Are Small Hands a Deal Breaker for Playing Guitar

Guitar players with long fingers and relatively big hands were considered as gifted ever since this instrument was popularized. However, the question is whether or not you really need to have large hands if you want to be good, and if small hands are a deal breaker for playing guitar.

We are going to dedicate this article to answering that question and digging a bit deeper into this subject which seems to be rather controversial these days. If you have smaller hands and are interested in playing guitar, stay with us. There are some misconceptions you need to be aware of.

Are Small Hands A Deal Breaker For Playing Guitar

The short answer to this question is no. Small hands are not a deal breaker if you want to be a good guitar player. The fact of the matter is that human body is capable of adapting to different environments and actions. Muscle memory is a very potent mechanism that takes time to develop but ultimately results in learning skills you probably never thought you could master.

The whole misconception that guitar players with small hands can't play guitar comes from the fact that those who have longer fingers also have a much easier time at fretting different shapes on the fretboard. Arpeggios and similar techniques definitely come easier to those who can cover more real estate on the neck, but that doesn't mean that you can't master the same with shorter fingers and smaller hands.

One cool thing about us humans is that we can compensate for different traits we lack by nature. All of us are different in one way or another, so this comes as no surprise really. As someone with smaller hands, you will have to work harder at overcoming some of the problems every guitar player is facing.

It will take more time, but ultimately you will get there. Modern guitar necks are relatively slim and narrow. On a grand scale of things, only a very small group of people will actually be limited by the size of their hands. The vast majority won't have this problem.

If you have small hands, and you are just starting out, you might feel like you simply can't reach those jumps. That transition from the first fret onto the fourth or fifth probably seems impossible. Here's a little secret, every new guitar player feels the same way despite the size of their hands. Just think about this for a second.

Bass guitars have a lot longer scales, which translates to much longer necks. For example, going from first to the fourth fret on a bass guitar is like reaching from first to sixth on an electric guitar. Even so, there are bass players who have small hands, who are also very proficient with their instruments. It all comes down to how dedicated you are to achieving your goals, and how much effort you are willing to put in.

With that said, it's also worth mentioning that different guitar players have different playing styles. There are many ways you can play the same scale. Some are more textbook, while others are pretty unorthodox. The fact is that everyone has their own way of doing things despite their physical predispositions.

Following that line of thought, guitar players with small hands also develop their own way of tackling various technical bumps and issues when playing guitar. If learned properly, all of these different styles can yield same results.

Those who have abnormally small hands have several options at their disposal. We have a whole article dedicated to small hands and guitars, and we recommend checking it out. On a similar note, finding guitars that are scaled down in size is also a solution worth investigating.

We've created a very specific list of recommended acoustic guitars for small hands that might give you an idea of what we are talking about. As you can see, even in extreme cases there are alternatives and solutions that will get the job done.

Final Thoughts

Playing guitar is one of those things that can really shape you as a person. That type of experience should be available to all, despite the size of their hands or other factors. Having small hands is only an issue if you look at it that way. In reality, there are many ways to compensate for just about everything.

It all comes down to your determination. Those who are set on achieving a certain goal will wind their way no matter what. Those who aren't will find excuses. This might sound a bit cheesy, but it applies perfectly to the situation we are talking about here. Having small hands can be a non-issue if you have an appropriate mindset. Otherwise, you will be held down by your own self.