How To Hold A Guitar – The Left Hand

When it comes to knowing how to hold a guitar, there are two ways of positioning the left hand. The first is often referred to as the “classical” position. This way of holding the guitar neck involves placing the left thumb at the center of the neck and keeping the fingers running parallel to the line of the guitar neck. In this position your thumb is a central point that allows the fingers to stretch and move around to do all the acrobatics needed for barre chords and solos.

The second way of holding the guitar is to grip the neck so that the thumb can come down to fret notes on the bass strings. This is a technique that is common in folk and blues playing but there are guitarists who play folk and blues without needing to use this position. Having your thumb wrapped around the guitar neck reduces your ability to move your hand up or down the neck quickly but if it is what suits your style, then by all means use it. Playing barre chords might involve shifting to the classical position, as will playing scales.

This video I picked from YouTube is to the point on how to hold the left hand when playing the guitar . . .