It's all over now - the stretch!!!!

Hi Mike. Help!!!

I love playing this song and I keep thinking that one day I will be able to do the stretch in "Guitar 1 during solo" but I have to say that I'll never be able to do it with these small hands!!! Is there any other solution please?

I love Status Quo songs but I generally have the same problem.

Thanks so much for the great lessons.

When I do a steatch, it helps to rotate my left wrist counter clock wise. It increases the distance you can reach. Probaly not a good position for most things, but I find it useful when I need to make a LARGE stretch.

Hey Andrew!! I know how frustrating this can be!!

Here's an alternative solution: Try playing the rhythm parts an octave up. So you would be playing off a G power chord with the root at the 10th fret of the A string. This will make it easier to do the stretch, since the frets are closer together. You can grab the C and D chords at the 8th fret of the low E string and 10th fret of the low E string respectively.

And now to working on your stretching ability: let's turn this riff into a practice exercise. Take that G power chord and move it up the neck and find the spot where you can play the riff with the stretch. Now - move down the fretboard one fret at a time and find where it becomes harder to make that stretch. This is the zone you should practice the riff for a few minutes each practice session. With lots of repetition, you'll loosen those hand muscles up enough to start moving back down the neck towards the 3rd fret for the G chord.

Make sense?!

Also, thanks to SnoJones for jumping in with a great suggestion. It is always encouraged to experiment with wrist and thumb placement to find the optimal position to play a riff like this!!!

Hope this helps - let me know how it goes!!

Mike

Originally Posted by: andrew.colomb

Hi Mike. Help!!!

I love playing this song and I keep thinking that one day I will be able to do the stretch in "Guitar 1 during solo" but I have to say that I'll never be able to do it with these small hands!!! Is there any other solution please?

I love Status Quo songs but I generally have the same problem.

Thanks so much for the great lessons.

Hi Mike and SnoJones

Thank you so very much and Mike thank you so much for your comprehensive answer!

Yes, it certainly makes sense. I'm going to have a go at this as soon as possible.

It is so frustrating when you can manage most intermediate things but get stuck by a basic skill. I often think I wish I could have been blessed with having long fingers instead of being so handsome and wealthy!!!! Hahahahaha, that is a joke! I am neither lolz.

Once again, thank you so much!!!