• Join the A7X Discord!

    We're updating the community and moving all social content from the community to the Discord. All lessons related conversations will still take place here though! Join the Discord below and view the full announcement for more details

    JOIN THE DISCORD VIEW THREAD

Venting

Little Laguna05

Free Bird Player
Feb 16, 2023
225
1
160
19
2
So recently ive been looking at how my arm is for my fretting hand and its very hard to explain but I don’t think in the right posture or position of my arm I know it takes a lot of time to get it used to but like when I stand up to play I can’t get my fingers to hit the right strings without hitting another string It’s bugging me because I’m learning a song and I struggle to get my fingers spread enough from the first fret to the third and then the fifth fret and then I look at my thumb and I end up pressing against the back of the fret board. 😩😮💨
There is more but like it irrelevant. Help meeeeeeee how do you guys play and stuff, I mean I don’t want to end up being in a bad habit way
 

hunte25

Garage band Groupie
  • May 15, 2022
    18
    9
    Can you show a picture (video of you playing) of how your current playing posture looks? A visual representation will help make the correction process easier (I promise no negativity only type of judging will help you not hurt you)
     
    • Like
    Reactions: Ed Seith

    Little Laguna05

    Free Bird Player
    Feb 16, 2023
    225
    1
    160
    19
    2
    image.jpg
     
    • Like
    Reactions: hunte25
    Synner Endless Summer Collection

    hunte25

    Garage band Groupie
  • May 15, 2022
    18
    9
    Ok, first off I wouldn’t go into the 3 nps exercise that low on the neck get used to them higher up second work on a spider routine here’s a good video that will help you. But really hone in on your fingers ask yourself
    1. Are my fingers behind the frets not on or infront or far behind the metal
    2. Are my fingers curved your pinky looks like it’s straight and your pointer as well spider routine will help don’t be lazy put in the work now so it’s not a problem later
    Your arm and wrist posture for your fretting hand look fine just don’t get into the habit of curving your wrist your doing good posture is an uncomfortable thing at first but if you set a strong foundation it’ll be easier in the long run
     
    • Like
    Reactions: Little Laguna05

    hunte25

    Garage band Groupie
  • May 15, 2022
    18
    9
    That’ll improve your accuracy but do the work (i know this shit is boring as fuck but it pays off) and really pay attention to your hand don’t worry about a metronome or anything I would do it infront of a mirror just because it’s easier to see myself and a recording yourself would work so you can hear yourself
     

    Ed Seith

    Supreme Galactic Overlord
    Staff member
    Legend+
  • Nov 11, 2019
    3,882
    15
    6,603
    54
    Marana, AZ USA
    soundcloud.com
    35
    That’s me playing the 1 3 5 for jaws of life

    Ahh, the old 1-3-5. The bane of small hands everywhere.

    Your HAND is fine. Unless it hurts, your positioning is good. Where you're off - at least for TYPICAL fretting - is that most players find it easier to do that 1-3 with first and second fingers. Something about it being easier to reach BACK with the index finger than FORWARD with the pinky. So for an F Major 3 note per string scale (F-G-A, Bb-C-D, E-F-G), you'd be using 1-2-4 fingering for the first 4 strings, then 1-3-4 for the B and E strings.

    (I moved my ring finger out of the way for a better view - I would never play it that way)
     

    Attachments

    • IMG_2005.jpeg
      IMG_2005.jpeg
      600.6 KB · Views: 117
    • Like
    Reactions: Chris Johnston
    Synner Endless Summer Collection

    Apocalyptic Katana

    Free Bird Player
    Nov 11, 2019
    57
    2
    63
    www.instagram.com
    9
    maybe try out shorter scale length guitars?

    depending on hand size and fretboard dimensions, you might just have to move your whole hand to reach the upper frets while playing those wide stretch fingerings, comfortably !

    (which is what everybody should strive for, at least as much as possible for health/enjoyment reasons)

    No one can really tell you what is the exact right way (angle of arm or exact hand position in space) since no one has the exact same hands / body structure as you so experiment and feel out what is right.

    They can tell you what worked for them but might not necessarily work for you, of course there's no harm in taking their advice and giving it a shot for yourself.

    There is a balance that is made between efficiency (for speed) and comfortability for you, so again experiment.

    Last time I checked there's no one way to play a guitar
     
    Last edited:

    Xzavier471

    Music Theory Bragger
    May 24, 2020
    93
    1
    107
    24
    10
    So recently ive been looking at how my arm is for my fretting hand and its very hard to explain but I don’t think in the right posture or position of my arm I know it takes a lot of time to get it used to but like when I stand up to play I can’t get my fingers to hit the right strings without hitting another string It’s bugging me because I’m learning a song and I struggle to get my fingers spread enough from the first fret to the third and then the fifth fret and then I look at my thumb and I end up pressing against the back of the fret board. 😩😮💨
    There is more but like it irrelevant. Help meeeeeeee how do you guys play and stuff, I mean I don’t want to end up being in a bad habit way
    Not sure if anyone said this already but I would definitely practice in classical position. Makes stretches like that alot easier and is better for your wrist!
     

    Little Laguna05

    Free Bird Player
    Feb 16, 2023
    225
    1
    160
    19
    2
    maybe try out shorter scale length guitars?

    depending on hand size and fretboard dimensions, you might just have to move your whole hand to reach the upper frets while playing those wide stretch fingerings, comfortably !

    (which is what everybody should strive for, at least as much as possible for health/enjoyment reasons)

    No one can really tell you what is the exact right way (angle of arm or exact hand position in space) since no one has the exact same hands / body structure as you so experiment and feel out what is right.

    They can tell you what worked for them but might not necessarily work for you, of course there's no harm in taking their advice and giving it a shot for yourself.

    There is a balance that is made between efficiency (for speed) and comfortability for you, so again experiment.

    Last time I checked there's no one way to play a guitar
    Tis why I asked for other’s opinion 😋, you guys have been very helpful. And this is a short scale length guitar
     
    • Like
    Reactions: Xzavier471
    Synner Endless Summer Collection

    Ed Seith

    Supreme Galactic Overlord
    Staff member
    Legend+
  • Nov 11, 2019
    3,882
    15
    6,603
    54
    Marana, AZ USA
    soundcloud.com
    35
    Ohhh, while I’m asking more questions I have been listening to the album Jaws of Life by PTV and in death of an executioner, at 3:35 how do they make that noise it sounds so wicked
    If I had to guess (and I do), I'd say the string is pressed up against a metal pickup cover on the bridge pickup, so the "fretted note" sounds like the 55th fret or something.