Minimal Effort, Maximum Comfort - how to hold the classical guitar PROPERLY
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- čas přidán 9. 06. 2024
- In this video I'm talking about how to sit with a classical guitar properly, how to hold the instrument so you can play freely. I also talk about guitarlift at the end of the video.
Check out my website for music, lessons and more:
www.beatrixguitar.com/
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Time code:
0:00 Intro
0:41 Basics with footstool without guitar
4:12 Adding the guitar in the picture
7:09 Basic right hand concept
8:43 Summarise
10:39 Chair height and buying tip
11:51 Critique of footstool
12:45 Introducing guitarlift as an alternative
14:34 Finding posture with guitar supports
16:13 Please like and subscribe!
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Be mindful and practice patiently, classical guitar require your full attention to avoid bad habits and injuries.
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I love the fact how my most awkward educational video is becoming popular now 😅😂 I even wear my nihilist T-shirt 😂 thanks everyone for watching!
I also got it reccomended through watching classicar guitar related videos.
Although I'm a lot younger than the comment above me and just started learning, I can play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.
Супер спасибо большое
I dabbled in nihilism for a bit but found it rather exhausting... (Big Lebowski reference). ;)
Loving the guitar is the most painful relationship of my life, thank you.
5:20 Guitar Head Stock Aligned with Head Level - Guitar Hole Aligned Under Head
5:37 Don't Look at Fret Board
6:19 Lay Back a Little to View Fret Board
11:00 Legs 90° Angle - Chair Height Same as Lower Leg
Thankyou Beatrix
I’m starting guitar again at 66
I have stopped and started with guitar so many times in the last 40 years but got frustrated because of poor technique
These technique tips are wonderful
I’m into my third week of practicing
That's awesome, congratulations! Keep it up, I'm glad I can be a part of your success!
Same here .
thank yo so much for mentioning that tilting backwards of the guitar to see the fretboard better, instead of leaning forward. That was my biggest gripe of good posture, and now it just makes so much more sense
Glad you found my tips helpful!
It's also the best position for electric guitar, and bass guitar. All ergonomic models from the last years let the people rest their instrument on their thigh easily to have that exact same position.
Having tendinitis issues in my index finger, it helps a lot.
Thanks for sharing this tip to everyone :D
I’m glad I found your channel. I’ve seen a few of your videos and finally subscribed. I am inspired by classical / Spanish guitar. I find you very inspiring and fun to watch.
Dang! This was a good video! Some of this is already covered in my “at home” self lessons syllabi ,however , there was a fair amount of really cool and useful tips that I had never been aware of. I fell off my roof in Dec. of 2009 and did a fracture on my L-1 lumbar and I used afoot stool for the first few years (before switching to a lift)so lower back pain has been a MAJOR hindrance to playing. Within 15 minutes I’m done in and I’m about ready to give up on classical guitar. It just dawned on me I have one of those lower back strap thingys. I’ll be trying that and these new tips. This video is such a blessing! Definitely one I’ll be coming back to from time to time as a refresher. Thank ya!! You got it girly girl! ❤❤
Your content is really useful and interesting. As a guitar teacher, I am happy to see that I teach the same concepts,be it posture, planting, right and left hand exercices, - even if I am far from having your playing skills. Keep it up ! P.S. it is also nice to see someone of this level not taking himself seriously. I will recommend your channel to my english speaking pupils
It's awesome how a slight change in ergonomics can make drastic improvements in playing. Thank you!
Glad you like it!
Thanks for this video,so helpful 🙏
Makes perfect sense. Thanks.
Thanks for the video, it is really helpful! I really love your content! I have some "debates" with my guitar teacher on the right hand position. He wants me to use the "Segovia" way of playing, with the right hand perpendicular with the strings for giving a bigger sound. I find the way you teach is more confortable to play (not completely perpendicular with the strings, playing with a slight angle). I'm trying to find a balance between the two. Anyway, it's really nice! :)
very useful and clear explanation, thank you
thanks baetrix your advice is so important for guitarists and i am glad of your nice performance👍👍👍🌹🌹
Very helpful!! Thank you so much❤
nice explanation , nice accent , i'm here with 2 main goals ,to learn play guitar the first one and to improve my vocabulary and comprehension in english , and your speech is of someone who has pretty relax and like to do these videos and then , i feel more focused by ppl that talking abt yours passions ty for that
Muchas gracias por las recomendaciones! Fueron muy utiles 🎸🫶
Thank you for the good instruction on posture. I will have to try the guitar lift. 🎸
Glad it was helpful!
Sometimes suction cups are not working. There is another guitar support on the clamps called HBBasic - might be interesting for someone.
Thank you for sharing this
Very helpful video. Thank you
I think this is a really helpful video for beginners, especially. I started with classical later in life and have never had a great posture. I remember the terrible back pains learning with a footstool and cheap guitar. The enthusiasm and interest making me practice for hours, longer than I should have. Then the back aches the next day. One day, I got sick of it all. Bought an Ergoplay Tappert (same support my teacher uses) and a decent, serious learner guitar and....problems gone. :). The alternative I think was to give up, and I'm very glad I didn't. I honestly think for me (and my back) moving to a support saved my playing. Looking to try the guitarlift soon.
Excellent !!!
You are a beauty ....
Be blessed
Very well explanation!! Thanks!!
Glad it was helpful!
Awesome video Beatrix 😊👍👍
Thanks!
Love it. 🎄Happy Holidays 🎄 Lol Your accent. thank you
I know I have very bad posture when playing my acoustic Martin guitar. Thanks for
making this video. .
❤
Good information Beatriz! And I like your sense of humor...I use Ergo Play guitar rest and what a difference in not having the left leg up in an awkward way.
By the way, I can't tell you how much I enjoy your album called Journey! So mellow, relaxing and inspiring.😊
Hey thanks for the kind words, I was scrolling through a lot of weird comments now and this popped out, I really do appreciate you taking the time to be nice 😊 have a good one!
A nice and comprehensive video! I've ended up with the Guitarlift, too, after I've tried several suppports (Ergoplay, Murata...). I have to agree on its simplicity and the versatility is simply great!
One note on the chair: if someone's looking to buy a chair for playing guitar, I'd advice to take a look at piano benches, too. They start around 50 € and their big advantage is that their height is adjustable so one can finetune them to the length of their legs.
This sound like good advice. I have a little brother whom I bought a guitar. All the chair in the house are too high. Maybe we will try to get him a piano bench.
Yeah I also sit on a piano bench in the video. The problem for me was that I'm pretty short so the shortest hight on the most benches weren't short enough for me 😅 and yeah it was roughly 50 bucks like you said!
There is another Guitar Support at the clamps - called HBLight😌. The Thing I like About IT that I can Put Guitar into the Case without taking the HBLight off. 🎶🎵🎶
@beatrixguitar I'm having the same issue looking for a short enough piano bench. Can I ask which one you choose? It's a shame I can't use my regular playing chair I use for electric guitar, it's so comfortable but I'm making due for now with an uncomfortable short bench. About 6 months now playing classical and enjoying the transition!
Very good. I Will try this. Thank You, Very much
You are most welcome! Have fun!
thank you made life easier!
Congrats to you !
I have told my students things like this forever, and I learned it because I wasn’t exactly taught everything that you were talking about. I had a great teacher. He did talk about posture, but one thing that I would add to all that is if you don’t do these things it could cause you problems later with your back or your shoulders Believe me, I don’t guitar players, who couldn’t play because they kept doing the wrong body positions and stretching the wrong way and turning their neck sideways and they have had problems with their hands and I’m talking about young people in the guitar program when we were like in 20 years old people that were young having problems with their body imagine if you don’t do these things and you’re in your 40s and you might start experiencing some really bad pain muscle cramps everything so basically do what she’s talking about because she’s not just talking she’s telling you things about yourself. It’s very important video here. I’m glad she did this. Good work, great work important work.
Thanks Beatrix, that was super useful! In my enthusiasm after receiving my new classical guitar, I spent hours and hours playing it in a bad position (torso slightly turned, like I have done for years) and I hurt my back in the process. I see I was doing it all wrong, hope this will improve things, and the Guitarlift is next on my list!
Hey I’m glad you liked the video! Classical guitar can be overwhelming so what I try to keep in mind all the time is to look for simple feeling and postures that feel very natural to me. 😁❤️
thanks teacher
Thank you for sharing
Thanks for watching!
A brilliant video I stumbled across. Unfortunately I suffered from really bad RSI in both wrists due to overplaying in poor positions. I have now switched to only playing classical and wow the difference it has made is amazing! Thanks for the video!
Glad it helped!
I am in love. Thank you, dreamwoman
Enjoy your videos Beatrix - thank you! I started taking lessons many years ago and then stopped, but I want to start again at age 50+. I have a nice classical guitar but I'm thinking my hands are a bit smaller so when I was starting to learn, I felt I had trouble reaching some of the notes on the fret. What do you think about a 3/4 guitar for beginners? Just until I get better and then can switch to my full-size guitar?
I'm a self taught, as well as self proclaimed, "classical guitarist", I have been having trouble keeping up with the actual posture and techniques and all which are taught if you actually learn how to play lmao, and this video is really like a light at the end of the tunnel for me, a new air of hope haha, thank you so much!
Hi. I was wondering . . . What's it like playing fingerstyle in the standard classical position?
very good miss!!!
Thank you! Cheers!
Thanks a lot for this video and as always there are some interesting points in what you are claiming.
However, I would urge you to add another problem a lot of classical guitarists have to face. Problems
with the shoulders. When the position of the guitar, arms and hands is correct, including a straight
spine everyone is adviced to first start relaxing. To begin with the shoulders. Keep them down as a
lot of players tend to pull up their shoulders once a difficult part is in sight. I had a lot of shoulder
problems just be putting tension on them for years. I had to change my playing and I must say, the
bonus was that my playing now sounds more relaxed. (And it counts for the arms as well!)
Beatrix, thank you very much! I'm 58 and I'm in process of becoming a very beginner guitarist:) A had a realy bad pain in my shouldr and now I know why... Again, thank you!
Olga I’m so happy that I was able to help. When I feel that something is off I always ask myself how can I make this feel or look more natural and simple. I wish you many beautiful years with the classical guitar!
@@beatrixguitar thank you! 🌻
Good video!
Thanks!
Oh wow I almost missed this, thank you so much for supporting my channel! Glad you found the video useful! :)
Dear Beatrix, what guitarlift size should we buy? In the professional line there are different kinds of sizes. Thanks for sharing your videos with us!
Comng from a piano that doesn't move at all to guitar was difficult. 45 years ago I began guitar flat picking steel string and right leg support, like most people. I got frustrated with unwanted movement of the guitar and always felt stiff trying to hold it in position. Then I switched to classical position and almost all fingerstyle playing with the steel string and left leg support and stand, but still a slippery guitar on the leg. Now after switching to nylon string classical guitar 7 years ago, I am still frustrated, and this year took a guitar strap and wrapped it around my back (not over the shoulder) pulling the guitar into my body for a very firm hold on the guitar even with both hands and arm off of it. So, stand, left leg support of the waste of the guitar, and a strap pulling the guitar into me. I think I am happy now. I now have an instrument almost as stable as a piano.
So good
A nice channel and great resource for classical guitar. If you don’t mind me asking about the size of the guitar lift you are using, is it a small, medium or large plate? The reason I’m asking is, that I am thinking about obtaining one of those , is it based on the size of the instrument or the height of the person? Thanks
I thinked about sitting and posture for some weeks. I have no neck problems or so, and i don't want them...
My solution: A strap. Got it on one guitar since a few days and really happy with this. Hope soon on the better Instrument, but i am not good at craft things and a liitle bit scared to install the pin...;-)
This video is sooooo important. I am experimenting with the hand/finger position over the strings. I do not use nails or picks and instead get the soft sound of my flesh on stings. But the traditional striking style or almost claw finger position is pulling up on the stings instead of across like the thumb does. So, to get that better tone I am attempting to change my finger position to a slightly more open hand where the fingers are not in a 90-degree angle. The second knuckle, (middle knuckle) increased angle of about 70 degrees makes a much better tone, MUCH better for fingerstyle of the flesh tips. Tough to change this after 45 years on guitar, but going to continue.
Hi...beautyfil painting!
Thank you so much 😊
I've literally had two half hour classical guitar lessons, this video has proved very helpful to me. I'm looking forward to the difficult journey, thank you for the advice. PS your English is excellent🙂
Hey thank you so much! I'm glad you liked it, feel free to check out my other videos for technical help :)
@@beatrixguitar I will do 🙂
Great advice. I have struggled finding a comfortable position and naturally embraced the classical position. I am blessed or cursed with being 6'5" tall. Only classical guitars have felt comfortable to play.
Thank you
Welcome!
There seems to be a lot of misplaced hate for footstools. I fell for that and went down the contraption route...none worked for me. Back to using a footstool and feel I have much more control.
Finally somebody says the truth about the traditional method of holding the classical guitar. It's just not sensible at all. Nice job on the video
Hi Beatrix, I sometimes wonder if tarrega used a stool to remind him of the pedal on a piano and not much else 😂 i like to play standing up with a strap sometimes as this holds the guitar in a similar position as a foot stool and is comfy for me,sometimes if I can't get the space and peace I need indoors I can walk around in the garden lol.great video, self discipline really is key and knowing and practising these need to know fundementals is a good influence on personal style 😎 cheers
Valeu!
Thank you soo much :)
Glad it helped!
@@beatrixguitar nowadays it is really hard to find a quality educational video on fundamentals. Thanks again 🙏
Not only does the Guitarlift provide the best support, the fact that it keeps the back of the guitar off your body increases the resonance of the instrument.
If you had a sponsored link to buy the guitar lift I would have clicked it and bough it after the video :)
I recently started using a regular strap for support (thx, Brandon Acker!) Never got around to installing a SageWorks support I bought.
Maybe this makes me somehow impure, but I’m exerting far less energy wrestling with my guitar to be stable.
Also, while I’m unsure how related, it’s made it easier to keep the head of the guitar higher. As a result, it’s easier to keep my ‘fret side’ forearm consistently vertical. Definitely has helped - Capricho Arabe is now coming along much better than before.
Good to hear this! I’m also thinking about trying a strap but not sure how to put it on my guitar 😂😅 any tips?
@@beatrixguitar if I remember from your Christmas gift vid, you’re already familiar with someone named D’Addario! I got an acoustic guitar quick release thing, and a cinch fit acoustic jack lock. Oh, and an actual strap! :-). I wish I had a suggestion for a guitar without a acoustic jack. As far as I know, a peg would have to be attached to the bottom of the instrument.
@@beatrixguitar There are couple straps for classical guitar. HB Guitar Strap from Etsy can be used without knobs.
Another reason to avoid angling the guitar top upwards, the sound will emanate from the sound hole towards the ceiling rather than towards your audience.
I have an experiment for you to try. With your arm resting in your normal position, strum the guitar then immediately lift your right arm off of the guitar. Do you hear the tone open up and volume increase? Do it again and lift your arm then put it back down and you will hear the sound open and then compress. An arm resting on the sound board stifles vibration, not allowing it to reach full resonance and volume. I install John Pearse armrests, or similar, on all my guitars just for that reason.
❤ from Mongolia.
Very very useful 👌 u look like a melody 🌷
Thanks a lot!
Beatrix....much thanks for the information you share with us! May I ask, is if 'ok' to use a strap on a classical guitar? I ask because there are reasons I must. I'd like to know your opinion. thank you.
Do you have any thoughts on Paul Galbraith? I've always been curious how his style must feel
So glad I found your channel this is all stuff I've been working on along with right hand technique. But the RH can't be there if I'm not sitting properly. I also need a new chair, my legs go down making maybe an 85º angle. Not good!
You can do it! Just don’t overstress yourself, try fixing things bits by bits 😊
back pain really hurts 😢
también ayuda mucho una jarra de cerveza..🍺
Hi Beatrix, thanks for the nice presentation on this major issue of a healthy playing position. Still I am wondering why the head of the guitar should be so high above the shoulders. Quite a century ago Emilio Pujol suggested to have the point of the low E (saddle on the bass side) should be in a horizontal line with the shoulder. Of course each person’s body is different, but I consider this setup as wise since it makes performing in the low positions is much more comfortable for the left arm. At the same your right arm can more easily rest on the guitar, so you don’t have to fix it there with your muscles. If you then use a foot stool (I don’t like it neither) or a post or even better a cushion (more flexible to avoid fixed positions) it’s up to anybody’s own preferences. Best wishes Wulfin. 🎉
Hi! I made this video 1,5 years ago and since then I also learnt that even the heights of the guitar can be different for every body type. So yes, I found that with my proportions the concept I explained works well but with a very tall person it might need adjustments. I’m learning a lot as I go, and maybe I didn’t address this in this video (I don’t really remember every video I made) Thanks for your feedback, you are right and it’s important to point out that every body type needs slightly different sitting position
@@beatrixguitar thanks for your reply. In general I do recognize this high positions quite frequently, no matter how the instrument or body are. The guitar is no cello, we need much more transversal flexibility and stretching. Also for the right hand there are more various sound registers more easily available without large efforts in the traditional setup… just my opinion best Wulfin
Excellent advice and very helpful. Thank you! What are your thoughts about using a strap as an alternative to a footstool or a guitar lift? I find it helps me move my legs around when they get stiff and I need to move. Thanks!
Oh I’ve haven’t tried it yet but I really want to get one, seems like a great alternative!
@@beatrixguitar Keep us posted when you explore a strap..
The best way to have a good posture is to make sure that your low back is not unstable and the gluteals and abdominals are strengthened. I have a simple exercise routine that takes 30 seconds a day.
I also have many self treatments for the shoulders and arms.
Oh My Aching Bach.
Wonderful ! Why is the footstool not as good ? Thanks !
I've been watching a serie of left leg videos and well, there go 17 years of bad habits I'm afraid. But I can't for the life of me make the guitar not slide it's pretty depressing, I'll have to get back to this vid a few times.
I love you ❤️
the angle of the guitar has been steadily raising since i started playing in 1984. it is somewhat of a fad, so allow yourself to find your own comfort zone that is reasonably within the range of normal
👋hi. First time here.
Welcome!!
Ahoj Beatrix, thanks for all your recommendations - but I do not like that last thing - plexi (?), it seems to be very massive and also for my feeling it does not look very good on the instrument - I would not do it... I will prefer some other ways for playing... 🙂
That doesn't seem to work for me somehow. As if I hold it that way, the guitar body smashes into my breast. And I have to twisty my back and neck left to see the frets which ended up hurting my neck and back. So I have been holding it the "casual" method instead of the "classical" method. How do you get around the problems?
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👍🏻
I love these technique tips. I do have a question: What does that support do to the tone? As an amateur luthier, I am always sensitive to anything that damages resonance or overtones. Having spent hours thinning and shaping braces to enliven the tone, I am a bit nervous about adding rubber suction cups.
Good question! The extra plate reduces resonance for sure, but only a little. To be honest, I’m mostly playing at home where I don’t feel any difference, and even if I would I’m willing to make a little sacrifice if that means that my body stay healthy and I can play for many more years. That’s my personal approach 😊
@@beatrixguitar Thanks, that seems like a sound (pun intended) approach to good health. Would you use it in a performance setting? or would you go back to the foot rest for that?
@@RAkers-tu1ey I'm not switching between postures, for me that's too dangerous and stressful. I use guitarlift for everything
@@beatrixguitar Thanks!
See if you can do this with a pillow between your tummy and instrument (as if you have some extra padding) then try "put your right hand where it falls". The right hand gets an uncomfortable kink in the wrist, and leaning back doesn't help see the strings at all. How would you manage this?
Not only are you attractive your playing is magical thxs
Thank you for your video how do classical players like Ricardo Gallen and flamenco guitarists get by with such a restrictive posture ?
I personally love Ricardo Gallen’s and he has great mastery of the instrument but I feel that expression and articulation of some pieces is blunted by his poor posture, because you see that he is struggling to hold the guitar, am I right ?
I personally prefer Scott Tenants posture and ideally that would be perfect if I knew how he achieved it, can you give me some pointers ?
Thank you
Hi! Honestly I have no idea! 😅😂 every time I play in a weird posture, my body reminds me in 20 minutes to sit back to normal so I don’t get how some people can play in such an uncomfortable looking position 😂 sorry I’m no help 🤷♀️
@@beatrixguitar no problem.
I see that Scott Tenants way more comfortable and natural though but would love to know how he achieved it, some say that he has Velcro on the back of his guitar but it remains a mystery.
Is that guitar a Giussiani? Looks like it, I have 2. They are one of the best of all guitars. They are very unique and incredible sounding guitars. IMO.
Yes and I loooooove Giussanis, my dream was to get one through my university studies. Feels like it has a soul 🥰
el sonido de la guitarra si varia entre un accesorio y otro, creo que el guitarlift le resta un poco de sonoridad al instrumento
y si tocamos con la posicion de Paco sentiras alguna perturbación en la Fuerza ? jeje
After watching Brandon Acker, I bought an ergoplay. Best investment I've made.
will the suction cup will no longer strong enough to hold the guitar ?
Good question but no! I had that problem with ergo play but not with guitar lift. Although I have mine for a little over a year and I mostly use it at home and I don't suck it up on the guitar case. I think that's a major source of dirt haha. But I haven't experienced weakening.
If there are problems with suction cups, there are couple supports on the clamps - HBLight, Murata, HBBasic and Woodside - they have different playing position so will fit not for everyone. 🤔Every has his own body composition - length of arms, legs etc, so there is no one solution for everyone. ✨✨✨
I see a lot of young and very accomplished guitarists have a much greater degree of tilt of the neck. More than 45, more like 60 and 70. It looks good for the right hand, but it looks very fatiguing for the left arm as the elbow is lifted rather high. Is there a particular school or instructor promoting this method? I'm sure you've seen it.
The set up in the man er mentioned is not just for comfort, but to great to e from the guitar. The rights has to be at 30° to a 45° angle to the strings to make good full (fat) sound. The right hand should be slightly arched to prevent carpel tunnel syndrome.
..great tone.. not to e
My first guitar teacher almost ended my guitar career there and then by insisting on me using a foot stool. In the end, I told him I would use it if he could find -1- guitarist on TV during one week of regular programming or point to -1- guitarist on a top 100 song likely to be using a foot stool.
Of course he couldn’t, so luckily I am still playing the guitar professionally 35 years later. No chance I would do that if someone had convinced me of the «correct» technique. (Spoiler: there isn’t -one- correct technique for the guitar either from a physiological or a musical point of view)
Thanks for sharing your story! I fully agree with you, personally I also want to experiment with straps alongside with my guitarlift. It would be nice to be able to stand sometimes
There are smaller guitar rests now, and they've gotten really cheap and they're easy to adjust. I never liked using my foot rest, I'm waiting for performaxe to be in stock for my electric guitar(I currently use a cushion I found online and it helps, but it has a belt mechanism that may cut off circulation).
Hi, Where can I buy, price?
@@Charlie19501 just look up Tenor TPGS+ or if it's for electric then search for performaxe or guitar leg rest cushion.
Hey, erm, this is only true if everybody had the same body. Which we don't. To be clear I'm classically trained too, this is definitely how we were taught to sit, 100% correct. But I prefer to stand whilst I play cause my back is formed differently. Just saying , good video by the way🐻
Absolutely, but I only can cover the main guidelines in a video like this, I found that this idea covers the basic idea then it’s everyone’s personal job to fine tune it to themselves. The idea is more like to present a general concept which they can adapt to their needs.
If you are a large person will using the stand work correctly for you?
If you have a long torso you might need to put it on differently but I see many tall people using guitarlift as well
☺️👍