Comfort Zone

Your comfort zone while holding guitar

So you need to find your comfort zone. But what is that exactly? Only you can answer this but it usually amounts to a combination of these small elements.

1. Sitting or standing with your back straight and not slouched.

2. Fretting hand (left hand normally) should not be used to help hold the guitar in playing position but be free to play.

3. Pain - For the beginner (not you.. Einstein), finding the right comfort zone may be trial and error but under no circumstances should it be painful for long periods of time.

Of course using muscles that you have rarely or never used before is going to cause some discomfort and only with time and practice will get easier and more comfortable.

I can almost guarantee that if you are just starting out that you will feel some sort of pain. The trick is not to go extended amounts of playing with pain. Give yourself plenty of breaks just as you would if you were lifting weights.

4. Be two places at once.

What I mean by this is..

You have to think about all areas of your body at the same time not just one. For instance, it is easy to neglect the right hand/picking hand while concentrating on the fretting hand.

It takes practice to think about both at the same time but once mastered it will be second nature to you. Don't give up (I find no better joke)... a lot of what is involved physically in guitar playing amounts to coordination between all elements of hands, elbows and fingers, mind etc.

Read more about how you should hold a guitar in a best way!