Conference napalm::guitar

    Hi,
    I'm a bass player w/ short fingers so I can sympathize with
    you.However,excercises that I do start with resting the guitar
    on it's end opposite the machine head.Then starting with your 
    pinky and between your ring finger,place this area right against
    the top of the neck and slide your hand down slowly.As the neck
    widens your fingers stretch and wide.Continue with remaining 
    fingers.
    Another one involves a tennis ball.While your watchin't.v.
    or suckin'suds place a tennis ball between your fingers and
    force it through with your thumb.
    These excercises guaranteed to "stretch the spread"
    
                                                        Rick

    I found that playing wide patterns helped my left hand stretch.  One
    that works well for this in a song context is "Message in a Bottle" by
    the Police.  There's tab for it in note 1940.14.  
    
    If you can't play it on the lower frets, transpose it up a few steps
    and it'll be easier to play.  Then slowly work it down to the first
    fret.
    
    Greg

    I agree with Greg.  Probably the best way to improve stretch is to play
    something with wide reaches far enough up on the neck that it isn't
    hard and work down to the lower positions a little at a time. 
    Eventually, you should see improvement in how far you can stretch.  It
    won't happen over night.

    Another thing I'd recommend is power puddy.  You can buy it where
    weight lifting equipment is sold.  It's just this blob of puddy-like
    stuff.  What you do is roll it out and put it *around* your fingers and
    then open them up; repeat this over and over....

    I personally wouldn't recommend aggressively stretching your hand by
    using a tennis ball, etc.  I've done that too, and while I haven't
    injured myself, I can certainly see the potential for injury.  I'm sure
    this technique improves your reach, but I'd be real careful how I did
    it (don't push it too hard or too fast).

    steve

     my hands aren't as large as I would like but I have made a serious
    effort at improving my stretch.I find the most important thing to
    do is to come up with a systematic way of doing it and then sticking
    with it because if you approach it in a random matter you will find 
    your fingers getting in the way of eachother. A few issues back in
    bass player mag. there was a really good article with a really good
    studio player who plays a really large six string fretless and has
    his system down well enough that he can not only make the stretches
    he wants but he's also accurate enough on a very long and wide neck
    to play chords in unusual positions IN TUNE. If I find it I will
    send you mail with more info...
    - the evil Dr.Kron

    Thanks for the input  !  It would seem that practice is the way, along
    with some good warm-up exercises.
    
    Thanks again,
    
    Jeff

    
    Demon Stretch lick :-
    
    E|-----------------------------------------------------  repeat on E string
    B|-----------------------------------------------------  repeat on B string
    G|----------------------------------------9-12-15-12-9---------------------
    D|---------------------------9-12-15-12-9----------------------------------
    A|--------------9-12-15-12-9-----------------------------------------------
    E|-9-12-15-12-9------------------------------------------------------------
    
       1 2  4  2  1
        H  H  P  P
    
    Play slowly, build up speed until it sounds like one very fast rolling
    legato lick.
    
    It works well. If you have problems with this then experiment with the
    position in different places. One you have it down add a few right hand
    taps at the 16/17th fret and you too can sound like a cross between Alan
    Holdsworth and George Lynch(if you feel that way inclined).
    
    Enjoy.

    My hands will be doing the splits in no time !  Thanks again.
    
    
    Jeff
    

    As far as (left) hand stretch's go, one should work towards the
    following:		T = Right hand tap
    
    
       1  3   4   T   4  3            1   3   4   T   4   3
    E--5--8--12--17--12--8--(repeat)--5--10--13--17--13--10--(repeat)
    B
    G  A minor......................  D minor........................
    D
    A
    E
    
    Repeat whole sequence as necessary (or as long as you can).
    
    Caution...if your left hand starts to cramp...quit!  You can get
    tendonitis from this baby!   
                                                                     

    just ask /Bill eh,..
    
    Well,.. I gotta run home and grab my axe,.. but if this is the one
    you showed me that you could still do,. yes,. itr is possible,..
    let Bill *BUCKLEY* show youy how,.. I'm stilll (ouch) working
    on it.
    
    BUT
    
    If its the lick you were showing me that you used to do at Berklee,..
    and you no longer can lay that down,.. then I still haven't seen it
    done,.. so I'm not sure it is possible...
    
    Remember,.. Possible and probable are two different words! :-)
    
    							/Bill