How to Hold Guitar
Learning how to hold guitar properly is an important step on your way to being able to practise guitar regularly without a sore back, arms, hands or fingers.
The correct guitar holding position will ensure you can reach the right parts of the instrument with the correct hands - for example when holding electric guitar, you might need to adjust the volume and tone knobs or pickup selector switch while playing. It will also help with long practice sessions when you are more likely to get tired and be more prone to injury.
In this guide I'll look at how to hold an electric guitar, from some tips for posture when playing guitar, down to how to hold a guitar pick correctly. As you follow the steps closely, it becomes quite easy to learn guitar.
Why Posture is Important
Like any physical activity, holding the correct posture allows you to play for longer without suffering from muscle fatigue, cramps or strains.
Prevent Injuries
Knowing how to hold guitar keeps you comfortable not only while practising or playing, but also afterwards so no unnoticed soreness develops.
Make Progress
Holding a consistent posture from one practice session to the next allows your muscle memory to develop naturally, as your hands are always in the same place and position.
Choose a Seat
Choosing a comfortable, stable seat with plenty of space for your arms and guitar all helps you to adopt the correct posture. Here are some of the options:
Soft sofa or armchair
Soft seats might sound like the way to avoid a numb bum, but they don't provide stability or support, and the arms can hamper your playing too.
High stool or piano/drum stool
High stools are very popular among performers, especially acoustic guitar players. Choose a stool with a footrest so your legs are comfortable.
Hard chair
You might find it easier to hold your position for longer on a solid seat, but remember a hard chair is likely to be quite uncomfortable during a long practice session - a thin cushion is a great compromise.
Footstool
Some players prefer a lower, squat position. A footstool is a cheap option and small enough to take with you if you plan to go busking.
Body positioning
Once you've found a suitable seat, spend some time familiarising yourself with the best body position both for your guitar and for your chair.
Arms and legs
Put your legs in a comfortable, non-stress position, using them to support your guitar if you wish. Your dominant/writing hand holds the base of the guitar and plucks the strings. Your non-dominant/subservient hand holds the neck and presses down on the strings to create specific notes and chords. Left-handers may prefer to learn to play guitar right-handed, as many of the best beginner guitars are designed for right-handed players.
Back and neck
It's best to sit with a straight back, but not leaning against the backrest of your chair. Keep your neck straight and try to keep the guitar perpendicular to the ground, even though you might want to tilt it back to see the fretboard better.
Guitar position
Assuming you are playing guitar right-handed, put your right leg slightly forward with your foot flat on the floor and rest the guitar on your thigh. It should feel comfortable and quite stable.
Rest on right thigh
Once in the correct position, you shouldn't need to hold your guitar for it to stay in place. It should be facing the front, not tilted forwards or backwards, so from above you should only see the side/edge of the instrument.
Angle
The neck and fretboard should be at an angle of about 45 degrees to the ground, so your fretting hand is higher than your strumming or picking hand. This is a good default position for all styles and genres of guitar and you can adjust it as you learn what works for you.
Standing up
If you would rather stand up, then again keep your back straight and tilt the guitar up - your fretting arm's elbow should be bent at an acute angle to reduce strain on your wrist. Your strumming arm's elbow should be at about a right-angle and square to your body.
Acoustic guitar standing up
Because of their hollow body, acoustic guitars are bulkier and heavier than most electric guitars, so make sure you have a strong strap and a comfortable playing position.
Electric guitar standing up
Electric guitars are normally lighter and slimmer. You'll still probably want to wear a strap while practising, but some more advanced players like the freedom of holding their instrument freely. This can also help with showmanship on stage for rock guitar styles.
Strap on
A good habit is to wear the guitar strap at all times whenever you play, whether standing up or sitting down. Once set at the right height or level whilst being sat down, it should be kept the same whilst standing up. The height of the guitar in relation to your body is kept the same, not too high and not too low. This also prevents your back from being slouched down as the guitar strap would fall down if your shoulders were too low.
Left hand
Your left hand should be on the fretboard, ready to press down on the strings to change the notes played by your guitar. Make sure you know how to tune a guitar so these notes are correct. How much you have to press down really depends on the guitar action which is the space between the strings and the fretboard.
Wrist
Your wrist should be able to reach around the fretboard without straining. You may need to adjust your elbow position in order to achieve this. Always keep both wrists straight (although don’t force anything which doesn’t feel natural), since you can get the most out of your grip and efficiently hold the guitar.
Elbow
Your elbow should make an angle of 90 degrees or less. A more acute angle (i.e. less than 90 degrees) can relieve pressure on your wrist and lift the neck of your guitar.
Fingers
Your fingers need to move to play different notes and chords, so just put them in a comfortable, neutral position to start. If you have larger hands, wrap your thumb around the top of the fretboard, otherwise just rest it gently on the back of your guitar's neck. Always keep the thumb free and not tightly gripping the neck. Try to have your fingers come at the frets at an angle (roughly 45 degrees) rather than straightly parallel to the frets, as this ensure a natural grip of the whole hand, making it easier to move up and down the guitar.
Right hand
It might seem strange that your dominant hand is not used to decide the notes you will play, but it's good to have better control over your picking and strumming. It’s the same case with the violin (and its family of stringed instruments).
Fingerstyle
Fingerstyle, or plucking, allows you to play without using a pick or plectrum. It's normal to place your fourth/ring finger on the bottom, thinnest string of your guitar, your middle finger on the B-string, your forefinger on the G-string, and use your thumb for the three thickest bass strings.
Wrist and elbow
Again, keep your elbow at about 90 degrees and square to your body. Your wrist should be fairly straight and free from tension, with your strumming action pivoting at your elbow.
How To Hold Guitar Pick
Holding a guitar pick is a beginner guitar skill in itself. Try not to hold the pick too tightly, but grip it comfortably between your thumb and forefinger so it can move smoothly over the strings.
Types of picks
Guitar picks come in different shapes, some of which are better suited to specific styles or genres of guitar. In general, they all have a point which should be used to pluck your guitar strings.
From experience, 2 or 3mm are too thick to pick fast efficiently. Anything below 1mm is too thin for lead guitar soloing. Therefore I have stuck with 1.5mm as it brings the best out of both worlds for lead and rhythm guitar playing. The thickness and material has an effect on tone, and you could even go as low as 0.5mm for strumming those full-on open chords on acoustic guitar.
Position
Hold the pick at its base, so your thumb, fingers and knuckles do not obscure the point. Remember electric guitars are amplified, so you don't need to strum too hard if you find it easier to practice more lightly. Imagine the tip of the pick is simply an extension of your index finger, and put the thumb directly over just to hold the pick in between that finger and the thumb (perpendicular to each other). It often comes down to personal preference and style as to how much of the pick you use - less for faster playing since there’s less of a surface area touching the strings.
FAQs
Is guitar bad for posture?
Playing guitar itself is not bad for posture, but getting your posture right can definitely help you to learn guitar faster and become a more consistently good player. I can help you to find a comfortable posture when you start to learn guitar.
How do I improve my posture on guitar?
Try focusing on your posture and ignoring your playing - that can come later. Sit in front of a mirror or webcam, or video yourself and watch it back, and look for simple mistakes like holding the guitar at the wrong angle, or the angle of your elbows and wrists.
Why does my back or neck hurt when I play guitar?
It's easy to make mistakes while thinking your posture is correct. If you're hunched over or leaning forwards to look at your fingers, you're likely to get a sore back or neck eventually. Stay upright and learn to play without needing to watch where your hands are.
How to prevent neck and shoulder pain from playing guitar?
Keep your back and neck straight and relaxed. Remember to drop your shoulders and experiment with moving your elbow at different angles. If you're using a strap, make sure it's adjusted to the right length. You want the right tension in your strap, and no tension in your body.
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