Lesson 4

Posture and Tuning

Holding the instrument properly and always being in tune are essential skills. This lesson teaches all of the standard approaches to tuning.

Pain Is Good

As in many sports, the guitar has pain thresholds that have to be conquered before one can thrash out “Teen Spirit.” The first is usually pains in the left wrist. This is often caused by the height at which your guitar is held. If it is too low, the angle at which your wrist needs to be held becomes unnaturally acute. Although your wrist will recover, holding your guitar too low limits flexibility and speed — though it does look cool.

Holding the Guitar

If you watch a video or live performance of guitarists in action, you’ll see a variety of different approaches to holding the instrument. Many indie or metal guitarists favor the low-slung look, with the body of the guitar close to their knees. The more studious players can be seen almost clutching the guitar to their breast.

The optimum position lies somewhere between those two extremes, but an important philosophical point here is that there is no right or wrong way, it’s a matter of personal preference. If an unorthodox method works for you, then use it. That said, before you settle on a style of your own, it’s a good idea to weigh the pros and cons of the conventional techniques.

There are two basic postures for playing the guitar — you either stand up or you sit down, right? The position you choose will often be dictated by the kind of music you play and the circumstances in which you are working. Classical and flamenco guitarists are invariably seated; in rock, pop, and country, performing on stage is nearly always a standing affair.

Away from the stage, though, many players seem to find it more relaxing to be seated, so practicing and a lot of studio work is often done in this way. To be honest, it’s a pretty sound idea to get used to playing in both positions since you’re likely to use both at various times.

Standing

If you want to play your guitar while you’re standing up, you will need a strap. A strap allows the guitar to hang naturally against your body, with your shoulder taking most of the pressure. It will also allow your to hands move around freely. Check out the photo on page 98 of K.I.S.S. Guide to Playing Guitar for tips on holding the guitar while standing.

The two critical strap variables are the height at which the guitar hangs and the angle of the neck — and each has an impact on the other. A good average height for novices is to have the bridge and tailpiece somewhere around the same height as your waistline; a neck angle of somewhere between 30 and 45 degrees will work best.

Sitting

When you sit down to play, the fingerboard is more likely to assume a horizontal position. The guitar sits with its “waist” — the inward curve at the bottom of the body — resting on the player’s right thigh. This is the position to which most novices automatically gravitate, and it’s good for both electric and acoustic guitars. (This position is illustrated on page 100 of K.I.S.S. Guide to Playing Guitar.)

Not every seating surface is ideal for playing. A sturdy stool or upright chair makes for a good solid support. And although most of us have spent hours playing in this way, beds are especially poor — they make it difficult to hold the guitar in the correct position and encourage bad habits that can take a lot of effort to unlearn.

The world of classical guitar has evolved its own specific posture — few noted concert performers have deviated from this method. Here, the body of the guitar is placed between the legs, so that the waist rests on the left thigh. The guitar’s neck is always held at an angle of around 45 degrees. To accommodate players of different statures, a small, adjustable stool is often used to support the left foot so that it can maintain this angle. Holding the neck at this angle allows for the optimum positioning of the left hand for movement along the fingerboard, and the right hand above the strings at the bridge. The classical posture is rarely used outside of the classical acoustic guitar performance.

For more on posture and holding your guitar, see Chapter Six of the KISS Guide.

The classical posture is rarely used outside of the classical acoustic guitar performance (photo courtesy of Dorling Kinderly Picture Library).

Nails

Always carry a pair of nail clippers. You just can’t fret notes if your fingernails are too long — the tip of the nail will dig into the fingerboard BEFORE the pad of the fingertip can hold down the string. Check in with the class Message Board to see what tips other students have to offer.

Fretting Technique

What is fretting technique? It simply describes the best positioning for hands and fingers to fret notes on the fingerboard. You have to pluck the string with one hand to get a sound out of your guitar; the note’s pitch is determined by the position you press down the fingers of the other hand onto the fingerboard.

Thumb on the Back or Thumb on the Side?

There are two distinct schools of thought as to how you should hold the guitar with the left hand. The standard classical technique positions the thumb against the back of the neck at all times. This allows the neck to be clasped firmly, providing additional pressure when fretting notes along the fingerboard. For correct classical posture, the thumb must be kept straight.

The classical position, as seen from behind (photo courtesy of Dorling Kinderly Picture Library).

The classical position, as seen from above (photo courtesy of Dorling Kinderly Picture Library).

In spite of this, many self-taught players can be seen sliding the left hand thumb around the neck so that it rests along the edge of the fingerboard. When classical teachers see guitarists playing in this way, they often turn bright red. But is it such a bad thing?

Many well-known players (Jimi Hendrix included) have used this method; many find it much more comfortable. Furthermore, if you a have a wide enough finger span, it can allow the thumb to fret notes on the bottom two strings, which can be useful when playing certain types of chords.

In this alternative fretting technique, the left-hand thumb slides around the neck and rests along the edge of the fingerboard above (photo courtesy of Dorling Kinderly Picture Library).

What’s the best way, then? There’s no doubting that the classical technique is more versatile and that the “alternative” method can restrict agility. But since there are clear virtues in both systems I’ll be controversial and recommend that you become conversant with both techniques.

Fretting a Note

The way you use the fingers of your fretting hand to press down notes against the fret board is central to mastering the guitar. If you don’t fret the notes properly, your playing will always sound a bit dodgy — end of story.

To get the best sound, the tip of the finger should be positioned immediately behind the fret. The center of the pad of the finger should press securely down over the string, forcing it down against the fret. When you strike the string with the right hand you should hear a clear bell-like tone, NOT A BUZZ OR DULL THUD.

To avoid accidentally muting the strings, all of the fingers of the left hand should be kept in as vertical a position as possible, with those that are not being employed kept away from the fingerboard. This is one clear benefit of using the classical left-hand technique, because if your thumb is resting on the edge of the fingerboard, it can be very difficult to keep those fingers vertical.

Finger clearance in the classical fretting position (photo courtesy of Dorling Kinderly Picture Library).

Finger clearance in the alternative fretting position (photo courtesy of Dorling Kinderly Picture Library).

Here’s a test. Bring each finger down vertically in turn onto any firm horizontal surface. If the nail’s tip hits the surface before the pad of the finger, your nails are too long. This only applies to the fingers of the fretting hand since some classical and fingerpicking guitarists grow the nails of the opposite hand out so that they can strike the strings with them. Many prefer the tone of an acoustic guitar played this way.

Pitch

“Concert pitch” is the note A on a piano keyboard. Electronic tuners, pitch pipes, tuning forks, and electronic keyboards all adhere to this perfect pitch — so should your guitar. You could tune the strings of your guitar in relation to one another, but when you play with other musicians or your favorite CDs, you’ll find you’re horribly out of tune. This is why it’s important to tune to external reference notes.

Tuning Your Guitar

Each time you open up your case and reach for your guitar, the first thing you should do is tune up. Tuning, it has to be said, can be demanding for the beginner. If you don’t have a naturally musical ear (and the vast majority of people — musicians included — don’t), then this is a new skill that you will need to acquire. Don’t panic; there are numerous aids to help you along the way.

The concept is a simple one. Each of the six open strings is adjusted by turning the machine head until they have reached the correct tension. Each of the six strings is tuned to a different note according to a specific series of musical intervals. The notes are, from top to bottom (or first string to sixth string): E, B, G, D, A, and E. The interval between top E and bottom E is two octaves.

There are two fundamentally different ways you can tune: you can either tune each string to a strict reference pitch or get one of the strings in tune and then set the other five in relation to that one.

There are a variety of fixed references that you can use. Pitch pipes, tuning forks, and piano keyboards used to be the conventional sources, but nowadays, electronic tuners are more common. The first track from the CD that came with your book plays six reference tones, each one corresponding to the six strings of the guitar, played in perfect concert pitch. So let’s begin by using the CD to get ourselves in tune. Load the CD and find the track so your reference source is ready.

Once you have your reference source, you can begin to tune your guitar.

1. Play the reference tone (soundwave, keyboard note, or other source) for the first string — top E.
2. While the tone is playing, gently pluck the open first string of your guitar — the top one with the highest pitch.
3. If your guitar string is too low in pitch (“flat”), turn the machine head counterclockwise until the pitch begins to rise. If the string is too high in pitch (“sharp”), turn the machine head clockwise.
4. Eventually, the two notes will sound the same. You’ll know when you are getting close, as you’ll be able to hear a slight pulsing effect. This tells you that you are almost, but not quite in tune.

Repeat these steps for the other five strings.

Relative Tuning

There are many ways to tune your guitar — every guitarist has his or her own preference. On this page, we’ll examine techniques that employ one reference note: when the string corresponding to that note is in tune, the other strings can use that string as a reference. (The relative tuning method is illustrated on pages 119-120 of K.I.S.S. Guide to Playing Guitar.

1. Start by tuning the first string (top E) to a concert pitch source, as shown on the previous page — you can use the CD, a guitar tuner, a keyboard, or anything else useful you happen to have at hand.
2. Place your finger on the fifth fret of the second string and play the note (the note E). While it’s still ringing, play the open first string so that the two notes can be heard together. Turn the machine head for the second string until it is in tune with the first string.
3. Now place your finger on the fourth fret of the third string and play the note (B). While it’s still ringing, play the open second string. Adjust the machine head on the third string until it is tune with the open second string.
4. Place your finger on the fifth fret of the fourth string (G), and then play the open third string. Adjust the machine head on the fourth string until it is in tune with the open third string.
5. Put your finger on the fifth fret of the fifth string (D), and then play the open fourth string. Adjust the machine head on the fifth string until it is in tune with the open fourth string.
6. Position your finger on the fifth fret of the sixth string (A), then play the open fifth string. Adjust the machine head on the sixth string until it is in tune with the open fifth string. All six strings should now be in tune.

The Bottom-to-Top Method

This is probably the most commonly used method of all. It uses a similar principle to the method above, only this time you begin with the lowest note.

1. Tune the sixth string to a reference source.
2. Play the fifth fret of the sixth string and the open fifth string together. Tune the fifth string to the open sixth string.
3. Play the fifth fret of the fifth string and the open fourth string together. Tune the fourth string to the open fifth string.
4. Play the fifth fret of the fourth string and the open third string together. Tune the third string to the open fourth string.
5. Play the fourth fret of the third string and the open second string together. Tune the second string to the open third string.
6. Play the fifth fret of the second string and the open first string together. Tune the first string to the open second string.

This diagram illustrates the string numbering.

Get Those Fingers Working

I’m sure you’re getting frustrated — four lessons in and we still haven’t really played anything. Be patient, it’s coming up next time. For now, here are a few simple exercises to help you come to grips with your posture and fretting technique. The idea is that you fret single notes with the left hand according to the table shown below and then sound them with the right hand.

The goal here is to make sure you are holding the instrument properly, and that when you strike the string you get a clear sound. You can repeat these exercises whenever you like — they may be a bit dull, but they’re pretty useful. In each instance you must press the finger down behind the fret and sound the string by striking it with one of the fingers of your right hand.

In the table the strings are numbered from highest to lowest. The thinnest string — the one that produces the highest note — is the first string; the fattest string — which produces the lowest — is the sixth string. (This table also appears on page 108 of our textbook.)

The fret numbering starts at the top of the neck (the part with the tuning mechanism) and counts up towards the bridge. Working out fret numbers is made easier by the dot markers, which appear on the top and side of most guitar fingerboards. They can usually be seen on the first, third, fifth, seventh, ninth, and 12th frets.

In normal circumstances, you don’t use the thumb to fret notes on the fingerboard. So the numbers one to four are used to indicate the first (index), second (middle), third, and fourth fingers.

In this table, the strings are numbered from lowest to highest. The thinnest string — the one that produces the highest note — is the first string; the fattest string –that one produces the lowest — is the sixth string.

This diagram illustrates the string numbering.

Moving Forward

Hopefully, this lesson has given you a good working knowledge of the fret board, as well as some hints about proper posture and tuning. These are important basics to get you started on your path to stardom. But enough of that — in the next lesson, we’ll start discussing chords and start making some noise!

Assignment : Get in Tune

Practice tuning your guitar as described in the lesson. Follow these simple steps: tune the guitar, congratulate yourself, put the guitar back out of tune, repeat. After a while you should begin to develop an ear for what sounds correct.