How To Hold Your Guitar

Beginner Grade 1 Module 0: Before You Begin: Guitar Basics
21

I found that too- playing my electric with a strap, while seated, just transferred the problem to a different part of my body! However, playing my electric with a strap, while standing, has been a big help.

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22

For someone that is right handed, is it bad to rest the weight of the body by resting the right armpit on the top part of the body? Resting the right forearm seems to add tension on my right shoulder

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23

Hi @dantejms, I assume you’re talking about acoustic? You probably shouldn’t be resting your armpit there, it’s going to make it hard to strum. Unless perhaps you’re quite a small person? Forearm is the way, try to find a comfortable spot.

Try sitting on a low-ish chair as well, that might help with positioning.

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24

Hi @jkahn I’m referring to an electric (strat). I’m about 5’8 not big or small. I’ve noticed though I’m most comfortable when I rest the armpit (without too much weight, lightly resting) on the tallest point of the body and inner bicep in upper front of the body to sort of bring it close to me. But as you and Justin advised I’ll try to work on resting my forearm.

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25

Good idea. For an electric it’s even more important to use your forearm, as they’re thinner and a lot of electric techniques you’ll learn new the positioning.

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26

Hi Dante,

Try holding it like this:

image

I would imagine that you have to stoop to rest your armpit against the side of the guitar.

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27

I just finish this lesson today. Most of it is pretty much common sense.

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28

I think both electric and acoustic guitars should be demo’d here. The electric is thinner and rests against your body in a different way than an acoustic does.

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29

I have an acoustic guitar and rest my arm on the top of the guitar as suggested in the videos. When I start it seems fine, but as keep it there and do strumming, it feels like it is pressing on a nerve on the arm close to the armpit, giving a light numbing feeling. I have tried to change the position slightly, but it always seems to get pressed to some degree with this position. Anyone else had this problem or possible solutions?

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30

Hello and welcome, what guitar size are you playing? Sometimes happening to me and all comes down to my sitting posture and how I rest my arm against the body of my guitar, it is all pretty individual but try playing around with your hand position while sitting straight on an armless chair or a stool. Don’t put leg on leg, ideally use a footrest or even a book for leg which you put your guitar on, if you put your leg on leg it lifts guitar bit too high and can cause numbness. If you play dreadnought it might be the case guitar is too big but don’t think so. Let us know if any of above helped!

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31

Hi, thanks for the tips. It is a dreadnought, fender cd-60s. I don’t sit leg on leg, but I may try to adjust my chair height to see if that makes a difference.

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32

Hello NC,
One short video is worth more than 1000 words…although Adrian did say good things.
Greetings ,Rogier

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33

Hi NC,

I’ve got the same model and while my strumming arm gets numb after playing about 30-40 minutes without resting much, I’ve never felt anything close to my armpit. My elbow tends to be close to the top binding of the guitar. Could it be that you lean over too much while playing or you are straining your shoulders?

When playing, try to keep your arms and shoulders as relaxed as you can and adjust the angle of the neck so that it feels comfortable (i.e. it’s not necessary to have it completely horizontal).

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34

Thanks all for the help, I raised my chair a little bit this morning so the guitar sits slightly lower now and didn’t have a problem practicing this morning for about 45min.

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35

I have a crap shoulder - arthritis, frozen - and rotator cuff problems, too. My Fender dreadnought was (yuk, yuk) dreadful. No matter what I did I couldn’t play longer than 45 minutes because of the pain. I went way down in size to a Taylor travel size guitar (GS Mini) and my shoulder is fine and the sound from that little thing is great. Good luck.

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36

Hi All,

Recently I switched from an acoustic guitar to an electric guitar and I rewatched this lesson.
However, I still have some issues to find the most comfortable position with my electric.

The biggest problem that I have is that it feels unstable, especially when I am trying to switch chords fast.

I am trying different things but I still have two questions. Maybe the answers would be helpful to others too.

  1. First, what is the right angle between the plane that is created by the arms (blue line) and the guitar neck (red line) ? I know that it cannot be too big or too low :smiley: but maybe there are some tips or fretting arm position that can be a guide here

IMG_20230205_200119647
IMG_20230205_2001196471920×1440 138 KB

  1. Second, what can be the tilt angle of the guitar when I am putting it on my right leg (red line). Cause, to be honest, when the guitar is “too straight”, it is too wobbly for me:

IMG_20230205_200525363
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Thanks in advance for any tips :wink:

And sorry for a"messy" photos, but I wanted to be clear about my questions :wink:

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37

@Aroo46
Thanks for the pics, making it easier to understand your questions.
From what I see you may benefit from wearing a strap, bringing the guitar more left and in front plus raising the neck up.
See advice I gave here: Beginner's safe space - #468 by Richard_close2u

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38

Definitely get a strap. If for no other reason than it will save your guitar from damage by preventing it falling onto the floor in a moment of clumsiness. A strap also allows you to let go of the guitar and fiddle with a metronome, iPhone, iPad, tab sheets, etc.

I’m a relative novice, but I believe there’s no ‘right’ way to hold a guitar. We come in all different shapes and sizes. Keep playing and you will eventually find the way that works for you.

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39

A foot rest may also be helpful if you do a lot of playing sitting down. For me personally it keeps my strat resting comfortably against my torso rather than wanting to fall forwards whenever I move. The slightly higher position also prevents the hunching you see on so many players, which is much better for your back.

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40

Yes, I also use a foot rest under my right foot. Without it, it feels like the guitar wants to slide off my leg (I keep my guitar strap loose, so the guitar isn’t actually hanging off my shoulder).

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