Fretting hand position

Fretting Hand Position: Getting the Best Sound

So let's move back to our fretting hand now and just talk about fretting hand position. Where is the best place to fret a particular note to get the best sound?

Relaxed Left Hand

First of all, you want a nice, relaxed left hand. Here are some tips to consider:

• Imagine you're trying to put a thumbprint in the back of the neck with your fretting hand.
• This will keep your wrist nice and low.
• It maintains a nice gap underneath.

Important Note: We want to avoid grabbing the neck like a baseball bat. This grip is very restrictive to the movement of your fingers, so allow for free movement and relaxation.

Elbow Position

Remember what we talked about regarding your elbow:

• It shouldn't be jutted into the side of your stomach.
• Keep it nice and relaxed.

Fret Placement for the Best Sound

Now, we're going to talk about where physically to play a note within a fret for optimal sound.

Example: Third Fret on the A String

Let's play the third fret on the A string. Here's where it gets specific:

• This whole area technically counts as the third fret.
• You could fit two or three of your fingers in this fret area if you wanted to.

Best Position

The best position to be in is right up against the fret wire of the third fret:

• Fret Numbering:
  • Fret number one
  • Fret number two
  • Fret number three

I'm not on top of the fret, which is the metal; I'm just on the other side of it. By fretting it here, I achieve the least amount of pressure needed to play the note cleanly.

Sound Comparison

Let me play this note for you now:

• Clean Sound: You can hear that it's a really clean sounding note with no buzzes.
• Buzzing Sound: If I move to the back of the fret and play the same note with the same pressure, it sounds like this:

You can hear that buzzing sound. I can fix that by pushing down much harder, but this can force the string out of tune.

Best Practice for Single Notes

Generally, if you're playing single note parts, you have a choice of where to place your finger within the fret.

Key Takeaway

• Always aim to be as far forward in the fret as possible.
• This applies anywhere on the neck, particularly where the frets are larger and give you more options.

Final Note: It doesn't matter what finger you're using; always place it as far forward in the fret as you can when possible.