At my lesson last week my teacher said that my fretting hand posture was really bad and he wanted me to work on correcting that. I normally play in such a way that my wrist (left hand) isnt all that bent but it is somewhat. I can still get my fingers to curl around the neck and reach the strings without buzzing or muting.
So this week I have been practicing with my wrist REALLY bent the way that he showed me and I am finding that it is very hard for me to control my fingers.
Is there anything particularly wrong with me using my way over the "right" way? Its really hard to practice the songs and such I have been practicing now that I cant make the chords
Any suggestions?
Jim
“The hardest thing in life is to know which bridge to cross and which to burn” - David Russell (Scottish classical Guitarist. b.1942)
Truthfully I don't think there is a right or wrong way to hold your wrist as long as there is no pain involved and your not chocking the neck but it is best to keep it as straight as possible. Sometime my wrist is perfectly straight and sometimes it is bent like a hook. It really depends for me on what chord I am fretting and where on the neck I am.
There are some people who strongly believe in one way or the other but a lot depends on comfort. The more important thing IMHO is keeping the fingers perpendicular to the strings
OK now this confuses me. Every reference I have found says the wrist should be as strait as possible.
Bending the wrist while playing can not only be uncomfortable but can cause injury.
I may be wrong about this but I think your tutor is giving you bad advice.
I agree, I should have added to my comments above that when my wrist is bent it is not very often it it is generally because I have the neck real low. I am most comfortable with the neck high and wrist straight especially if I am playing for a long time.
Your teacher is telling you to bend your wrist more?
You'll have the greatest reach, flexibility, and speed if your wrist is bent as little as possible. There will be some figures where you probably won't be able to avoid it - very long reaches, boogie patterns on the 5th & 6th strings -but the key is to have as little tension in your arms and hands as possible.
Don't take my word for it... look at good guitarists anywhere:
Satriani
Malmsteen
Vai
DiMeola
de Lucia
... or any other guitarist you consider 'cream of the crop'. They might drop the wrist for a moment to reach one or two notes, but otherwise it's always straight.
I'd ask your teacher why he recommends a different position.
Guitar teacher offering lessons in Plainfield IL
My guess would be that you misunderstood your teacher. I can't understand any teacher recomending that.
WOW thanks for all the advice. Its much appreciated. Looking at the pictures, I think Taso is right. I dont think he is so much wanting me to bend it, but I think what he was getting at is that I am griping the neck to much. Still not positive and I will talk to him about it Friday at my lesson. The pictures were awsome at helping me see the "right" way though.
Thanks all
Jim
“The hardest thing in life is to know which bridge to cross and which to burn” - David Russell (Scottish classical Guitarist. b.1942)
