The first step to a proper posture is to sit with your back straight and your chest out.
When you sit upright, gravity pulls the body down through your spinal axis, which is better suited to carry the load. When your spine straightens, your chest expands. Oxygen floods your brain, focusing your mind so that musical phrasing will flow naturally from your hands. On the other hand, if you hunch over your instrument, twisting your spine into an unnatural position, you will have a difficult task just to breathe. You become tense, causing technical difficulties. Slouching also hinders the free flow of nerve impulses between your body and your brain. It is difficult to have the clear mind you need while playing the guitar, if your posture hinders the body-brain connection.
If you are using a footstool, you can make a subtle adjustment with your left leg. Many players allow their leg to lean to the left, off-balance, which can cause back pain and technical problems. It is better to turn your leg slightly inward. For this, it may help you to place the footstool a little bit more to the left. Let your left knee lean inward toward your right leg. Do not hold the leg in this position with sheer muscle power, as many players do, because this effort causes you to become tense. If, however, the leg is allowed to lean inward slightly, it will require little effort to support it.
When you are in the playing position, only the top edge of the guitar should touch your chest. If you hold the back of the guitar tightly against your chest, it dampens the vibrations and weakens the sound. Only the relaxed weight of your right forearm is necessary to keep the guitar from falling off your lap; no extra pressure intrudes to waste energy and create tension. This pressure may also force the guitar to be pulled in too much to the right, pushing the fingerboard too far forward. This, in turn, will cause cramping in your right arm and hand, as well as putting the left hand into an awkward position. Rather, place the face of the guitar in one of two positions: parallel to your chest or turned slightly to the left. Those positions allow your left hand to relax as it does its work.
When you master these basic points, you will have gained a firm foundation that will serve you well for a lifetime. You will discover that sense of sheer pleasure that comes with mastery.
Feel free to visit LA Guitar Academy's website for professional guitar lessons in the Los Angeles area, or go to LAGA Online's home page to take online guitar lessons from the LAGA Faculty.
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