Beginner's Guitar lesson 3

The body that plays the guitar

I say that because for many guitar players and teachers, body position has become a myth.

Let's have a closer look to the point. There can't be a universal standard (perfect) position for the body and the instrument, as it will depend on your body shape and overall size, your trunk length and shape, your arms length, your legs length.

Your goal will be to deliver the best guitar sound, with the dipper emotion, with the least effort and fatigue.

But, though there's not a universal standard (perfect) position, there are standard rules that, eventually, will help you make your best.

Here they are:

• Sit on a chair or stool. You should feel very comfortable.
• Make your trunk straight vertical.
• Lift your left leg and rest your left foot on something six inches high.
• Put your guitar over your left leg, with the tuning machine, at the left side of your body, and at the same height as your head.

You should try to preserve this position all over your practice or playing session.

Now, what about the hands?

With the finger tips of your left hand you'll be pressing the strings against the fret board. So place the thumb finger of your left hand behind the rear part of the guitar neck, just behind the second fret wire. Your left wrist should be slightly forward, as to let the finger tips come perpendicularly over the strings.

With the fingertips or nails of your right hand, you'll be plucking or strumming the guitar strings.

So, lay your right arm on the guitar body, in a way that your right hand fingers lay in front of the sound hole. Your wrist should be slightly bent downwards, to let your fingers be perpendicular to the strings length. Let your hand fall freely.

Practice this body position for a while (15 minutes), and force yourself to use it, during the first week, for your daily practices. If, after that time, you can't feel comfortable, change it, very slightly, to a new position in which you feel more comfortable.

Over a week of practice, you should have found what you can accept as your best comfortable position to play guitar.

Though, check that position, now and then, to avoid severe deviations that, in some more time, will detract your abilities to enjoy playing guitar.

See you in the next lesson.

Now, let's go for Beginner's guitar lesson 4!