Hi!
My name is Elizabeth and I started guitar a few months ago. I’ve been struggling with second finger placement on chords where 2nd and 3rd fingers are spread (D) but not when they’re next to each other (E and A). It dawned on me the other day that it’s probably because my finger is super crooked due to a childhood injury. It curves toward my other fingers pretty drastically (pic included). Anyone have any tips for working with something like this? Thanks so much!
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Welcome to the community Liz. My fretting pinky has ex-vert ramp skateboarder pinky syndrome so it does not curl smoothly and tends to lock up (Heck all my fingers are a bit crunchy). Especially when I am trying to change from barr chords to 7th chords or something. Stretching helps my other fingers and my hands, I do it and recommend it but it does not help for this problem. What to do?
Unfortunatly, there is no really magic bullet, I have to work around the physiological barriers that I have. So I do things like shift my hand slightly or angle it some in a way that allows my finger to fit better. I also try and have my hand set in a way prior to a progression that I know that a spot is coming up i have difficulties with the movement.
Another thing you can do that is a bit more advanced is learn different voicings for the chords that you have extreme difficulties with. There are tons of ways to make these sounds.
Joni Mitchell who is a very well known Folk artist and considered one of the greatest of a generation had childood polio that left her with extreme palsy in her fretting hand. She just created her own chords and used a different tuning system. She blew the minds of everyone.
I always think of her when I get frustrated with my busted up hands. If Joni did so can I. And so can you Liz. Keep up the good work. Nothing great comes easy.
Glad you found the community. Come introduce yourselves in the community hub area.
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Keith Richards was recently asked if the obvious arthritis in his hands has limited his playing. He said that whenever there’s something he can’t do any more, the guitar shows him a different way to do it.
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Thanks so much! Hopefully my musicality will get there someday!
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As you progress and learn about other voicings for the D chord, there are many other ways to play D, triads are your friend. Find what gets you by for now.
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Did some more thinking about this and tried it on a song that has a G D Em C progression (Wagon Wheel).
If instead of playing D Major with your Index, Middle and Ring, just play a D6 with your middle and ring fingers.
And see if that works for you. On the song I tried it on, it sounded slightly different but still OK, your mileage may vary.
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Hi Elizabeth,
As long as the chord shapes are not hurting you, I would try to persist with regular chord shapes. Obviously not if it hurts.
Your finger is not very strongly bent. My middle finger is bent as much as that (natural, no accident) on the fretting hand and it hasn’t given me any problems that I am aware of.
All of us have difficulty making chord shapes at the beginning and it does feel weird - some chord shapes much more than others. I think that’s normal at first. I still find the Bm barre chord weird after playing it for a year. So it might not be anything to do with your finger but just that it’s new and you don’t completely have the muscle memory yet. So I wouldn’t just assume that it’s because of your finger, unless you are sure of that.
Obviously if it’s painful then that would be a different issue.
My left index finger also is crooked that way naturally, and it makes it hard to get enough space between the index and middle finger to fret some chords cleanly, triads toward the headstock especially. I try to use the “proper” fingering, but in some cases use my ring finger instead of middle to reach closer to the fret, and that gets a much crisper sound. I have a strong pinky so I can use it for add9 chords, etc.
Also, making sure your thumb is pointed up and centered behind the chord shape, not angled toward the headstock, will help.
Hi Liz. I broke my left pinkie when I was a kid, and it is similarly crooked as your index. I never noticed this until I started playing guitar. Keep trying the normal shapes and make small adjustments until you find a way that works. Jason explained this nicely.
In my example, C shaped barre chords are really difficult as my “curled” pinkie needs to reach all the way up to A string. I end up fretting with my pinkie far away from the fret, which is suboptimal, but it works. A stretch with pinkie over 5 frets is another example where I feel uncomfortable, but same as above, I place it suboptimally and play a note.
The good news is that some other things might be easier, you will discover that further down the line. For me, any chord + embellishment with the pinkie on high E or B feels really natural. Also, with lead play, any bend + pinkie playing note(s) string below feels easy. So, it is not only bad news, just keep going! 
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Hi Elizabeth.
You’ll find you’re probably able to do things most people aren’t able to do because of your finger shape. As Mark mentioned, the guitar will show you.
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Hi Elizabeth ,
Welcome here and I wish you a lot fun
Your finger doesn’t look any more bent/broken than mine ( which of course says nothing on it`s own 
)… I’ve been playing guitar for almost 6 years now, feel free to watch some videos of me how it started and where I am now… Music says more than my 1000+ words if I don’t stop tapping soon 
By many people, the index finger bends inwards, even without accidents (unfortunately for us guitarists as it is beter straight )… I need the most adaptability for my ring finger now, which is pointed in the wrong direction (bends towards the middel)… but those 2 (fairly normal) deviations together sometimes cost some words flying around in my head that I will not / may not post here … but that is all pretty normal
And if for me, Greensleves, Yesterday and way more fingerstyle and 3 weeks ago “Is There Any Out There” by Pink Floyd can be played so soon ( I do have a lot of time 
) I can’t complain and will continue with great pleasure,
All the best to you 
Greetings ,Rogier
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Roger @roger_holland
Like you my ring finger bends towards the middle (same on both hands). Not really a problem when playing chords although I sometimes use my little finger. Where I have come across more of an issue is playing single notes where you should ideally use your ring finger to fret a note but just can’t get that to work so use my little finger instead. I think it is just a matter of finding a work around.
Michael
PS I do have pain in the end joint of my ring finger of my fretting hand. I have raised this before and is function of not being able to bend it straight.
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