Before taking the stage to perform, aspiring guitarists must first learn how to hold a guitar properly. Strumming a guitar the right way is the bridge to easier practice sessions and performing. So learning how to hold a guitar is the first step in pursuing your musical aspirations.
Although holding a guitar might seem easy, one needs to know the basics of holding the guitar correctly to bring out the best music and avoid cementing any bad habits. Holding a guitar the right way will give you the best posture and allow you to have the best practice session each time you play. Holding a guitar the wrong way can lead to fatigue, back pain, or injuries in the long run.
What Are the Ways to Hold a Guitar?
Following are the three commonly used ways to hold a guitar:
1.Casual Method: In this method, a footstool is used to place the right leg (for right-handers). The guitar is then placed on the right thigh, bringing the guitar closer to the body, and providing more stability. This is the best position when playing the guitar for longer sessions. The guitar must be straight and upright and shouldn’t be leaned toward the body—this helps you avoid fatigue or back pain. The strumming arm should be placed tightly over the guitar to keep the guitar in a stable position for longer durations. For left-handers, try the above directions using the other side.
2. Classical Method: The left leg is placed on a footstool, and the guitar is positioned over the left leg. In this method, the guitar’s neck moves toward the left, making it easy for the guitarist to play the notes on the fretboard. For left-handers, the same applies to the opposite hand. This method can be challenging to play in long sessions.
3. Standing with a Strap Method: In this method, a strap is used to support the guitar while playing in a standing-up position. As stated above, holding a guitar and holding it properly is the best way to form good habits and to ensure proper guitar playing techniques.
Read: [How to Tune A Guitar]
Please note that the left-handers need to apply and follow the same steps, with the opposite hand where mentioned.
Step1: Correct positioning of the guitar on the leg
- For right-handers, while holding the guitar, position the guitar on your right leg (electric or acoustic). You can also place the guitar on the left leg, which is considered more of a classical instrument approach..
Step 2: Correct strumming arm positioning for stabilizing the guitar
- Use your right arm as a strumming arm to stabilize their guitar.
- For right-handers, place your right arm over the top of the guitar.
- If you’re using an electric guitar, rest your right arm slightly over the top of the guitar, i.e., your right arm must rest over the front of the instrument.
- Do not put your entire arm or shoulder weight on the guitar. Your arm must feel free and relaxed when you are playing your instrument. That, of course, comes with practice and patience.
Step 3: Correct positioning and usage of the fretting hand
- A fretting arm is an opposite arm that plays the strings of the guitar.
- The guitar must be stable enough so that the left arm used as a fretting arm in right-handed guitarists is not used to stabilize it.
- The fretting arm must be accessible enough so that the fingers can efficiently run up and down to play the strings.
- The fretting thumb must be placed behind the guitar’s neck, precisely between the first two fingers.
- Fingernails should be trimmed; they should not touch the fretboard.
- Only the tip of the fingers must press down the strings and be placed closest to the fret.
Step 4: Avoidance of guitar leaning toward the body
- Guitar Beginners have a bad habit of leaning the guitar toward the body, making it difficult for the right hand to move freely and making it harder for the wrist to move around the guitar’s neck.
- Try to notice this habit and avoid it at all costs while holding a guitar.
Step 5: Correct Posture maintenance while holding a guitar.
- Sit with your back straight while playing.
- Generally, beginners have a habit of bending over and hunching while playing guitar to see which strings they are strumming. It is a bad habit, causing unnecessary back pain and strain while playing guitar, disturbing the guitarist’s efficiency in the long run.
What are the strumming techniques while playing and holding a guitar?
These are different types of strumming techniques that you can use:
- Position the thumb and the index finger together and bend the middle finger, ring, and little finger slightly toward the palm. Now you can strum down with nails of your index finger and strum up with nails of your thumb.
- Another way is strumming up and down separately with the index finger and thumb.
- You can also use a fingernail instead of the pick to get a more precise sound.
Read: [Different Types of Guitar]
Mistakes to avoid while holding a guitar
- Avoid using the fretting hand to support the neck of the guitar. Instead, use the strumming arm to support the upper part of the guitar body.
- Never lean down toward the front or bend down to look at the strings while playing. This leads to long-term injuries to the neck and back.
- Do not let the guitar lean over toward the body.
- Do not put too much force on the guitar body while positioning the guitar.
- Let your elbow work freely and do not let the wrist be stiff when holding a guitar.
FAQs About Holding a Guitar
Q. Why is it so important to know how to hold a guitar properly?
A. A beginner needs to be aware of properly holding a guitar so that bad habits and the wrong posture do not cause any harmful effects. The injuries due to improper posture and improperly holding the guitar can appear in the back, shoulder, neck, elbow, wrist, and arm if there is long-term usage of improperly holding a guitar.
Q. What conditions may a guitarist suffer if they don’t know how to hold a guitar properly?
A. Repetitive strain injuries, Tendonitis, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome are some of the painful and long-term painful side effects of improperly holding a guitar.
Q. How do you prevent injuries due to the wrong posture if you don’t know how to hold the guitar?
A. Follow these steps to prevent any injuries: back should be held straight at all times, the spine should be lengthened and kept straight, shoulders and neck must be relaxed and not raised, arms must be kept loose and strain-free, wrists, hands, and fingers must be kept free.
Take intervals between long stretches of play, eat healthily, rest well for better performance in the long run, along with following the correct method of holding a guitar.
Q. What is the correct sitting position while holding a guitar?
A. Both the feet must be kept flat on the floor; sit on the chair with your back straight. The guitar’s neck should be positioned on the right leg, horizontal to the floor (casual method for the right-handers), the back of the guitar should be positioned against the stomach or chest.
Q. How do you use a pick when playing and holding a guitar?
A. The pick is held between the thumb and the index finger. It should be placed on the top side of the index finger while the thumb is clamped down on top of it. The pick must be held firmly.
One way to avoid any mistakes stated above is to make a video or record yourself while learning to hold a guitar and play the initial sessions. When you analyze these small videos, you know the mistakes and work to fix them initially. This activity will help you learn the correct method of holding a guitar.
A beautiful quote says: “The fretting hand is the brain, and the strumming hand is the soul.” It must be kept in mind while you begin to learn to play guitar.
We hope that this BYJU’S FutureSchool article has enriched your guitar experience. If you want more guitar resources, you can sign up for a FREE trial class where you can learn live in a 1:1 setting with knowledgeable instructors—or check out some more helpful articles.
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