What’s the correct posture for playing the guitar?
Making progress when learning to play the guitar depends on paying attention to details like the posture we have when holding the classical guitar. With time we develop our own style, but at the beginning it’s better to follow some technical advice.
The classic posture for playing the Spanish guitar is to sit in a seat that isn’t too soft and that doesn’t have arms which can hinder your movements. Although back support is not necessary, you should always maintain a straight back, with your knees forming a 90º angle with respect to the floor.
There is some debate about the differences between playing left-handed and right-handed guitars. It’s best to look for the position which makes you feel the most comfortable as a player. You should always bear in mind that the thickest string is the one closest to the ceiling, while the thinnest one goes nearest the floor.
Sitting on the edge of the chair with your legs apart, rest the guitar on your thighs, and place it against your chest. Your left leg should be lifted up on a support and the neck of the guitar should not be completely vertical, but at an angle of between 45 and 60º. It’s crucial that the hand that plays the chords is not used to hold the guitar because it needs to be free to move along the guitar neck. Your knuckles should be parallel to the neck. The fingers that compress the strings should be as perpendicular as possible and the thumb should never stick out.
You’ll soon discover the most comfortable way for you to play all the music you want to on the guitar. Little by little, once you dominate the technique, you can look for your own style of playing, either sitting or standing.
Image
