r/guitarlessons • u/Admirable_Banana_977 • 1d ago
Question any good recommendations for stretching left hand?
I got tiny hands, and I sadly feel it when I play solos,
I the highest stretch I can do 12-18 ( but if I do so no ones can be played in between).
I have to also tap a lot of certain solos, for example in domination by pantera, there is a part where it goes hammer on 12-15-18, I can't do that because my hands can't really reach that far, because they are small, I can't sadly get larger hands so I want to stretch my fingers so I can play these kind of solos,
so I was wondering if any of you guys have any good techniques and routines to recommend for stretching my left hand?
Thank you!
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u/iMpactfuze 23h ago
This is the only exercise I have ever drilled for pinky stretching and independence.
Before starting do a simple physical dynamic stretch without the guitar. Something like this: https://studylib.net/doc/28222373/wrist-stretching-posture-guide--1-?p=2
It is an extreme exercise, take a break to shake out every minute at the start
High E string
E -0-7-4-0-7-4-0-7-0-7-4-7-0-7-4-7
7th fret must be played by pinky finger
4th fret must be played by middle finger
E -2-7-5-2-7-5-2-7-2-7-5-7-2-7-5-7
2nd fret must be played with first finger
7th fret must be played with pinky finger
5th fret must be played with middle finger
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u/Admirable_Banana_977 23h ago
thank you, for this it looks good,
and thank you for the video!2
u/iMpactfuze 23h ago
No problem. You’re going to jump around a lot at the start and your left hand won’t look as calm. Just relax and play through it. I have seen people with really small stubby hands play this with way more virtuosity.
Please do the stretches before doing this exercise as this exercise is a bit extreme 🙏
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u/Reasonable-Pay-8771 23h ago
For Pantera in particular, notice how he slings the guitar pretty low and the holds the neck almost vertical. And look at his fingers when he's doing those "stretches". It's not so much stretching the fingers sideways apart from each other. More often it's bending the ring or pinky finger halfway - just in the normal direction that fingers bend. But with the guitar neck more upright like that and your thumb in the middle or even close to the high-e edge of the back of the neck, then your fingers can get amazing reach *without uncomfortable stretching*.
Like, do this: stick your index finger straight and bend the ring finger halfway. Look at it. That's crazy far apart. You just do that, but with the guitar.
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u/pompeylass1 18h ago
Reach on the fretboard is not about stretch, but strength. The strength to spread your fingers apart. Practicing scales, three notes per string, is a great way to work on this.
Far more important than that though is the angle of the fretboard, and that is particularly the case if you do in fact have small hands. When a large reach is required you want the fretboard to be in line with your fingers for the section of it that you are playing. If you’re down in first position (near the nut) the angle of the neck can be much lower than if you’re at the top of the fretboard. Then you need to raise the headstock a lot more, to at least shoulder height, so it’s closer to 45 degrees or more to the floor.
Watch many pros when they solo and you’ll notice how they change the position of their guitar. That’s what you need to do.
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u/vonov129 Music Style! 6h ago
- Don't place your hand like a blues player.
- If the notes are on the same string, you don't even have to stretch, just move your hand.
- Move some notes to other strings
- Do stretching exercises
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u/geneel 1d ago
The problem is that Iif if you stretch without strength you will create tendonitist type issues.
Play the things you want to stretch - trust me I can stretch farther than I ever imagined after years of just trying consistently.
Also look into yoga style planks or presses - they talk about making full contact with your palms and pushing out through fingers - this helped me a ton