Left hand position on guitar

Dord

I'm having a little trouble adjusting playing guitar. I normally play bass and haven't experienced any problems with my left hand. My teacher said that my left hand position on bass is perfect.

When it comes to guitar my hand seems to get strained at the wrist while trying to fret chords (power chords especially). Probably due to the fact that I have large hands

Also, I can't seem to fret powerchords with my first and second fingers, only first and third. I'm not sure if this is right?

Anyways I've posted a picture below. Maybe you could tell me wher I'm going wrong.



Here's me awkwardly trying to fret a D powerchord.

Voodu Child

You have pretty much a straight angle between your hand and arm - that looks a little unusual...i tried fretting a powerchord with my wrist like that, and it felt pretty awkward.

Playing something like a powerchord, my hand would be at around 45degrees to my arm. I actually find it pretty difficult to make that pose you have there. My hand has more of an upward angle than you have there.

Dord

voodoo_child wrote: »

You have pretty much a straight angle between your hand and arm - that looks a little unusual...i tried fretting a powerchord with my wrist like that, and it felt pretty awkward.

Playing something like a powerchord, my hand would be at around 45degrees to my arm. I actually find it pretty difficult to make that pose you have there. My hand has more of an upward angle than you have there.

Oh ok....so if I do that I have to put my thumb over the top of the fretboard, that can't be right,.....can it? I thought that was considered bad technique.

Voodu Child

Joe Robot wrote: »

Oh ok....so if I do that I have to put my thumb over the top of the fretboard, that can't be right,.....can it? I thought that was considered bad technique.

Thats weird. Basically when i say my wrist has more of an angle, I mean my fingers are flatter to the board compared to yours. I still have my thumb on the back of the neck like yourself...its just that the wrist joint has moved down and forwards, so the fingers have more of a flatter angle to the board.

This is just for a powerchord in that position on the neck btw.

Dord

voodoo_child wrote: »

Thats weird. Basically when i say my wrist has more of an angle, I mean my fingers are flatter to the board compared to yours. I still have my thumb on the back of the neck like yourself...its just that the wrist joint has moved down and forwards, so the fingers have more of a flatter angle to the board.

This is just for a powerchord in that position on the neck btw.

That's strange....

Voodu Child

Joe Robot wrote: »

That's strange....

Meh, what works for some won't work for others..:pac:

This is a bit like what im on about...more of an angle on the wrist and the fingers flatter against the board. My thumb is still on the back of the neck same as your pic.

I wouldn't worry about it. Any kind of barre is pretty difficult if you're not used to it, im sure you'll develop a position that suits yourself best.

Dord

voodoo_child wrote: »

Meh, what works for some won't work for others..:pac:

This is a bit like what im on about...more of an angle on the wrist and the fingers flatter against the board. My thumb is still on the back of the neck same as your pic.

I wouldn't worry about it. Any kind of barre is pretty difficult if you're not used to it, im sure you'll develop a position that suits yourself best.

The problem I'm really having is that my wrist is bending like that also, but it's uncomfortable.

Rustar

Your first problem is that your true name is Homer Simpson and you've only got 3 fingers!

Seriously, though, that's your ring finger that's doing the 'D' barre, right?
If it's not, use the ring, as it's Schwartzenegger-strong compared to your pinkie.

Second problem I see is that your hand/wrist are angled away (inward) from the plane of your arm.
Pull your elbow in a bit, arch the wrist (as if you were trying to touch your shoulder), and try to keep your humerus, radius/ulna, and carpals all in a somewhat straight line. Then you'll find the position feels more natural, and all you have to do is work on the finger/wrist strength to do those barres.
This varies up and down the neck, of course...it's harder to keep anything in a straight line playing at the nut.

Dord

Rustar wrote: »

Your first problem is that your true name is Homer Simpson and you've only got 3 fingers!

I almost choked on my lunch! My pinkie finger was tucked away behind the neck.

Rustar wrote: »

Seriously, though, that's your ring finger that's doing the 'D' barre, right?
If it's not, use the ring, as it's Schwartzenegger-strong compared to your pinkie.

Yeah, that was my ring finger doing the barre.

Rustar wrote: »

Second problem I see is that your hand/wrist are angled away (inward) from the plane of your arm.
Pull your elbow in a bit, arch the wrist (as if you were trying to touch your shoulder), and try to keep your humerus, radius/ulna, and carpals all in a somewhat straight line. Then you'll find the position feels more natural, and all you have to do is work on the finger/wrist strength to do those barres.
This varies up and down the neck, of course...it's harder to keep anything in a straight line playing at the nut.

Thanks, I'll try this later.

Sofaspud

Joe Robot wrote: »

My pinkie finger was tucked away behind the neck.

Why? That only limits the movements of your other fingers!

Blackhorse Slim

Looks to me like your wrist is behind the neck, when it should ideally be below the neck.



But as long as you can fret the notes properly just go with whatever is most comfortable. And yes, the ring finger is the 'correct' finger for d-barre and power chords.

Dord

Blackhorse Slim wrote: »

Looks to me like your wrist is behind the neck, when it should ideally be below the neck.



But as long as you can fret the notes properly just go with whatever is most comfortable. And yes, the ring finger is the 'correct' finger for d-barre and power chords.

Thanks, this makes a lot more sense. Maybe I need to raise the guitar a bit more on the strap.

Blackhorse Slim

That's the textbook position, I think most guitar players are somewhere between this and your position in the pic above, but as long as you can fret properly and your fingers are moving freely it doesn't really matter, just go with what's comfortable

NoQuarter

Joe Robot wrote: »

Here's me awkwardly trying to fret a D powerchord.

Joe i fret power chords like you, as in the same fingers, just the 1st and third and tuck my pinky away behind too!

i can tell where your going wrong, your 3rd finger shouldnt be off the fret board on the thinner strings, it should be fretting them(even though you wont be playing them, and you thumb is too in toward the centre of your palm, if i bring my thumb in like that, my third finger goes into the same position as yours!

so from the position your in there to the position i play ill describe what to do and see if it works for you!


1. move your thumb down toward the centre of the fretboard more and place the thumb behind the middle of the 4th fret approx

2. your wrist is angled in toward your body too much, just bring out your elbow a bit and it will make your hand flatter against the frets

3. and instead of placing your thumb flat behind the fretboard, roll it a bit to its side, the side closest to your first finger

4 and your first finger seems like its rolled onto its side closest to your thumb, flatten that out


youll know your right when your third finger can fret all the thin strings too, if that was all a bit technical, forget about your thumb and fret the chords without using your thumb at all, then when you have a flat fretting position, just let your thumb fall back into whatever position it wants to! youll probably find its a lot lower that the position in your pic (low as in toward the ground, not fretwise but possible both!)

Johnny Storm

Joe Robot wrote: »

....Also, I can't seem to fret powerchords with my first and second fingers, only first and third. I'm not sure if this is right?
...

I doubt it there is really a "right" way. FWIW The Edge seems to do it with his first and 4th fingers. If you can do it with the first and second fingers this makes it easier to add in the sixth and 7th notes for Status Quo style boogying.

I'd say you're right about needing to wear the guitar higher up.

I posted a long quote from Buck Dharma in this thread were he talks about the importance of keeping your wrist straight and IMHO he knows what he's talking about.

kahler

i will preface this by not claiming any expertise but...
your wrist position looks very rigid. try fretting the d note on the fifth string (a string) and place your thumb almost immediately opposite on the neck. forget about the other notes for a while. relax your arm and wrist. find the position most comfortable for your wrist. should be below the neck, but slightly behind the neck. you should be able to move the wrist freely without having to move first finger. try using third and fourth fingers to complete chord shape. just first and third could potentially limit fretboard movement.
but, as the man said, i might be wrong...

b318isp

The fact that you have large hands may play a part here. To accomodate your fingers, your wrist may be relatively straigher and more rearwards. Those with shorter fingers often have to rotate their left hand aroudn the neck to get the reach for barre chords and to have the correct orientation of their fingers to the fretboard.

I'd also advise having your thumb available to act on the top string. For barre chords as pictured, I'd generally advise for the thumb to be aligned centrally on the rear of the neck somewhere between the fingers that are playing the chord. This allows you to clamp the barre with maximum force and least stress!