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Wanting to learn to play the guitar but....

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  • googler
    googler Posts: 16,103 Forumite
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    Tony Iommi survivied the loss of 3 or 4 fingertips.

    Django Reinhardt had 3rd and 4th fingers fused together and forged a playing career with the use of essentially 2 fingers

    You can do it with the right attitude.
  • prowla
    prowla Posts: 14,037 Forumite
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    Apart from making bar chords a doddle, I think that having limited mobility in your left index finger could be a bit of an impediment.
    You might try some different tunings though, which might make playing easier.
    If buying an acoustic (presumably steel string), you should try and get one with a low action.
    Regarding the bass, all but the most (ahem) basic playing needs nimble fingers.
    (Tomny Iommi lost two fingertips in a steel factory.)
  • mardycow
    mardycow Posts: 121 Forumite
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    you could try a nylon strung guitar - less harsh on the fingertips, am sure any teacher would let you try out their guitar but one lesson is not going to be very indicative of if you could play i don't think, If it is just a case of seeing if you could manage some of the chord positions try finding something of similar size and shape to the guitar neck and frets and practice some chord positions - you can download tablature to show you the basics.
  • prowla wrote: »
    Regarding the bass, all but the most (ahem) basic playing needs nimble fingers.
    (Tomny Iommi lost two fingertips in a steel factory.)


    You don't start with warp speed hands, though.

    It's amazing how much strength, speed and agility you build up with regular practice. One day, it's Green Onions or something else in the I-IV-V format, another day, it's a run from a Stevie Wonder track. Master Blaster, for example.

    Just because you can play the latter, it doesn't mean you didn't have to start at the former.

    I started with two pretty much immobile fingers due to nerve damage from a neck fracture. Even now, although I can't feel them properly, I can use them. And the arthritis gets ignored until I need meds. Then I take them and ignore it again.


    Watching film of Django Reinhardt will show how to cope with less than the full quota of digits. You can adapt, whether it's the index, the middle or the ring finger that makes the barre. Capos are pretty handy, too, so I hear.
    I could dream to wide extremes, I could do or die: I could yawn and be withdrawn and watch the world go by.
    colinw wrote: »
    Yup you are officially Rock n Roll :D
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