Video:How to Hold a Guitar
with Christopher PenningtonHolding a guitar properly is one of the first steps in learning how to play it. It actually makes it easier to play guitar. Here's a tutorial on how to hold a guitar correctly.See Transcript
Transcript:How to Hold a Guitar
Hi, my name is Christopher Pennington, and today I'm going to show you how hold your guitar whether you're sitting down or standing up.
How and Where to Sit
When you want to play the guitar sitting down, the first thing you need to do is find yourself a straight-back chair without arms. Now get yourself comfortable and sit up nice and straight. Pick up your guitar, and rest the dip of the guitar on your right thigh like this. Now, rest the back of the guitar flat against your chest. Make sure that the neck of the guitar is more or less parallel to the floor.
Hand Positions When Holding a Guitar
Okay, let's take a look at hand positions. Your left hand is your fret hand, that is, the hand which you'll be using to press down the strings at this end of the guitar. As you can see, your thumb should rest naturally against the back of the guitar neck near the top. Now just relax your wrist so it hangs down below the bottom of the neck, and that will leave your fingers relaxed and positioned over the fret board and ready to do their job. Now rest your right arm on the body of the guitar. Your right hand will naturally land about 6 inches from the bridge like this.
How to Hold a Guitar Standing Up
Now, let's take a look at how to hold the guitar standing up. Adjust your strap so that the back of the guitar rests comfortably against your stomach, and adjust the guitar so that the neck is at about a 30 degree angle to the floor. Everything else should be the same as when you're sitting down. Remember to relax your wrist to allow your fingers to move freely over the fret board. And now you're ready to play!
For more tips like this on how to play the guitar and other topics, please visit us on the web at About.com. Thanks for watching.