Just started playing the guitar. I am going the self-taught route. Anyhow, I don't know if it's my hand position or if my finger tips haven't hardened enough for decent fretting pressure but say for example I want to play something as simple as an E minor 7th chord. As you know, that's where the second finger frets the second fret and you just simply strum down all six. The inherent problem I have though is my fretting finger deadens the following string (D)! It sounds like shit. And every finger deadens the next string if it was something else. I'm kind of have big hands so I hope that won't be a handicap. Would appreciate anybody's input. I hope it is just a very fundamental error that I am missing here.

This is where lessons become really helpful, as refining techniques like this is difficult without any help.

You need to work on angling your fingers more. Use more of the tip/corner of your finger rather than the pad.

Always try to fret the strings from the most vertical angle possible. Make sure there is a nice arch in your knuckles as you fret.

Thanks, guys. I would say practice makes perfect but in truth, practice makes permanant.

Also, for chords it's almost always best to play with your thumb in the middle of the neck. It helps you get as much angle to your wrists and keepd your fingers as vertical as possible, which is essential for some chords.

As one guy said, guitar lessons on this kind of thing help alot. Especially to catch bad habits you have to undo later. I might actually get lessons down the road but I want to see how much I can learn through my own persistance and training.