PEDIASPOT.web.id - When it comes to playing the guitar the first time - remember: If you are right-handed, your right hand strums and your ...
PEDIASPOT.web.id - When it comes to playing the guitar the first time - remember:
- If you are right-handed, your right hand strums and your left hand holds the chords
- If you are left-handed, your left hand strums and your right hand holds the chords.
With that in mind - let's get started...
Notes are played when the fingers of the chord hand force the strings down between the frets on the fingerboard. Achieving the correct chord hand posture is crucial, especially for playing with more complex techniques. As with any skill, if you adopt bad habits to begin with, they can be doubly hard to turn around or change, even slightly later on.
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| The correct way of pressing frets on the guitar fingerboard |
Basic Principles
There are 2 distance chord hand techniques used by players of all styles of music; the classical, and - the "alternative."
The classical chord hand techniques have the thumb held against the back of the neck at all times. This tension allows the neck to be clasped firmly, providing additional pressure when fretting notes along the fingerboard. For correct classical posture, the thumb must be kept perfectly straight.
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| The correct position of the thumb held against the back of guitar neck |
However, many self-taught players can be seen sliding the chord hand thumb around the neck so that it rests along the edge of the fingerboard. This is an easy habit to acquire when learning, but is positively frowned upon by classical teachers. However, it is not necessarily a bad habit - some players find it more comfortable, and if you have a wide enough fingerspan, it can allow the thumb to fret notes on the 5th and 6th strings, which can be useful when playing certain chords. If you rely too heavily on this method, there is no doubt that it can restrict movement. All in all, there are good and bad points in both.
Fretting a Note
Acquiring a good fretting technique is an equally important part of developing your chord hand. The tip of the finger should fall immediately behind the fret.
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| The good guitar fretting technique |
If it is held too far back against the fret, if it is too close to the fret, the string will be muted.
To avoid accidentally muting the other strings all of the fingers should be kept as vertical as possible when held against the fretboard. This is one of the clearest benefits of using the classical chord hand technique - if your thumb is resting on the edge of the fingerboard, it becomes extremely difficult to keep the fingers vertical.
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| The fingers should be kept as vertical as possible when held against the fretboard |
Working with The Chord Hand
The two exercises shown below are intended to get you used to the idea of fretting notes with different fingers of your chord hand. You will find the notes in each of the exercises are the same notes played on different strings.
In each case, you must press the finger between the frets and sound the string with your strumming hand - it doesn't matter for now whether you use your fingers or a pick. You need to ensure that you exert just enough pressure on the fingerboard so that the note can be sounded clearly.
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| Press the finger carefully between the frets |
If you press too lightly, the sound will be muted; too hard and your fingers will tire, and at worst you can develop unpleasant blisters.
Stop playing as soon as your fingers get tired or become painful, because there's nothing worse than not being able to practice for weeks due to blisters on your fingers.
Remember, the tips of your fingers are rarely used for anything more demanding than holding a pen - it will take a little time before they become hardened to persistent pressure on nylon or metal strings.
Which strings are which?
Now you have a basic feel of how to hold the guitar, strings come next...
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| The Fretting Hand |
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| The Chord A Major Tablature |
Remember, the thinnest string is known as the FIRST STRING (1st string). The thickest string is known as the SIXTH STRING (6th string). Therefore... in the diagram you saw previously... The string at the top is the thickest - so it is known as the SIXTH STRING (6th string). The string at the bottom is the thinnest - so it is known as the FIRST STRING (1st string).
Practice Exercises
Strike the strings as follows using the fingers specified:
- String 1 - Fret 8 - Finger 1st
- String 2 - Fret 1 - Finger 1st
- String 3 - Fret 5 - Finger 2nd
- String 4 - Fret 10 - Finger 3rd
- String 5 - Fret 3 - Finger 4th
- String 6 - Fret 8 - Finger 4th
Hot Tips to Remember
Fingernails - satisfactory fretting will be quite impossible if your fingernails are too long! Test their length by bringing them down vertically onto any firm horizontal surface - if the tip of the nail touches the surface before the pad of the finger - the nail should be cut!
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| Tip of the nail |
Guitarists who play without a pick, such as classical players often deliberately grow the nails on their right hand long enough for them to be able to strike the strings. Next time you see someone with short nails on one hand and long nails on the other - you can probably have a good guess as to the reason why!
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