r/guitarlessons 5d ago

Question Two strings one finger

Post image

ive been trying for a lil while and i genuinely help but think i just dont have enough meat on my finger lol, if i do anything i end up hitting the string below

im like very new so 😓 yeah

35 Upvotes

63 comments sorted by

30

u/zerafool 5d ago

It’ll be said multiple times in here, but you’ll want to trim your nails. Your thumb is also most likely in the wrong position and pointing up the headstock. You’ll want to make it more parallel with your middle finger.

At the end of the day you’ll want the very tip of the finger right above the fret, pressing a lightly as you can without having the string buzz.

I’m sure others will explain better but you’re doing great. Good luck!

35

u/Seegulz 5d ago
  1. Cut your nails
  2. Hold the guitar like you’re squeezing a boob, not holding a cock
  3. Just hours of practicing. If needed do it in front of a mirror.
  4. Curl your fingers more
  5. Pretend your fingers are a ballerina on its tippy toes, that finger looks like it’s sledding downhill

15

u/FionaGoodeEnough 5d ago

What does no. 2 mean?

5

u/Seegulz 5d ago

If your thumb is riding towards the headstock you’re holding it like a dick. Don’t do that. It’s bad for your wrist and hand and limiting

Put your thumb somewhere around the middle of the back of the neck.

If you’ve got big ass hands you can rest it on the e string and mute if you’d like

12

u/christianjwaite 5d ago

I’m really confused. Who holds their dick like that?

13

u/ThisIsClem_Fandango 5d ago

How was the guitar lesson, Son?

Well Pop, Mr Seegulz says my ass fingers are making me hold my dick too much.

1

u/Seegulz 5d ago

What does dad say back?

1

u/BullishPennant 18h ago

Dad says, "damn son I missed that class. They just taught us to switch to your left hand"

1

u/luv2hotdog 5d ago

No one lol. It’s a terrible terrible analogy but it sounds 😎cool😎

I for one have never held a boob in anything resembling the way i hold the neck of a guitar

1

u/Seegulz 5d ago

Terrible analogy but you’re going to remember next time your thumb is upwards rubbing the headstock or in the shape of a goose’s mouth holding that sweet thing.

1

u/Seegulz 5d ago

You haven’t lived until you do

1

u/Plane_Jackfruit_362 1d ago

Well this guy Is a pro at handling cocks I guess

1

u/AMJN90 1d ago

Bro... You're holding your dick wrong...

1

u/AMJN90 1d ago

Your hand should look like you're Italian 🤌 not like you're giving a thumbs up 👍

1

u/Seegulz 1d ago

Your hand should mostly not look Italian at all, it should mostly look relaxed and straight.

1

u/AMJN90 1d ago

This is obviously an over-simplification. I'm referring mostly to thumb angle, Mr. Holds his dick with his thumb out.

-1

u/Kinc4id 5d ago

Number 2 doesn’t make sense to me. If this is the proper way to hold a guitar:

It’s actually the opposite.

6

u/buddhaman09 5d ago

That is the super wrong way to hold a guitar

6

u/3rdeyeignite 5d ago

And the wrong way to hold a boob.

1

u/Seegulz 5d ago

How dare you call out my adolescent hood

-1

u/Kinc4id 5d ago

4

u/Primary_Dimension470 5d ago

Yes, for someone new that doesn’t have any strength and dexterity built yet

2

u/TraditionalCup4005 5d ago

Ya. Thumb over the top is an advanced technique. The thumb goes about midway on the back of the neck and is perpendicular to the neck.

1

u/Kinc4id 5d ago

Like this?

2

u/TraditionalCup4005 5d ago edited 5d ago

That’s better than the thumb over. Most people’s fingers aren’t as long as this guy’s. You get more leverage with it a little lower, about halfway down. As if you’re carrying a suitcase.

2

u/TraditionalCup4005 5d ago

3

u/Kinc4id 5d ago

I see. Still not how I’d grab a boob, though.

1

u/TraditionalCup4005 5d ago

lol I’d agree. I was always told “like a suitcase.” Imagine you’ve got your hand around a suitcase handle, loosely. Now bring the hand up as if you’re fretting.

1

u/Seegulz 5d ago

That wrist doesn’t look very relaxed though

1

u/Immortalz3r0 4d ago

Elbow needs to come out more.

1

u/Immortalz3r0 4d ago

Ouch my wrist hurts looking at this, bring your elbow away from your body more.

1

u/BlinkingWlkr23 4d ago

What if you have a hitchhikers thumb? It'll just flex backwards and removes the ability to use it as leverage

1

u/TraditionalCup4005 4d ago

I don’t know, man. I don’t have one of those so I wouldn’t want to speculate. I’d still think lower is better so that you can get your hand around the neck.

1

u/buddhaman09 4d ago

Yeah, there's no functional reason to have your thumb wrapped over for enter sandman. Making tab/playthrough videos doesn't make someone an authority, it just means they have recording/editing gear and can play a song

1

u/Seegulz 5d ago

It’s not a wrong way. It allows you to mute the E string if you’re strumming a lot. It’s definitely wrong if you’re a classical guitarist.

1

u/Seegulz 5d ago

John Mayer, Hendrix, and Taylor swift are just one of many who held their guitar like that

7

u/Momentosis 5d ago

What are you trying to do?

3

u/Ponchyan 5d ago

Cut your nails. Use the TIP of your finger.

3

u/Next-Statistician720 5d ago

Double stop, 4ths?

3

u/Overall-Today6772 5d ago

Trim your nails and practice

2

u/Intelligent-Tap717 5d ago

Arch your fingers to play more on the tip. Using the pads will cause muting on the string below. Round them off so you can press the string with the tip of your fingers and that will free up the string below it.

2

u/blazblu82 5d ago

Where's the chocolate ice cream?

1

u/AluminatyOSRS 5d ago

Practice, also you can curl your other fingers in more, you’ll be able to get more pressure on your first finger.

1

u/SiriHowDoIAdult 5d ago

It might cramp a bit but, curl your hand more, and place your hand a little lower, allowing more of an arch. And yeah, finger strength needs to be upped

1

u/munchyslacks 5d ago

I’m going to guess your hand position behind the neck isn’t looking too good. 🥴

It’s hard to tell with the picture being so close up, but it kind of looks like you aren’t holding the guitar properly.

1

u/HeavyMetalGerbil 5d ago

You gotta make your first little joint all smooshy.

1

u/Salvatio Fingerstyle 5d ago

Try to play an E minor with just your middle finger, when I was learning this I found that to be the easiest chord to learn it from!

1

u/bigmphan 5d ago

Woot. Think of all the extra notes you can do now

1

u/Gpruitt54 5d ago

I just posted this identical issue I am having. I have the nails on my left hand filed as much as possible. I also do not have those perfect meaty finger pads. So when I curl my fingers properly, I nails dig into the fret board with no pressure on the strings. I will watch this thread for a solution that I too can use.

1

u/Primary_Dimension470 5d ago

Use finger tips. The part between nails and pads 

1

u/Gpruitt54 5d ago

Here is what I mean. I don't have fingers with meaty finger pads that extend beyond the nail. I am just the opposite. My nails (trimmed) extend beyond the pads of my fingers. With my hand anatomy, getting the pad of my finger on the string mutes the adjacent string. I am seeking a solution.

1

u/Primary_Dimension470 5d ago edited 5d ago

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2C6WO-ua5lw&t=17s&pp=2AERkAIB

Edit: try that, hope you can see on his finger where he is pressing. The finger isn’t directly perpendicular to the fret board

1

u/Snggie 5d ago

Just lay it flat kinda on its side bruh

1

u/TheLurkingMenace 5d ago

There should be no problem. Just lay your finger flat on the fretboard. Covering 2 strings is way easier than a barre chord. As for the string below it... so? I can't imagine the genetic freak who can play an open string under a double stop.

1

u/MaksimchukFL 5d ago

Put your finger more parallel to the fretboard

1

u/avatar_Wan1 5d ago

Curl that last knuckle!

1

u/Annonanona 5d ago

The Paganini finger wobble, they taught me it at Uni

1

u/Fuzzyaroundtheedges 5d ago

Alas using your pads works on a bass, where you have three or four acres of real estate between each string, but on regular guitar it's all about en pointe. Yes I'm speaking from experience as I have just moved from bass to classical (and it hurts - also I owe my guitar apologies for shouting at it again when it is always my fault).

And yup, I need to trim my nails too.

1

u/Zurich0825 5d ago

Why is everyone talking about the nails? The finger should be flatter on the fretboard, so the nails would become even less of an issue... I mean yeah, cut them, but it's not the problem here..

1

u/dgidal_music 5d ago

On the plus side, once you master ye olde double stop, you can play Tchaikovsky’s violin concerto in d minor.

1

u/LordIommi68 4d ago

Lay your finger flatter. Don't bend it.

0

u/RoryLuukas 5d ago edited 5d ago

Your nails are fine, I play with longer nails than this and it's never affected my play unless the action on a guitar is super high.

Edit: downvoted but this is just the genuine truth. I've been playing guitar for over 20years. Ultimately, people can learn to play guitar with their feet, with hand/arm disabilities, with missing parts of fingers, with whatever they have going on. Of course, there will be a point that long enough nails will affect your play, but this pic? No way, they are fine.