legato problem

wtom · Post by **wtom** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 7:14 am

I started playing the guitar not too long ago just learning on my own. Anyone have any tips on legato runs for people with small hands/short fingers. I feel like I always have to leave the previous fretted note in order to play the next note (Ex. 1-3-5). Especially when I play standing it's pretty ugly. I'm sure my hands aren't going to grow anymore either.

Paul Wolfe · Post by **Paul Wolfe** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 8:20 pm

You know that old standby exercise where you play 1-2-3-4 on each string and then move up a fret and play 5-4-3-2 on each string and then move up a fret, etc?

Play that exercise legato. Start on the first fret and play 1-2-3-4 only picking the first note on each string. Once you are comfortable with that, you can add sweep picking to the exercise - pick the first note with a downstroke, play the next 3 notes on that string legato, then continue the downstroke for the first note on the next string, etc. When coming back up from the 1st string to the 6th string, use up strokes.

Practice this for 5 minutes a day and you'll be amazed at your progress in one month's time.

Supernaut · Post by **Supernaut** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 2:39 pm

I'm lucky I have big hands I suppose...playing bass and all!

shouldn't be too ahrd on guitar...I don't really know. Do what rocky says though!

Ell · Post by **Ell** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 6:46 pm

RockyRhoads is right, constantly playing stuff like that will seem to magically improve the smoothness of your playing. I used to have small hands but they are much bigger since i've been playing guitar. For proof that guitar can make your hands grow, one of my friends has one hand bigger than the other because of it!

wtom · Post by **wtom** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 11:55 pm

cool, i sure hope that's the case, having small hands suck especially when playing instruments. i've been working on the exercises, thanks for the posts people

Paul Wolfe · Post by **Paul Wolfe** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 2:48 pm

I was just looking at the August 06 issue of Total Guitar magazine. It's got a lesson/transcription of Over The Mountain with backing track. In the article legato playing is discussed and I thought this might be of help to you.