Playing Position

Lesson 10/54 | Study Time: 5 Min

Course: Beginner Classical Guitar

Playing Position

It is essential that correct playing position is used when playing the guitar. The basics of guitar technique include seating, holding the instrument and the correct position of both hands.

Seating

Sit towards the front edge of a chair with your left leg raised. An adjustable guitar footstool is recommended which can be purchased at most music stores. Experiment with the height of the footstool and the height of the chair until you reach a seating position you feel comfortable with.

Holding the Guitar

The guitar is secured at four points of the body. The left and right thighs, the forearm and the chest. The guitar should rest flat on your left thigh and not lean backwards. Angle the guitar slightly upwards as shown in the photo.

Right Arm Position

The right forearm is positioned over the body of the guitar so that the right hand is in position to pluck the strings. The elbow should not extend out to the front of the guitar. The angle of the right hand is such that the knuckles should virtually be in line with the direction of the strings.

Left Arm Position

If your seating position is comfortable and you are securing the guitar correctly then your left arm will easily reach the first four frets of the guitar. Your left arm should not be close to your body nor be pushing away from your body. It should be able to move freely up and down the entire fretboard.

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Class Sessions

1- The Eighth Note 2- GLOSSARY OF<br>MUSICAL TERMS 3- How to Tune Your Guitar 4- The Sixteenth Note 5- New Notes 6- The Dotted Quarter Note 7- Classical Guitar Pieces 8- The Free Stroke 9- The Sharp Sign 10- INTRODUCTION 11- Classical Guitar Music Notated in Two Parts 12- Notes on the Fourth String (D) 13- Rests 14- Notes on the Second String (B) 15- Picking The Strings 16- Approach to Practice 17- New Note 18- Summary - The Notes So Far 19- Notes On The First String (E) 20- Using the Right Hand Thumb and Fingers Together 21- The Half Bar 22- Notes on the Fifth String (A) 23- Scales 24- Using the Rest and Free Stroke Together 25- The Lead-In 26- The G Major Scale 27- Notes on the Sixth String (E) 28- Chords 29- Parts of the Classical Guitar 30- Key Signatures 31- The Major Scale 32- Notes On The Third String (G) 33- Alternation Fingers 34- The Full Bar 35- Guitar Preparation 36- Arpeggios 37- New Chords 38- Duets 39- The Minor Scale 40- The Major Scale 41- The Repeat Sign 42- Dynamics 43- Keys and Key Signatures 44- Combining the Notes E, F and G 45- Electronic Tuner 46- New Notes 47- Fretboard Diagrams 48- Relative Keys 49- Left Hand Position - Review 50- Reading Guitar Music 51- Rhythm 52- Playing Position 53- Left and Right Hand Technique 54- Using a Metronome

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Playing Position