My Fingers Are Freaks!

I've been at this uke thing for about a year. Doing okay but seem to be limited because my "fret hand" fingers just don't have much reach. I recently came across the "stretching exercises" from Aldrine Guerrero. The spread between my bird finger on the "E" string and my ring finger on the "A" string is only one fret. I CAN ONLY GET ONE FRET OF STRETCH BETWEEN THE TWO FINGERS no matter how hard I try! I think Aldrine can stretch about 9 frets with those fingers!!! I realize he's very accomplished but I'm beginning to think I'm a freak who was born with two right hands even though one appears to be a left hand!!! I practice and practice and practice but these fingers don't stretch! Any thoughts or pointers from anyone?

musiccityuker said:

I've been at this uke thing for about a year. Doing okay but seem to be limited because my "fret hand" fingers just don't have much reach. I recently came across the "stretching exercises" from Aldrine Guerrero. The spread between my bird finger on the "E" string and my ring finger on the "A" string is only one fret. I CAN ONLY GET ONE FRET OF STRETCH BETWEEN THE TWO FINGERS no matter how hard I try! I think Aldrine can stretch about 9 frets with those fingers!!! I realize he's very accomplished but I'm beginning to think I'm a freak who was born with two right hands even though one appears to be a left hand!!! I practice and practice and practice but these fingers don't stretch! Any thoughts or pointers from anyone?

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you just gotta keep trying. or figure another way to play the difficult chords. since there are only four courses on the uke, there are so many more moveable chord shapes than on the guitar. so take one of the chord shapes that are easier for you to play and move them up or down the fretboard till you get the chord you are looking for. (ex. to play an A, you can take the barred G chord and move it up the neck two frets)

either way, it could be worse. our drummer cant play a stringed instrument to save his life. his brain works in the way that whatever the fingers are doing on his right, the left will do the same thing. so he can hold up a peace sign in the air with the right hand, and you will notice his left hand hanging down to his side... with a peace sign also! haha.

I'd have to see a pic of you playing. Because simply laying my left hand on the fretboard -- with my fingers together -- gives me a 4-fret stretch. So, unless your hands are less than 2" across, I'm thinking you must be approaching this rather oddly.

A little more info...

Bird finger is on "E" string on first fret... bird finger can only stretch to the "A" string on third fret! I guess it's just a physical limitation I'll have to work around, and as suggested I'll just jump off another barre chord to get what I need. I appreciate the pointers. And I still love my little Mele tenor. Onward thru the fog!

My ? is why would you have your middle finger E-1 and ring A-3 anyway?

I have the same span same fingers on my Tenor's also, but I would be placing my pointer finger E-1 and ring A-3 if I was playing that fingering.

Or play my Soprano!!!!

Freedive135

Normally I wouldn't use using those fingers but that was part of the stretching exercise from Aldrine's demo. Aldrine had an incredible stretch with those same fingers (several frets) and I was wondering if that was normal... because I certainly couldn't ever hope to achieve such stretch. Sounds like my fingere stretch may be more the norm and it's Aldrine who is the freak... and I mean that in a good way Aldy!!! But thanks for the info freedive... much appreciated.

please put up a video of this. I have come to two conclusions. You are either counting the frets wrong and mistaking your fingers to be one fret apart when they are actually three frets apart or your doing something wrong. unless you have a serious medical condition where your hand is about (like the hobbit said)what......two inches in circumference, I really dont think you should have a problem. Im not trying to be rude, but i am being blunt.