Getting started

Welcome to Guitar World with Lawrence Juber

Hello, I'm Lawrence Juber, and welcome to my guitar world. I've been playing for over 40 years, and I've learned a few tips and tricks along the way. One thing I've found is that people often appreciate a reminder of the fundamentals , the rudiments of guitar playing.

Getting Started

I'm going to give you some pointers in that direction. Please feel free to take advantage of the benefits of being in a DVD format: stop, rewind, and take another look. There's information here that I like to be reminded of, so I'm sure that you will enjoy repeated watchings, too.

Holding the Guitar

Let's get started with something really fundamental: holding the guitar.

We often take this for granted, but there are important aspects to the way a guitar works that can encourage the vibration of the instrument, allowing us to take full advantage of its tone.

• Keep the guitar parallel with your body: This is very important, and I'll revisit this point multiple times.
• Avoid tilting the guitar towards you: I know it's tempting , we all do it! But looking at the fingerboard can actually limit your mobility with your left hand.

Proper Position

To hold the guitar correctly:

1. Sit upright: Keep the guitar parallel with your body.
2. Angle the guitar: I actually hold the guitar at about a 45-degree angle.
3. Support the guitar properly:
   • The back of the instrument needs to vibrate freely.
   • If I play my bottom E and mute the back of the guitar by pressing it against my body, you can hear a difference in the sound.
   • The same happens with the top: if I press my forearm against the top of the guitar, I mute its vibration.

By holding the guitar in a way that the back and the top are free, and allowing the crook of my right elbow to support it, I create a comfortable position where I have full mobility. This setup allows me to articulate both very stretchy things and simple notes effectively.

Tuning the Guitar

Now, let's tune our guitars , or as I like to say, "Let's tune our guitars!"

We are in standard tuning:

• Bottom string (6th): E
• 5th string: A
• 4th string: D
• 3rd string: G
• 2nd string: B
• Top string (1st): E

Note for trained musicians: If you're coming into guitar from another instrument, you should be aware that middle C on the guitar sounds at the first fret of the second string, even though it is written an octave higher than it actually sounds. This is a common characteristic of guitar notation.

Let's make sure our guitars are in tune and ready to go!