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Left Hand Technique
The general method of use of
the fretting hand among non-classical players appears to contain less
variables than the use of the picking hand, but to say that the use of
the fretting hand amongst the majority of players is fairly standard
would be deceiving.
What follows is to be a
fairly concise breakdown of what is the generally accepted
"correct" technique. (See some of my thoughts on
"correct" technique elsewhere on this site)
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Firstly, make sure you
are sitting or standing with the guitar in a comfortable
position. (Articles on this to follow soon)
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Take note of the left
shoulder position. Make sure that you are not pulling it up or
forward in any awkward positions (The picking hand shoulder is
usually most guilty of this) Let the shoulder relax and hold it
naturally.
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Upper arm and forearm.
Maintain relaxation here as you gently "hold" the guitar
neck. Make sure that you are not pushing or pulling your elbow out
in any straining positions. Please however note that the elbow
should not be locked into any one position. Comfort is key here.
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Wrist position: Once
again, comfort is key. As you play the guitar, there are going
to be times when you need to push the wrist slightly forward (e.g.
to do a big left hand stretch) or to pull the wrist slightly back (e.g
in order to do a bend with the thumb over the neck) The key here is
to find a good neutral position with the wrist maybe slightly
forward and the palm of the hand parallel to the bottom of the neck.
Once again, this is going to change as you play, but use the above
as guidelines. REMEMBER: Do not force your wrists into awkward
and uncomfortable positions. STOP and re-evaluate what you are doing
if you feel any pain.
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The tips of your curved
fingers must meet the fret board fairly close to perpendicularly.
Again, a general guideline. There will be times when you will be
muting with the underside of your left hand fingers, or sometimes
the fingertip, so perpendicular is not going to cut it in these
situations. Observe, apply logical thought and use your discretion.
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Place the thumb roughly
behind the index or middle finger in the middle of the neck. This
will change in various playing situations, but is a good starting
point. Remember, the thumb is a guide / stabilizer along with the
arm. Do not use your thumb to exert unnecessary pressure on the
fretboard. Don't clench the guitar neck in a tight grip.
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Play as close to the
fret wire as possible without choking your notes. This will help
with tone and buzzes.
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Don't use too much
pressure to fret the notes with the left hand. Use only enough to
get a good note out of the guitar. More than this may send your
notes sharp and also cause undue stress on the left hand.
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Remember when fretting
your notes, do not pull/push the strings up or down (towards the sky
or the floor) unintentionally. This will cause intonation problems
and you will sound badly out of tune.
Key points to keep in mind:
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Watch your intonation.
Pressing the string down hard on big frets, or pulling the string up
or down will make you sound out of tune.
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Keep your touch light
and become sensitive the the amount of pressure you use.
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Make sure that your
fingernails do not get in the way of your playing. Trim or file them
if necessary.
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MOST OF ALL: RELAX,
RELAX, RELAX. Don't let any unnecessary muscle tension into your
playing. ALWAYS be looking out for it and if you find it, get rid of
it.
The guidelines above are a
good starting point but remember, be flexible in your approach. When in
doubt, adopt the classical fretting hand position and work from there.
(The internet is full of resources that will explain classical guitar
technique very effectively.)
Remember: Think, listen,
feel and watch.
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