I have really small hands and I just can’t play a D major without it sounding bad. My middle finger and ring finger refuse to work together as soon as I move my ring finger the middle finger loosens up on the string and it sounds horrible. What are some tips you guys do with your fingers when you play guitar?
You just need to practice to build up your finger strength. One thing you can do to build some muscle memory is to have your guitar on your lap holding your fingers in that D chord position when you’re watching TV or listening to music. This helps your fingers get used to being in that position and next time you’re playing they’ll more easily move to that D chord. Also, make sure your thumb is opposite your 2nd finger on the back of the neck which will give you more power to press the strings down. Your thumb should always be opposite your second finger no matter what chord you’re playing or where you are on the fingerboard.
I used to teach guitar, and this is a fairly common problem for beginning players. You’ll get it – it just takes time and repetition.