Basic Hand Position for Guitar

So in terms of basic hand position, let's discuss this briefly.

Right Hand Position

A lot of the time, your right hand is going to live on this part of the guitar here, which is called the bridge.

• When I'm talking about my right hand, I'm referring to the palm of your right hand sitting right on that bridge.
• It's a great place for your right hand to be.
• The sooner you can get comfortable with your right hand being anchored to the guitar, the better.

It's a really, really important thing to get comfortable with. There are loads of techniques that stem from this hand position, and your right hand accuracy is greatly improved when your hand is anchored to the bridge.

When to Release Anchor

The only time when you don't necessarily want to be tied down to the bridge is when you're strumming open chords really freely.

• We don't want to be tied down at that point.
• If we're doing a strummy, that kind of vibe, then we don't need to be tied down to the bridge, it would feel quite restricted.

Picking with Precision

However, whenever we're going to delve into picking out a single string at a time, instantly, your right hand should be on the bridge. This allows for greater accuracy in where you place the pick.

Exercise: String Picking

Here's a really great exercise to try out:

1. Rest your hand on the bridge.
2. Avoid looking at your right hand.

This is a common habit that many players get into early on, they are absolutely glued to what their right hand is doing and forget about the left hand, which can end up doing all sorts of crazy things.

• Get your right hand on the bridge.
• Either shut your eyes or don't look at your right hand, and just try to pick out a specific string.

For example, say to yourself:

• "I want to pick the G string."
• "I want to pick the A string."
• "I want to pick the E string."
• "I want to pick the D string."

You'll be amazed at how accurate you can be without looking.

Developing Independence

I know it feels like you have to look at your right hand at all times, but having it in the right position goes a long way in weaning yourself off that visual dependence.

• The right hand controls a tiny area, about two inches and these six strings.
• In contrast, your left hand has the whole neck to deal with.

So when we think about it like that, the sooner we can leave the right hand to its task, the better. This allows us to concentrate on what the left hand is doing, whether that's looking at some music or focusing on other aspects of playing.

Remember: It's a crucial thing to bear in mind!