Leeneia, it sounds to me that, from the difficulties you seem to having with the left hand, part of the problem may be hand position.

This is highly controversial among many folk guitarists. Many folk guitarists hold the palm of the left hand right up tight against the back of the guitar's neck, with the thumb wrapped around to the bass side, often with the idea of fretting notes on the sixth string with the thumb. I have argued this since Sunday breakfast with a number of folk guitarists (many here on Mudcat), but this can be counter-productive. It inhibits what the left hand can do and restricts the action of the fingers.

True, there are really good guitarists who play this way. But they are good despite this, not because of it.

Okay, that said, please bear with me for a bit.

I would like to be able to give you a brief lesson in hand positions, which I believe would go a long way toward clearing up your left hand problems easily, and making chord fingerings a whole lot easier—but I'm here and you're there.

So, as an alternative, let me introduce you to one of the finest guitarists in the world today. This is Sharon Isbin, giving about a ten minute interview, in which, about three minutes in, she demonstrates efficient hand positions, both left and right, for classic guitar specifically, but for just about any style of playing. Just like correct piano hand positions are also efficient for any kind of music you want to play on the piano. Her control of the tone of the guitar through the use of her right hand is also quite revealing.

Sharon Isbin.

(I understand that she and Joan Baez are good friends, by the way.)

Now—when someone tells me that their left hand is too small to play a wide-necked classic-type guitar, I show them THIS.

I hope this helps. Good pickin'!

Don Firth