Playing an acoustic guitar

June 29, 2008
by P R jones

Endless hours of playing your guitar can strain your back If you do not maintain the correct upright posture. If you want to learn how to hold your guitar correctly, here are a few tips on how to hold your guitar properly. Pick your guitar and hold it with the back against your stomach. Point the guitar neck to your left if you are right handed. Set the guitar body on your upper right thigh. Next, grab the guitar neck with your left hand, wrap your right arm around the guitar body, and place your right hand on the strings. If necessary, adjust your body position so that you feel completely comfortable when playing guitar.

If you’re a right handed person you will use the left hand for constructing chords. The fingers of the left hand are bent and you will be pressing down on the strings on the fret board.

The guitar neck’s back is curved, so that your hand will naturally conform with the shape of its neck. Your thumb should arch over the top of the neck when you hold it properly. From there, your thumb is in position for constructing chords. When you are constructing chords it is ok to press your thumb into the back of the guitar neck, although this is more in common with playing guitar scales. You should try both thumb positions and then you will be able to use the one that is most comfortable for you.

Strum the strings with your right hand to make sounds. Position your right arm over the body of the guitar. Your right bicep should rest on the top of the guitar. Position your right hand in front of the guitar’s sound hole. When playing guitar, the sound comes out of the sound hole.

Many people choose to play guitar with a pick. In order to use a pick it should be held between the forefinger and thumb of your dominant hand. Then the pick is pulled across the strings in order to “strum”. It is similar to plucking, but more pressure is necessary then you would use with just your fingers.

If you are left handed that’s not a problem if you want to play your acoustic guitar. You have two ways for playing guitar. The first way is to get a right-handed guitar restrung so that the strings are in reverse order. You other option is purchasing a left-handed guitar.

While playing guitar, maintaining proper body position as well as holding the guitar correctly while playing will enable you to play for longer durations as well as to to produce right sound. Don’t be tempted to slump into what you think is a cool-looking position, you’ll end up feeling tired too soon and look ridiculous as well.

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