Any advice on sitting posistion?

[HowardM]

I still struggle with the sitting position myself but have started to use the classical position to eliminate most of the problems, however, there are more experienced individuals in TAC that can offer better advice.

[Kitman]

Hi @elisabethajgmail-com , although I am a bit on the taller side, guitar posture is one of the things I’ve been working on over the past few months. From what I have read and tried there are a couple things t that Imhabe adopted:

– sit with a straight back imagining a floating balloon is gently lifting an elongating your neck and spine

– relax the shoulders, elbows and wrists

– keep your shoulders parallel with one another (ie. avoid having one sloped down lower than the other)

– Keep the guitar body parallel with your body ((eg. avlid kicking the bottom out and playing on a slant)

I began taking a video of myself playing so I could see what I was doing. Then each time I would play I would select one thing to work on (for example literally saying “I am working on relaxing my shoulders and keeping them parallel”). I would play for a while and then restate the goal. Rinse repeat. Then another time I would work on relaxing elbows and wrists. Etc. then I would video myself again and re-assess.

The other thing I stumbled into was pushing the neck of the guitar forward just a bit. This changed the place where my right arm was wrapping around the lower guitar body bout. It really released some of the strain I was feeling in my shoulders and elbow). It also allowed me to extend my fretting arm a bit more. Took some pressure off that elbow.

Final thought – I have seen some shorter statured folks actually stand to play their dreadnoughts using a strap. Don’t know how feasible this is.

Best of luck to you figuring this out! 😀

[albert_d]

Thank you for asking the question. I had an interest in the responses too.

[N-lightMike]

Hello @elisabethajgmail-com ;

So, I think @Kitman ‘s response is great and covers much of the subject. Many smaller people adopt the classical position as it is much more ergonomic.

However, as Kit said, pushing the neck forward is another way to relieve that stress on the shoulder of the right arm going around the guitar.

I think Kit’s exercises might be one of the best things you could do because the most important thing is to get rid of all tension.

Finally, it is true that playing with a strap standing up completely changes the whole thing. One of the reasons is that the guitar will tilt and won’t be straight up and down. That doesn’t matter. What matters is that you keep your head tall and don’t look at the fretboard. That way, you will learn to be a better guitar player. And when you are learning something, you only have to bend over and look at the fretboard for a short period of time.

So again, the most important: keep you head up and don’t look at the fretboard.

One last thought: if all else fails, get a smaller guitar. Smaller bodies help, but especially thinner bodied guitars are much easier.

MG 😀

[Kitman]

@MikeGaurnier , thanks for pointing out perhaps the best one of all – a new guitar with a smaller body! Always a great option AND a reason to get another guitar @elisabethajgmail-com ! 😀

[N-lightMike]

Yeah, right, @Kitman ? If anyone hasn’t caught GAS yet, it’s our job to give it to them. 🤣

[Cadgirl]

@elisabethajgmail-com , sorry to hear you are having issues with your guitar. I had the same problem and finally bought a smaller guitar. But, have you tried to hold it like a classical guitar, i just saw the same advice from @MikeGaurnier . One other thing…. You have a jumbo guitar what type strings does it have? You might try thinner strings? I wish I would have tried that before giving up my Martin D-28. One last thing…. Capo the neck up, that way you don’t have to reach so far to make your chords or pick your notes. Your guitar might just need a friend thou, something like a parlor size guitar. Good luck

[N-lightMike]

Well, there are 2 things about giving up a Martin D-28 @Cadgirl . The first is that you were given a nice buy back price as they hold such value. The other is that you have the opportunity to NOT let the opinion of others sway you. Just because it’s perhaps the most ubiquitous guitar in the world doesn’t make it the best guitar in the world.

MG 😀

[Cadgirl]

After buying a couple guitars that fit me, I thought…. Let someone else take home the Martin D-28 . I’m sure someone is really happy with it, they play it and love like it should be. It was just being a dust collector for me. I don’t really think having lighter strings would have helped. But, I should have given it a try.

[N-lightMike]

HaHaHa, I do that all the time to myself, Denise @Cadgirl , that is, second guess myself. You didn’t try lighter strings. You could have tried lighter strings, but you didn’t. You made a decision. Was it the right decision? Well, if you think it was the wrong decision that’s a bummer cause it’s behind you. If you think it was the right decision than that’s great because it’s behind you. (And you’re right. Lighter strings wouldn’t have made a difference. I know because I did put lighter strings on my dreadnought before I got rid of it.)

MG 😀

[Cadgirl]

ok, i’m just about done kicking myself for trading my D-28 in. But…. on the other hand. I wouldn’t have had the money to buy my Taylor 812 without the trade in and the 812 is simply awesome. But, I learned a lesson and i’ll try a different type of strings next time. Or add a post…. My guitar doesn’t have the right feel, would using lighter strings help? ha haha

[N-lightMike]

Yes, @Cadgirl , that is a great observation. I don’t ask for help nearly as often as I should. I do it a little more, but it still seems like a foreign concept to me to ask for help.

And yeah, that’s a really good way to get over your D-18, you have an 814. Personally, I’d take the Taylor over the Martin any day. And I’m not talking in general, because there are 2 or 3 Martin’s I would own if I could afford them. In fact, if I ever bought an expensive guitar, it would probably be a Martin. But NOT a dreadnought. But the Taylors are always a good choice. For tone, playability, quality, looks, you name it. I would love a Taylor T-5 electric. Those are about the coolest acoustic/electric hybrid going.

MG 😀

[Cadgirl]

@MikeGaurnier , Taylor T5, just a beautiful guitar. That would be something nice to own.

[N-lightMike]

👍😃

[Mrfredsporty]

Being a little different at times my way of sitting and holding my guitar (dreadnaught) is partly classical. legs apart with guitar resting on the inside of my LEFT leg. unlike real classical players I do not use a foot stool cuz …well I just dont. I find this position comfortable for me and have used it for a long time. You might give it a shot see what you think.

[Al.E]

This was very helpful Thanks for posting and all the great answers.

Have a Grateful Day!

[N-lightMike]

It’s true that when someone asks a question, others are benefited @Al.E . If you have any questions, please post them so we can help, Al.

MG 😀

[jumpinjeff]

Hi @elisabethajgmail-com Shoulders wrong load. Posture with a neutral, slight curve lower spine, neck tall, shoulders down. The idea here is getting used to feeling your load distribution evenly on your collarbones and scapula. By keeping the shoulders down you give the most free range of motion for your upper arm bone (humerus) to rotate. Imagine your arms spanning out equally from your body while you play, right arm rotates inwardly while the left rotates outwardly. Practice holding your guitar and finding this balance place as if you were going to fly (without playing the guitar, just holding). Lastly the neutral position of balance between collar bones and scapula is super hard to achieve if you are looking at your hands. That little bit will shift you balance point toward you back and put extra stress on your trapezius.You may also find this may cause some neck pain that may eventually make its way into your rotator cuff (shoulder) Stretching can help with this a gentle long stretch, stretching the head side to side keeping the shoulders low as you do.

[Carol-3M-Stillhand]

@jumpinjeff very sage advice, along with all the rest of the posts here. I think we all could use some guitar meditation/zen or guitar yoga to go with our pre-practice warmup stretches… seriously.

[Guy_H]

You’re not wrong @Carol-3M-Stillhand I saw a interview with Ron Block from Union Station. He has a very meditative Zen like start to his sessions. He stresses a very light touch and just deeply appreciating the sound these amazing instruments produce🙏

[Guy_H]

This has been an interesting discussion. I seem to constantly be trying to find the right balance with my guitars. And the proper posture is so important, sure feel the impact when it’s not. I’m not a big guy and lately I’ve been trying to find a comfortable way to maintain a right hand position that is just behind the sound hole. The sweet spot. When I do so it seems as if I’m “reaching” for the open position frets. I think it’s just practice and getting used to that position. Hey ever see little Jimmy Dickens? Small man with a Big Jumbo Guitar!! He made it work😃

• This reply was modified 3 years, 8 months ago by  Guy_H.

[jumpinjeff]

I know exactly what you are saying @Guy_H . When I play I am always subtly adjusting the guitars position to achieve that balance. When I started I held it in this rigid static position moving myself around the guitar. The gave my some problems, common based on what we share here, neck and shoulder pain, yada yada yada, and then I realized it was so much easier to shift the guitar (and i am talking pretty darn minor shifts) in order to keep that balance. It is one of the things I take time to be aware of while drilling and working out tension….am I balanced in that sweet spot giving me the best chance at that holy grail state: effortless playing.

[Kitman]

Plus one @Guy_H and @jumpinjeff