subject: How Do I Learn Guitar Basics? [print this page] Copyright (c) 2010 Robert HinchliffeWhichever musical instrument you tackle it is absolutely vital to get the basics right from the very start. To learn guitar basics correctly from the beginning is crucial to ultimate success or failure, regardless of what style of playing interests you. Whether you intend to develop as a rock guitarist, folk guitarist, jazz guitarist, dance band guitarist or a classical guitarist you must learn the fundamental techniques of the instrument; - you must master and thoroughly learn the guitar basics.When we take up a musical instrument we are actually forcing our body to do something it was not designed to do. Not surprisingly, the body objects and resists. Instrumental technique is what enables us to overcome our body's resistance to what we are forcing it to do. Unless good technique is acquired the body will always resist, making playing difficult and tiring. So, if you wish to master the guitar, or, indeed, any other instrument, mastery of the basic techniques is crucial.If you wish to learn guitar basics correctly the following issues must be tackled from day one.POSTURE: This issue applies to whichever type of guitar you use and whether you are sitting or standing to play. Always ensure that your playing position gives you a comfortable and relaxed posture with a straight back. (Again, this applies to all instruments, not just the guitar) If your body position is hunched or twisted in any way this will cause aches and pains after a session of playing and could even lead to permanent damage to joints or spine. If you are using a strap, ensure that the guitar hangs at a comfortable level in keeping with the style of playing you are using.LEFT HAND AND ARM: Place the left thumb behind the neck of the guitar so that the fingers can easily access the strings, pressing them firmly to the finger board from above. Failure to do this will inhibit the production of a clear sound. Always ensure that your left-hand finger nails are cut short as long nails will also make it difficult to hold the strings down cleanly. The fingers should always press down just behind a fret. If you are too far away from the fret the strings are likely to produce a most unpleasant 'buzz'. If your fingers are on top of a fret the strings will not vibrate freely and produce a very dead sound.RIGHT HAND AND ARM: The angle the right arm approaches the instrument will vary slightly depending on whether you are playing with a plectrum or using a finger picking style. As referred to above, the key issues are comfort and relaxation. Tension is the enemy of any instrumentalist. If you are playing with a finger picking style, you will need to keep your right hand finger nails rather longer than the left to get a clean contact with the strings.If you wish to learn guitar basics, these are the starting points. Taking the time to master them from the beginning will make playing easier and speed up your rate of learning.
