Hi all I have been learning a few weeks now, but I am struggling to hold my guitar it is a dreadnought shape and I can't seem to get my strumming arm to rest on the top it is more comfortable more forward. If I get my arm on the bottom bout I feel like I am straining my shoulder on my fretting side as I seem to be pushing the fret board away from me then I'm not fretting the chords well. I am wondering would I be better with a different type of guitar? Also I still seem to be catching the strings with my other fingers many thanks in advance
You didn't indicate whether your using a guitar strap or not. This will usually take a lot of the strain , pressure and discomfort away. After you adjust the strap the way you want it, the feel is according to your liking. This depends on what feels comfortable to you. I typically have the guitar held in a slant. So it's not in a horizontal position and it's not quite in a vertical position. Then when I apply guitar chords and formations, the only way the fretwork/fret-board drifts away from my body is if I deliberately push it away . I only due that when I wish to cause a sound or string pitch effect. If you like to hold the instrument horizontally , then it will take getting use to . Build up the muscle capacity to perform strumming. Same thing with the fingers touching other strings that aren't intended to be played. It takes getting accustomed to. I too had to gain the discipline in only having certain strings produce sound that I wished to make at certain times. Your fingers have to get acclimated to positioning. So practice and repetition is key. A lot of things that are not desired or wanted will eventually diminished as the playing style is built up. Getting a different guitar most likely won't resolve the obstacles mentioned in this question. Once you've been doing this for awhile, you can almost play on anything. There maybe some exceptions and feel free to experiment.
