Posture and hand position

Good posture prevents pain and makes everything easier. It differs slightly between styles, but the principles are the same: straight back, relaxed shoulders, a stable guitar that you never hold up with your fretting hand.

Classical position

• Sit on the front edge of the chair, left foot on a footstool (or use a support on the left thigh).
• The guitar rests on the left thigh, the headstock roughly at eye level.
• The right forearm rests on the edge of the body; the right hand falls over the sound hole, wrist slightly arched.

Folk and electric position

• The guitar rests on the right thigh, neck slightly raised. Standing, adjust the strap so the guitar sits at the same height as when seated.
• The right hand strums over the sound hole (or between the pickups) with a pick held between the thumb and the side of the index finger, the tip showing 2 to 3 mm.

The fretting hand

• Thumb behind the neck, roughly opposite the middle finger; the palm does not touch the neck.
• Fingers land on their tips, curved like hammers, just behind the fret: less effort, cleaner sound.
• Keep fretting-hand nails short. For classical right hand, slightly longer, well-filed nails give a clear tone.

First exercise: without fretting, pluck each open string with the thumb (bass strings), then with i and m alternating (treble strings). Listen: every note should ring fully, with no buzz.

M:4/4
L:1/4
Q:1/4=70
K:C clef=treble-8
E, A, D A, | E,4 | e B G B | e4 |]