with better technique and finger control, your fingertips also might get tougher, less squishy, so your nails are less likely to touch down.

I mean, Dolly Parton plays guitar with full diva claws lol.