Will my fingers adjust?

The ukulele is my first experience with stringed instruments, and I find the handling very difficult. Picking the strings to do scales works OK now, but I find chords very difficult to do.

Especially chords where several fingers are used on the same fret. It is almost impossible for me to pack my fingers like that, and they are all over the place, completely out of control.

Is this something that gets better as the tendons gets used to the positions, or will it continue? Do I need to get a bigger ukulele to compensate for this?

Smile

/Andy

yes, you will get used to it!
The time it's going to take is different for everyone, so don't rush yourself or try to force your fingers.
If you genuinely feel that it's a problem because you have large fingers, maybe try a concert/tenor ukulele?

Vespandy said:

The ukulele is my first experience with stringed instruments, and I find the handling very difficult. Picking the strings to do scales works OK now, but I find chords very difficult to do.

Especially chords where several fingers are used on the same fret. It is almost impossible for me to pack my fingers like that, and they are all over the place, completely out of control.

Is this something that gets better as the tendons gets used to the positions, or will it continue? Do I need to get a bigger ukulele to compensate for this?

Smile

/Andy

Click to expand...

...
Uke Whisperer
Member Join Date Jan 2011
Location North Myrtle Beach, S.C., U.S.A.

Hello,

YES, the E chord was the most difficult (of many) for me.

Previous post:
"That's one small step for a some, one giant leap for me!"
Three months ago I asked the same questions (as many have) regarding the "impossible E chord". There have been MANY times I decided that the E chord must have started-out as an April Fool's Joke! Sometimes I found myself taking the route of investigating for that "perfect alternative" to finger it (no, I didn't find it). Sometimes I must have gotten a little frustrated about it because, after practicing behind a closed door, my wife would comment "you must have been trying to play that E chord today!"

I want to thank all those UKERS that advised to "keep practicing", that someday it would come!

Yesterday, April 13, 2011, was "That's one small step for a some, one giant leap for me" day!!!!!

I can now play the 4 finger E chord (verified this morning to make sure I was not dreaming). No, the transitions are not at all timely yet, but I am sure they will come!

Again, thanks to all that contributed to making me a believer!

To those who have not accomplished this yet, "keep on keeping on"!

YES!!!!!!!!!!!! The more you play it the easier it will get. You have come to the right place and will get all the encouragement you need since we all have been through this. You have gotten some good advice.........."don't rush yourself" is a biggie. I would like to progress more quickly myself, but between my age, arthritis in my thumb, and so-so memory, I am progressing slowly (I was a beginner for 50 years until I started to get serious around the first of the year.) Just keep on practicing, it will come (more eventually for some than for others.) I can just envy those who progress easily and rapidly.

Hey your not the only one here with ukes and a scooter..hee hee...
Aloha Andy,
Just Practice, Have Patience, and Perserverence...= ukulele passion... as you do so, it will eventually come..your fingers will strenghten and improve dexterity...Happy Strummings, MM Stan

mm stan said:

Hey your not the only one here with ukes and a scooter..hee hee...

Click to expand...

You almost had my looking for hidden cameras, until I realised my username probably gave it away. I am the happy owner of a Vespa GTS 300 Super, my third Vespa so far.

I will keep trying, and hopefully get the chords someday. I usually sit a couple of hours every night, watching television and playing the ukulele.

/Andy

Yep...keep practicing!! Most important is to play VERY SLOW so you make no to very few mistakes, this will help with the muscle memory that your fingers and hands will develop. It will come to you soon enough!!! :music:

Vespandy said:

It is almost impossible for me to pack my fingers like that, and they are all over the place, completely out of control.

Is this something that gets better as the tendons gets used to the positions, or will it continue? Do I need to get a bigger ukulele to compensate for this?

Smile

/Andy

Click to expand...

I'd suggest you get a tenor. I've got SMALL hands and I like the tenor. I have a Concert right now, but normally you'd think with my very short fingers I'd like a soprano. Well, I don't. If you have a Soprano I suggest you give it to a little kid right away and go get yourself a Concert or a Tenor.

ConspiracyUkeist said:

If you have a Soprano I suggest you give it to a little kid right away...

Click to expand...

A bit too expensive to give to the kids. It would not last a day in their care, and I really like the soprano.

I will follow the advice about going slow and see if things lighten up in the future. There are quite many chords I have no problems with, so the troublesome ones will not keep me from practicing.

/Andy

it is a very slow process like any kind of physical activity , it is like sports, you have to slowly train to build up to the level you want to be. And you hands will adapt and actualy change shape. from years of playing guitar the fingers on my left hand are very strait an semetrical from the fret board while my right hand they are kind of crooked , especialy my 1st finger, from holding the pick.

Give it time, soon you'll be strumming through the chord changes like a pro! And I'll second the go slow comment made somewhere up there. Get the changes down slow and accurate before speeding up.

ConspiracyUkeist said:

I'd suggest you get a tenor. I've got SMALL hands and I like the tenor. I have a Concert right now, but normally you'd think with my very short fingers I'd like a soprano. Well, I don't. If you have a Soprano I suggest you give it to a little kid right away and go get yourself a Concert or a Tenor.

Click to expand...

Heh, heh. That's probably a little extreme. I'm not a big fan of soprano scale and I do have difficulty with it, but I know there are a lot of people with hands far larger than mine who have no problem playing the 13" scale!

John

As the ukulele is my first stringed instrument, I had no previous experience to guide me with the details. Yesterday I looked at Taimane Gardners videos and noticed that she has a much more loose grip.

Instead of her hand supporting the ukulele, it looks more to be just her thumb. I tried, and it solved my problems. I can now do a lot more chords. Still a very long way to go before it is with ease and speed, but nice to know it can be done.

Thanks for your input. I will take it slow. Very slow.

/Andy