How to Position Your Fingers on Guitar Strings
Relax your wrist, gripping the neck of the guitar in the "C" formed between thumb and fingers., Curl your fingers whenever you're playing a note., Keep your fingers close to the fretboard to improve speed and precision., Use your thumb pushing on...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Relax your wrist
Your wrist should feel relaxed and free to move.
Many guitarists angle their fingers slightly towards their body, instead of trying to hold their wrist at a rigid 90-degree angle.
All of your fingers should be able to easily hit a fret on every string.
If your hands are too small for this reach at first, that is okay.
They make smaller guitars for smaller hands, but you'll also learn to pivot your wrist to make all the frets accessible. -
Step 2: gripping the neck of the guitar in the "C" formed between thumb and fingers.
You want to be able to press down on a fret with your fingertips.
So set yourself up so you can effectively bend your fingers to keep unplayed strings exposed.
You want your fingertip on the string, leaving the rest of your finger curling away from the strings.
This is essential for effective chords, as well as a lot of lead playing. , While inadvertent, many beginners let their fingers relax away from the neck when they aren't using them.
But watch a professional guitarist and you see that their fingers, even ones they aren't using, are always nice and close to the strings, ready to fret.
This is a habit worth training early on. , You don't want to be clamping down too hard on the neck, but you also don't want to leave it loose.
A firm grip allowing you to "pinch" the strings down on the neck will help you hold notes, chords, and manipulate the strings for bends and slides. , As you play, your thumb will be sliding up and down, almost hooking over the top of the neck when you're on the low strings and sliding down as you reach up for the top strings.
If your keep your wrist relaxed and mobile you'll find finger positioning much, much easier. -
Step 3: Curl your fingers whenever you're playing a note.
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Step 4: Keep your fingers close to the fretboard to improve speed and precision.
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Step 5: Use your thumb pushing on the back of the neck to provide power and stability.
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Step 6: Roll or rotate your wrist to help get up and down the fretboard.
Detailed Guide
Your wrist should feel relaxed and free to move.
Many guitarists angle their fingers slightly towards their body, instead of trying to hold their wrist at a rigid 90-degree angle.
All of your fingers should be able to easily hit a fret on every string.
If your hands are too small for this reach at first, that is okay.
They make smaller guitars for smaller hands, but you'll also learn to pivot your wrist to make all the frets accessible.
You want to be able to press down on a fret with your fingertips.
So set yourself up so you can effectively bend your fingers to keep unplayed strings exposed.
You want your fingertip on the string, leaving the rest of your finger curling away from the strings.
This is essential for effective chords, as well as a lot of lead playing. , While inadvertent, many beginners let their fingers relax away from the neck when they aren't using them.
But watch a professional guitarist and you see that their fingers, even ones they aren't using, are always nice and close to the strings, ready to fret.
This is a habit worth training early on. , You don't want to be clamping down too hard on the neck, but you also don't want to leave it loose.
A firm grip allowing you to "pinch" the strings down on the neck will help you hold notes, chords, and manipulate the strings for bends and slides. , As you play, your thumb will be sliding up and down, almost hooking over the top of the neck when you're on the low strings and sliding down as you reach up for the top strings.
If your keep your wrist relaxed and mobile you'll find finger positioning much, much easier.
About the Author
Scott Harris
Brings years of experience writing about practical skills and related subjects.
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