Lesson 3 / 30 6 min
Holding the guitar and the pick
Posture, hand position, finger numbers and how to hold a pick without tension.
Good posture makes playing easier, prevents pain and helps you sound better. Take a few minutes to set yourself up correctly — it pays off for years.
Sitting
- Sit on a chair without armrests, near the front edge, with your back straight but relaxed.
- Rest the guitar's waist on your right leg (if you play right-handed). The neck should point slightly upward, not down.
- Keep the guitar body close to your chest — don't lean over to see the fretboard. A quick glance is fine.
Standing
Use a strap and adjust it so the guitar sits at the same height as when you are sitting. Hanging the guitar very low looks cool but makes chords much harder.
The fretting hand
Your fretting hand (the left hand for right-handed players) presses the strings.
- Place your thumb behind the neck, roughly behind your middle finger. Don't squeeze — light pressure is enough.
- Press with your fingertips, arching your fingers so they don't touch neighboring strings.
- Press just behind the fret (not on top of it, not in the middle of the space). This gives a clear sound with the least effort.
- Keep your wrist relaxed and fairly straight.
Finger numbers
Chord diagrams and lessons use numbers for the fretting fingers:
- 1 = index, 2 = middle, 3 = ring, 4 = pinky. (The thumb is sometimes marked T.)
A great first habit is one finger per fret: in any position, each finger takes care of one fret.
The picking hand
- Hold the pick between the pad of your thumb and the side of your index finger, with only a few millimeters of the tip showing.
- Hold it firmly enough that it doesn't fall, loosely enough that it can move a little.
- Move from the wrist, not the whole arm. Small, relaxed movements are faster and more accurate.
- You can lightly rest the side of your palm on the bridge for stability.
Tension is the enemy
Every few minutes, check: are your shoulders up? Is your thumb squeezing the neck? Are you holding your breath? Relax and continue. Relaxed players play longer, faster and cleaner.
Your first exercise: the "spider"
Play each fret from 1 to 4 on every string, one finger per fret, using down picks. Then come back down. Click Play to hear how it should sound.
e|-------------------------------1-2-3-4-|B|-------------------------1-2-3-4-------|G|-------------------1-2-3-4-------------|D|-------------1-2-3-4-------------------|A|-------1-2-3-4-------------------------|E|-1-2-3-4-------------------------------|
Go slowly. Each note should ring clearly with no buzzing. If a note buzzes, press a little closer to the fret. Next, let's tune your guitar.