The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
Reply to Thread Bookmark Thread
Posts 1 to 16 of 16
  1. #1

    User Info Menu

    I am a serious fan of Hendrix...many folks have commented on his large, supple hands, complete with extra long, strong fingers...some say that is a real advantage for guitar players...what do you think?...I have noticed that other famous players seem to also have extra-large hands.

  2.  

    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2

    User Info Menu

    Django Reinhardt. As soon as we're talking about the benefits of large hands, Django comes to mind since he only had basically two functioning fingers on his fretting hand.

    Johnny Smith and Pat Matheny both have (or had, in Johnny's case) relatively small hands; and they played more guitar than just about anybody in the history of the instrument.

    Tal Farlow had enormous hands.

  4. #3

    User Info Menu

    When I was much younger, I remember hearing a conversation that a doctor had with someone. The person said, "You must have long slender fingers to be able to do such precision work as a surgeon." The doctor held up his hands - and surprised the other person because the doctor's hands were HUGE and looked almost like hams. The doctor smiled and said, "A lot of surgeons actually have very large hands - but the difference between those surgeons and other people with large hands is that the surgeon's hands work PERFECTLY." Same with musicians, I would guess.
    S

  5. #4

    User Info Menu

    Jimi played guitar all day and night until falling asleep with his guitar in his hands, and resumed playing when he woke. Musicians who work harder than others don’t have special hands.

  6. #5

    User Info Menu

    The largest hands I've ever seen belonged to Tal Farlow.

    I remember seeing him play a chord voicing once where his 1st finger was fretting the 1st fret on the 6th string while his little finger was fretting the 1st string 7th fret!

    His other two fingers were somewhere in between.

    Try doing that!

    Regards,
    Steven Herron

  7. #6

    User Info Menu

    Some of Johnny Smith's voicings are impossible to play, and his hands don't look large in any way.

    I saw a Robert Johnson doc last night - they talk about his really long fingers..

    I wouldn't make anything of it. Don't people say the same about pianists?

  8. #7

    User Info Menu

    Gary Karr is generally acknowledged as one of the five leading double-bass soloist ever. The Maestro is vertically challenged -- I dunno, maybe 5' 6" tops -- and his hands are proportional.



    What Gary has is on outsize joy of music. He once said that the way to play that opening phrase of that Dragonetti concerto was to picture signing,
    "I
    Am
    Here

    Oh good oh good oh good oh good oh good oh good oh good oh good."

    Just to say, how you're shaped is no excuse, and no more of an advantage than you personally make it.

  9. #8

    User Info Menu

    If hand size is critical to being great...I am f***ed.

  10. #9

    User Info Menu

    Big hands are a help and a curse. Try to fret a Gmaj full barre chord on the 15th fret, and you'll quickly see what I mean.

  11. #10

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by curbozer
    I am a serious fan of Hendrix...many folks have commented on his large, supple hands, complete with extra long, strong fingers...some say that is a real advantage for guitar players...what do you think?...I have noticed that other famous players seem to also have extra-large hands.

    All things being equal/exactly the same, I think it is an advantage to have large hands, however, things are seldom(never) equal/exactly the same.

    Check out the great guitar players, and you will see that the majority of great players does not have huge hands.

  12. #11

    User Info Menu

    I think Eric Johnson has and Allan Holdsworth had large hands. I think if you have normal sized hands or even smallish hands you can still play wonderfully. I have what I would deem smallish hands but have a decent left hand stretch because that is something I have consistently worked on over the years. Pianist Keith Jarrett has small hands and is a monster player.

  13. #12

    User Info Menu

    I could tell you a story about an attending physician I worked with once who had extraordinarily long fingers, but out of the sensitivities of this group I will refrain.

    I would think long fingers would help with a long-scale guitar especially playing near the nut. Smaller hands should be best for barre chords especially up the neck. I think it would all balance out.

  14. #13

    User Info Menu

    Pasquale Grasso has large hands and he uses them to their absolute physical potential

  15. #14

    User Info Menu

    And the winner is...

    SLIM GAILLARD - YouTube

    Chas Chandler tells of flat hunting in London with Hendrix & asking why He stood in the bathroom doorway before checking out the rest of the flat.

    'I'm making sure I can get to the bathroom with a guitar when I get out of bed in the morning'

  16. #15

    User Info Menu

    I'll point out the inverse. Mike Marshall has large hands with fingers that are not slim. Mike also has a collection of accolades for his mandolin playing.

  17. #16

    User Info Menu

    It may be beneficial, but it is not a necessity. Check out Danny Gatton (average size hands at best) for instance...