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ChristopherSchlegel
Guitar Tricks Instructor
Joined: 08/09/05
Posts: 8,328
ChristopherSchlegel
Guitar Tricks Instructor
Joined: 08/09/05
Posts: 8,328
01/11/2023 9:08 pm
#1 Originally Posted by: bartmaag

Hi,


 


I’m struggling with what is the best position/direction of the left hand, the left fingers plus thumb, and the left elbow on a electric guitar in such a way that is best to learn to speed up solo playing with relaxed fingers.


Sometimes you see the tips of the fingers directed towards your body, sometimes up, sometimes with the pinky curled and the rest is not, is the thumb equal to the index finger, ring finger, etc. I know I have to play the note against the fret, and with the tip of my finger, but not what is the direction of the fingers. I’m afraid that if my fingers a to tensed in the beginning, and I learn my way through the lessons, I will learn with an incorrect and perhaps overly tensed hand/finger/elbow position.


Is there perhaps some information or a lesson available about this position information?


Warm regard,


Bart

In general you should aim for the most relaxed & natural position for efficiency of motion.  That might slightly change depending on the musical line you are playing.  For example you might find that you need to slightly adjust your approach if you are playing on the lower strings versus the upper strings.  Or the lower, wider frets versus the upper, more narrow frets.


I've got a bunch of tutorials on playing fast lines.  Almost all of them mention proper physical motions & mechanics in some way.  Depending on your skill level you might want to start with these exercises on the major & minor scale patterns.


https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial/2643/


https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial/2646


If those are all easy, then try these on visualizing repeating octaves of diatonic patterns across the fretboard.


https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial/419/


https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial/898/


https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial/899/


And after those, or if you just want to just jump to the shredding, these deal specifically with the mechanics of playing fast single note lead lines in a rock style context.  The first one in particular deals with a lot of the basic mechanics of stay relaxed & having natural efficiency of motion while playing fast lines.


https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial/287/


https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial/928/


https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial/929/


https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial/973/


https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial/980/


Hope that helps!


Christopher Schlegel
Guitar Tricks Instructor

Christopher Schlegel Lesson Directory