Start with a balanced posture. That is one of the most important ingredients in a good technique, believe it or not! You should feel comfortable, with your back, head, and neck lined up in a stable position. You should feel relaxed. This position should not feel forced, nor should it cause you to expend much energy to remain in that position. If you have a footstool, adjust it to a height that feels comfortable to you, usually something between four to eight inches high. If you do not have a real footstool, try to locate a substitute that will do until you find one–something in the same height range of a real footstool. The height that you need to adjust your footstool to will depend upon the height of your chair. Your thigh should be nearly parallel to the floor when you step on the footstool. You may need to experiment a little to discover what works for you. The most important thing is to get yourself comfortable with your guitar.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/embed/yqwxHYBD8iY[/youtube]Finally, use the gravity drill that your teacher demonstrates on the video to position both your left and right arms properly. The gravity drill is the little shake of the right hand that you see the teacher doing in the video. This drill will ensure your right hand is relaxed and that your fingers and wrist are in their most natural position. Keep that hand position still, then bring it over the strings, staying relaxed.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/embed/Ur_Xb_GcmaI[/youtube]A knee stool is a good alternative to a footstool. A knee stool is actually a stool upon which your guitar rests. It is called a knee stool because the stool itself rests on your knee. A knee stool allows you to keep your feet on the floor, eliminating excessive tension in your lower back. Just so you know, the knee stool is called a “guitar support” or a “classical guitar knee support” in some music stores and catalogues, in case you cannot find one listed as a “knee stool.” You can see a version of a knee stool in this clip.
Your next step is to learn how to prepare your fingernails to make playing easier and more efficient.
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