Hey Friend,
It’s been relatively quiet here in Orlando, working on some recent life changes that have me jumping through a few hoops…
But things have stabilized enough to get back to "more funner" subjects - like guitar!
I was going through the “mail bag” (remember when the mail carrier walked around delivering snail mail every day?) and got a question about a common problem we’ve all had.
John from Jonesboro recently joined us, and he’s working on learning chords (one of my favorite subjects!). He’s having a challenge with his fingers muffling the strings instead of letting the notes ring out.
Let’s call it “finger creep."
On the surface you might think it's a problem with his fingers, but I say it’s one of awareness…
Let’s see what we can do to help him out.
Take the Muffler Off!
Cars and motorcycles come equipped with mufflers. This is to lessen the noise created by the engines internal explosions.
But I’m sure you’ve heard one coming down the road where “they've" removed (or replaced) the muffler - to be SURE you hear them coming!
I’m not a fan of that particular modification, but it does pull off at least one goal...
TO BE LOUD.
The same goes for guitar. When we play a chord, we want each string note to be clean and clear.
Yes, there are times when you want to muffle the strings, but that’s another subject. If the strings are NOT ringing out clearly, but getting muffled by our fingers, we have some adjustments to make.
There are a few different things that can cause problems for a new (or rusty) guitar player learning chords: - The calluses on finger tips isn’t developed
- Finger placement related to the frets
- Finger placement related to the string / angle of attack
And tied to these could be plain old hand strength - not having a strong enough grip yet.
Playing guitar uses your hand muscles in ways different from other grips. You might play baseball or golf. You might be really good at swinging a bat, hammer, or club…
But holding a guitar - fingering notes and chords - calls for a completely different grip. Whether you’re brand new to guitar or coming back to it after a long absence, you’ve got to train your hand and fingers to do things they’re not used to doing.
Now before I go any further, keep in mind that every hand is different, and every player must: - get their hand and fingers conditioned to play.
- find their best positioning to fit their hand.
There is no “universal,” one-size-fits-all grip, so you have to find what works for you.
Also, the word “grip” implies that you’re holding the guitar neck tightly. But that’s not the case with guitar. Keep your hand relaxed and flexible so you can move your hand and make adjustments when necessary.
Hand Placement
Being aware your hand position on the neck will help you fix the muffled string issue.
We'll talk more about training your hand for playing later, but here’s what I usually see when someone comes to me with a problem like John’s…
The first thing I look at is their hand placement. How are they holding the neck?
Where your hand is placed on the neck will determine the angle of your fingers as they approach the strings.
Typically, we grab the neck with a comfortable grip and try to play, but the finger angles created by this grip don’t work.
You want each fingertip contacting the string, not the pad of your finger. You also want each finger on the string at close to a 90 degree angle, so your fingers are coming straight down on top of the strings instead of from the side.
If your fingertips aren’t coming at the fingerboard from directly above, you need to adjust your hand placement on the back of the neck.
Slightly lower your wrist so that the heel of your hand moves downward (toward the ground) on the curve of the neck. You’re moving it closer to the center point on the back of the neck. You’ll also notice the big thumb muscle moves slightly lower behind the neck.
This will lift your fingers so they are more perpendicular to the strings. It’s a slight adjustment, one you have to remind yourself of in the beginning - which is where awareness comes into play.
But after a few practice sessions, your hand will get used to the new positioning and you won’t have to think about it anymore. It becomes automatic through muscle memory.
Side note: Don’t forget to keep your fingernails trimmed on your fretting hand. You want your fingertips pressing the strings down to the fingerboard, without fingernails getting in the way!
Remember, it might be a little awkward while your hand gets used to the new positioning, but if it hurts, stop doing it and get some help. Playing should never be a painful experience.
Paying Attention Pays Off
Be aware of how you hold the guitar and you'll start to see where small changes in your physical orientation can make big differences in your playing. Your hand becomes stronger, your notes come out clearer, your grip becomes better, your tone improves.
A good teacher can look at how you’re holding your guitar in the first lesson and help you make these adjustments, but you don’t NEED a teacher. Experiment with little changes in how you hold your guitar to see what the changes do to the quality of the notes you play.
Guitar can be frustrating in the beginning. It takes a little discipline, but you can fix beginner problems quickly as long as you stick with it. Make these simple adjustments and you’ll start seeing improvement very quickly.
Peace~
Dave
P.S. Did this help? Got another question or problem? Let me know by hitting the reply button in your email program. And as always, Rock On! | 
