Fretting hand

[Soukayna]

Hello
Guys I need some help with my fretting hand, even thought I cut my fingernails as short as possible I still find that while playing a note my nails touch some string causing it to buzz, per example when playing a G chord my index touches the low E string causing it to buzz, I try to readjust my fretting fingers until I get each string to ring correctly, but I can't help but get buzzing sounds and sometimes muted notes while strumming. Any suggestions on how to fix this ?
Thank you in advance

 

[Lindsey]

Practice, practice. If the buzzing is caused by your playing and not by your guitar this is all you can do.
I still get strings under my nails every once in a while but the longer you play the more familiar you'll get with the finger placement.
Try some finger independence and warmup exercises. They may help. Make sure you're pressing your fingertip down at the string.

 

[Lindsey]

I copied this from JustinGuitar

''
Finger Placement On The String
Many people struggle because they try to use the wrong part of their finger to press the string down! Most times the correct place is the Yellow arrow on the diagram below, sometimes the Blue in certain circumstances you'll need to, but never the red! ''

 

[Soukayna]

Practice, practice. If the buzzing is caused by your playing and not by your guitar this is all you can do.
I still get strings under my nails every once in a while but the longer you play the more familiar you'll get with the finger placement.
Try some finger independence and warmup exercises. They may help. Make sure you're pressing your fingertip down at the string.

Well I think it's caused by my playing since when I readjust my fretting fingers it sounds just like its supposed to sound. Thank you Lindsey, I'll look up those finger independence exercises I definitely need them.

 

[Lindsey]

Well I think it's caused by my playing since when I readjust my fretting fingers it sounds just like its supposed to sound. Thank you Lindsey, I'll look up those finger independence exercises I definitely need them.

These are the exercises I was talking about. They're mentoined in Advanced Alternate Picking Exercises 3 – Lesson 75


1234, 1243, 1423, 1432, 1342, 1324,
2134, 2143, 2413, 2431, 2341, 2314,
3124, 3142, 3412, 3421, 3241, 3214,
4123, 4132, 4312, 4321, 4231, 4213

 

[Alicia Willis]

I copied this from JustinGuitar

''
Finger Placement On The String
Many people struggle because they try to use the wrong part of their finger to press the string down! Most times the correct place is the Yellow arrow on the diagram below, sometimes the Blue in certain circumstances you'll need to, but never the red! ''

Awesome visual ! I was going to try to explain this but this is sooo much better lol when I started out I always used the tips of my fingers which is awkward, painful, and will result in the afore mentioned issue.

 

[Calvin Phillips]

I dont ever have nails. If they are in the way. Away they go. Lol

 

[John Robinson]

Hello
Guys I need some help with my fretting hand, even thought I cut my fingernails as short as possible I still find that while playing a note my nails touch some string causing it to buzz, per example when playing a G chord my index touches the low E string causing it to buzz, I try to readjust my fretting fingers until I get each string to ring correctly, but I can't help but get buzzing sounds and sometimes muted notes while strumming. Any suggestions on how to fix this ?
Thank you in advance

When i first started i did the same thing..and i have big ass fingers but as i played longer i have gotten better...not perfect but better

 

[Firsty Lasty]

As your fingertips get calloused that will help a lot. Even if you don't notice that your skin is toughening up, and it can be something that's not obvious, playing guitar will just get easier and better.

As a side note playing guitar got me in the habit of owning a lot of nail clippers so I never have trouble finding them.

 

[Soukayna]

Update!
Guys I sacrificed my fretting hand's fingernails today, I clipped them as short as I could, it actually helped with the buzzing and the muted notes, even though it still feels weird but I think as @Calvin Phillips said if they are in the way away they go
Thank you all for the tips

 

[Nocturne]

Don't forget to put your hand under (and not behind) the neck for some chords that will be easier to do without buzzing, like barre chords for instance. And when you do that, keep your thumb on the back of the neck. Your hand has to be almost completely on the side of the fretboard.

 

[Lucas Weiman]

When I was a beginner, I would do exactly as you said, check all my fingers in the chord for buzzing, find none, then strum all the strings only to find a string or 2 buzzing. On top of the good advice everyone has already said, I would add in this:

Practice ONLY 2 different fingers at a time for your chords. For example, if you try to play the G-chord, you would use 3 fingers for the whole chord normally. BUT if you try practicing it with only finger 1 and 2, or 2 and 3, or 1 and 3, you will practice 2 very useful and specific things:

1. Attention on less fingers at a time improves your understanding for those fingers faster than you would if you were using all 3 or all 4.

2. It also sheds light on possible weak areas you didn't know you had because you are doing something familiar in a different way. (It's hard to explain, but once you try it, you will understand!)

Side note: I'm not telling you from now on play a G-chord with only 2 fingers, I'm telling you to PRACTICE it that way from time-to-time for better results.

Good luck!

 

[Soukayna]

When I was a beginner, I would do exactly as you said, check all my fingers in the chord for buzzing, find none, then strum all the strings only to find a string or 2 buzzing. On top of the good advice everyone has already said, I would add in this:

Practice ONLY 2 different fingers at a time for your chords. For example, if you try to play the G-chord, you would use 3 fingers for the whole chord normally. BUT if you try practicing it with only finger 1 and 2, or 2 and 3, or 1 and 3, you will practice 2 very useful and specific things:

1. Attention on less fingers at a time improves your understanding for those fingers faster than you would if you were using all 3 or all 4.

2. It also sheds light on possible weak areas you didn't know you had because you are doing something familiar in a different way. (It's hard to explain, but once you try it, you will understand!)

Side note: I'm not telling you from now on play a G-chord with only 2 fingers, I'm telling you to PRACTICE it that way from time-to-time for better results.

Good luck!

Alright!
Sounds logical because as you said making my brain focus on one or two fingers at a time will make me know exactly where to put that finger for the note to sound right, and then move to another finger, as for weakest finger I can play all the other chords just fine until I have to involve the pinky, that little
Anyway thank you for the advice Lucas! much appreciated

 

[Soukayna]

Don't forget to put your hand under (and not behind) the neck for some chords that will be easier to do without buzzing, like barre chords for instance. And when you do that, keep your thumb on the back of the neck. Your hand has to be almost completely on the side of the fretboard.

hi there!
Its like you read my mind I've been advised to keep my fretting hand low at this beginner stage, but I can't help but find that my thumb is behind the neck of the guitar sometimes even peeking, I tried to lower my wrist but it's kind of tense and uncomfortable, so

 

[Nocturne]

hi there!
Its like you read my mind I've been advised to keep my fretting hand low at this beginner stage, but I can't help but find that my thumb is behind the neck of the guitar sometimes even peeking, I tried to lower my wrist but it's kind of tense and uncomfortable, so

Work on that. In the long run it will help you not to take a VERY bad habit and not to hurt your wirst. If you ever feel discomfort or pain in your wrist when you are playing it means you are doing something wrong, so stop and take some time to see what's going on.
I made you some photos of how I put my fretting hand when picking notes on high strings or doing barre chords. It's a more comfortable and fast way to play when you get it, and much less painful.

 

[Soukayna]

Work on that. In the long run it will help you not to take a VERY bad habit and not to hurt your wirst. If you ever feel discomfort or pain in your wrist when you are playing it means you are doing something wrong, so stop and take some time to see what's going on.
I made you some photos of how I put my fretting hand when picking notes on high strings or doing barre chords. It's a more comfortable and fast way to play when you get it, and much less painful.

Thank you @Nocturne I will try my best to lower my wrist, thank you so much for the clarifications and also the pictures which btw I notice that you actually have nails lol, well maybe afterall I don't need to clip them really short which is uncomfortable for me.

 

[Nocturne]

Thank you @Nocturne I will try my best to lower my wrist, thank you so much for the clarifications and also the pictures which btw I notice that you actually have nails lol, well maybe afterall I don't need to clip them really short which is uncomfortable for me.

I do! I used to cut my nails real short but I don't do it anymore because I noticed that the notes still ring clearly without difficulty, but I did like two or three weeks ago because I started to have some difficulties to fret correctly. But yeah, you don't absolutely have to cut your nails really short.