I haven't seen this anywhere else but I play a regular acoustic guitar and - is it just me or do anybody else get really annoying welts on the thigh and chest from the edge of the guitar?
.... trying to relax when I play and use good position ( I think :evil: ) but after playing for less than a year still need to see what I'm doing! Also I am trying to be a portable guitar player in the sense that I don't want to require a special seating arrangement that I have to pack everywhere.... I usually use an armless chairs, legs crossed generally and guitar on one or the other leg with the neck up in a more classical postition (I think) ... good grief ... any suggestions? The guitar is maybe a little large for me but dammit I love the sound.
What if the Hokey Pokey IS what it's really all about?
~ why yes, I am available on youtube ~
http://www.youtube.com/stellabloo
well heres my opinion but dont take it as much since im quiet a newbie :P
well i dont play acoustic, not now anyways, used to some time ago, anyways, a friend of mine always kept telling me about how annoying it is holding the guitar and i found out that he used to sit in a way completely different than mine, he used to sit with the guitar curve resting on his left leg and the neck up and leaning with his body over the guitar, if thats what u mean, then yah heres another case, but as for myself i never had a problem with holding an acoustic, i always have the curve resting on my right left and have the neck in sort of a horizontal mode, and i dont really push my upper body towards the guitar, but still dont know if this would be of any help, told ya im a newbie :P
"A dreamer is someone who only find his way by the moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest" - i think it was Oscar Wilde but its catchy anyways..
It seems like you are leaning over it & unconsciously putting too much of your weight on the guitar. Try to pay attention to your form, I know you mentioned that you are trying to stay relaxed. Guess you could pad the sharp edges with something to prevent it from cutting into you.
As a rather small woman myself, I used to think that my acoustic was too big for me, too. But, it's really not! Try sitting either in an armless chair or on a stool and use a small footrest to raise one foot (of the leg that you rest the guitar on) slightly higher than the other (either right or left, whichever is more comfortable for you, I prefer the right). Keep your back as straight as possible. Raise the neck only slightly (just enough so that you can comfortably see what your left hand is doing without having to physically bend over the guitar). Keep your thumb centered in the back of the neck (not hanging over the top) to give yourself more of a reach.
So, some key things to note here:
- Position your guitar the correct way so the thickest string is nearest to your head and the thinnest string is nearest your lap
- Rest the dip of the guitar (most guitars have a dip for this purpose) on your lap. Rest it on the same side as your strumming hand (e.g. if you strum with your right hand, rest it on your right lap
- Don't hunch your back
- Tilt the guitar towards you slightly, don't rest it flat against your chest. This will ensure you have a good width view of the fretboard.
- Make sure your elbow points out towards the top corner of your guitar. It should also rest so your forearm and wrist can pivot over the strings.
And here is how your fretting hand should look front and back.
Hope this helps!
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-:¦:- ((¸¸.·´ -:¦:- Elecktrablue -:¦:-
"Don't wanna ride no shootin' star. Just wanna play on the rhythm guitar." Emmylou Harris, "Rhythm Guitar" from "The Ballad of Sally Rose"
...ever wonder if you're practising too much?? :D Honestly, some people just don't know when to stop..!
