Put your hand on C. strum it a few times, and the slowly transition to another chord, (say G) then slowly back to C. The more you do this, the more your hand will get used to the stretch (my left had stretches further than my right now because of this). and as you go back and forth between different chords your hands will gain memory of the postions. In a year you wont remember having a hard time. really...

you may also want to practice finger dexterity exercises without your guitar. the way i do this on my left hand is:
tap thumb to middle finger
tap thumb to pinky
tap tumb to first finger
tap thumb to ring finger

then reverse it. don't worry about speed at first, just practice this to build your dexterity. you can also make up your own patterns. eventually you'll get really quick at it and find yourself doing it while waiting in line at the grocery store ;-) plus, it's a good way to practice without your guitar. i found these types of exercises enhance my ability to change fingering positions more smoothly and quickly.

hope this helps.

btw, i'm new here, hello all.

Hi.. you will be able to strech your left hand fingers more.. Use a CAPO... All open chord shapes are movable up the neck if you use a capo... and there's a shorter distance between the frets... I'd suggest that you practise the C shape with a capo on the 5th fret and when you get better at it, move it down the neck... good luck :)

Where is your thumb (in relation to the fingerboard)? You may need to place your thumb at the very center of the (back of the) neck on order to reach some chords comfortably.

Here's another suggestion if you're still having trouble:

Get your first two fingers into Am7 formation. Then practice getting your third finger as quickly as possible into that third-fret position on 5. Before long you'll be able to get it there without even thinking about it.

You can also just play a B fingering on the third fret, or capo 3 and play an A, but that's kinda ignoring the problem...

TT

I found this thread while trying to get advice on the same issue.

Is your problem that, even without worrying about changing chords, that getting your fingers (especially the ring finger) on the proper strings so they sound clearly is a very difficult (and even a little painful) stretch?

I just started trying to learn the guitar in late July, and had the same (or very similar) problem. My ring finger is shorter than my index finger, and my fingers don't stretch very wide, these differences were very noticable comparing my hand to people that thought the C chord was easy.

Moving my thumb so it was in the middle of the neck instead of over the top helped some, but made every other chord more difficult. But what really let me finally get my left hand where it needed to so I could hit the C chord at least once in a while was repositioning the guitar so it rested on my left leg and the neck angled up so it was nearly level with my neck. Again, that position makes every other chord slightly more difficult to play, but at least the C chord is possible.

Trying to rotate my wrist down so that the fingers come straighter down on the strings was another suggestion that I received, unfortunately, my hand simply does not do it to the extent I was shown.

i'm 5'5 - have short stubby fingers. ;) it's a matter of mind over matter - just keep practicing. :)
i remember having big trouble playing the F and B-flat chords... took me a long time for that, as i recall.

hey shay just to let you know I have a buddy who has small hands, i mean REALLY small hands, and this dude has been playing for about 10 yrs, (and it didnt take 10 yrs for him to get good either) but when I say he is good this dude shreds, really shreds. dont give up gorgeous and keep it up and like you said its practice, practice and more practice i am sure you have noticed mass improvements, but I swear to god that one day you are just going to get it and it will be like you have been doin it for ever keep rockin sweet tits...............