Do You Need Big Hands To Play Guitar?

Seeing someone like Steve Vai play the guitar with his devilishly long fingers may make it seem like you need long fingers or a big hand to play the guitar well. This can be particularly discouraging for people with small hands who are just starting out and are struggling to make progress. If you are one of these people with hands on the smaller side and are wondering if that is inhabiting your potential when it comes to guitar playing or if you are someone blessed with large hands and are wondering if it gives you an added advantage, then you have come to the right place. Today we will see if the size of your hands has any meaningful impact on how far you can progress as a guitarist as we answer the common question – do you need big hands to play guitar?

Although the answer might seem like an overwhelming yes, the matter is a bit more complicated than that. Like all things in the practical world, large hands have their advantages and disadvantages, which we will explore next so that we can come to a well-informed conclusion.

Advantages Of Having Big Hands When Playing The Guitar

Being blessed with big hands does come with its advantages, as detailed below.

Better Reach

‘Snow’ is a song by the Red Hot Chili Peppers that is quite popular among guitarists. It is a song that most aspiring guitarists would love to learn how to play. Still, one look at a tutorial for the song, and most people abandon the idea without even trying. This is just one small example. There are many such songs that require you to travel across vast expanses on the fretboard very quickly. As you can imagine having short stubby fingers will make this task a bit difficult. People with bigger hands will also be able to play complex chords that extend across multiple frets. The same applies to lead notes where there are multiple jumps across strings and frets. Better reach is generally a good thing as your palms won’t have to move a lot which in turn reduces errors.

More Strength

There is no denying the fact that big hands mean slightly larger muscles and bones which results in a hand that has more strength. People with large hands find it easier to play bar chords or to hold down notes, especially during the early stages of learning how to play the guitar. This does not mean that people with smaller hands will struggle their entire life trying to develop the necessary strength. It just means that people with smaller hands will need to dedicate a bit more time and effort to make their hands as strong as necessary.

It Can Act As A Motivational Tool

There is the general notion in the world that larger is better. This isn’t always true, as oftentimes, great things come in small packages. However, possessing a physical attribute that is seen as an advantage by the masses can be a great confidence booster which in turn can be a great tool for motivation. One of the key ingredients of becoming an accomplished guitarist is being able to stay motivated during the period of grind that happens behind the scenes in the form of endless hours of practice and lessons. Possessing larger hands can be seen as a blessing in this context and, as such, will force the guitarist to push themselves beyond their comfort zones which ultimately makes the difference between a good musician and a great musician.

Disadvantages Of Having Big Hands When Playing The Guitar

All the things that we just mentioned might make it seem as if everyone who doesn’t have big hands has a massive disadvantage when it comes to being a guitarist. This is not true, as there are some avenues where having a big hand is actually a detriment, and we will look at these now to balance the scales.

Difficult To Play Notes On The Higher Frets With Accuracy

The frets on a guitar gradually decrease in width as you move up the fretboard. These areas can be very tricky to navigate for people with long fingers or big hands. Playing a chord on the upper reaches of the fretboard can be even more daunting as it will be very difficult to keep your fingers within those narrow confines. A person with smaller fingers or hands will find it a lot easier to do the same. Making subtle changes in position is another area where people with long fingers or big hands will tend to struggle. People with smaller hands can show more dexterity when limited motion is required, such as shifting a finger one fret over or under or when using the 20th fret and above.

Chances Of Injuring Yourself Are Higher

This is quite common in sports. Athletes with larger builds tend to get injured more often. The same applies to people with big hands. As such, hands can generate an exponentially higher amount of force and torque; they are at greater risk when using improper technique or when they are exerted too much. There have been cases where people who have torn ligaments on their fingers or dislocated those small bones by just fooling around on the guitar.

It Can Lead To Complacency

While the notion that bigger hands are better can act as a motivational tool, it can also end up leading to a cocky attitude. The sense of superiority can very quickly transform into a sense of entitlement. This will lead to a quasi-state of accomplishment that might make every small progress seem like something monumental. This will slow down your progress and cause you to expect results without putting in the work first. A well-rounded guitarist will work on their flaws, but someone who feels entitled may end up ignoring those flaws and will thus never be able to realize their true potential.

Is It Really Necessary To Have Big Hands To Play The Guitar?

To sum things up, possessing big hands isn’t a big bonus. All the different hand sizes will come with their own gamut of disadvantages and flaws. So, if you have smaller hands, you should not be discouraged as you will be able to do certain things much better out of the box than people with larger hands. You might struggle with a few things, but people with big hands will also struggle with an equal number of things. It will just be different issues that they will struggle with. If you are someone with big hands, then do not see it as an advantage that will magically make everything easier. There is no substitute for hard work and dedication, and for every large-handed Steve Vai, there is a small-handed Angus Young out there proving that skill will always trump any physical attribute.