How to (Really) Hold a Guitar When Playing

👉 Video Chapters
00:00 Where do you hold a guitar?
02:25 Watch out for your wrist position!
02:59 Guitar posture matters.

💬 Get In Touch!

[emmajacquet]

I just wanted to say thank you so much for all your videos. I'm learning guitar from absolute scratch, I have no education or experience in playing music or instruments whatsoever and this is an entirely new language that I am learning. I really appreciate your patience and simple yet thorough teachings and advise especially on the things which to experience players might seem obvious. Most of the tutorials i've seen online speak as if they expect you to know what they are talking about or to have some background understanding of things so it's great to know I can come here as a complete beginner and feel welcomed and encouraged!

[MattiaPanciroli]

I recommend the classic guitar position for two reasons: less stress on the right shoulder and because it's similar to how you hold the guitar standing up. And we all know how much different and hard is playing standing up.

[justinguitar]

Apologies for the re-upload - but the original ones were far too dark because of a colour grading issue. So I'm re-uploading them all over the next few days. Sorry if it's flooding your feed.

[kunzumla]

Here we go.
55 year old man buys guitar and really wants to learn to play a few cords and tunes for enjoyment.
Thanks for your videos.

[AIIu_]

I've played acoustic guitar for 10+ years and always held it on my right leg. Last year I picked up electric and found that I can't play comfortably like that. The "classical guitar position" feels way better and it allows for better reach beacause of my short fingers.

[pucek]

Can't tell you how much of a game changer was this tip on trying to get right posture. I'm around one year into my guitar journey, and was really struggling with anxiety while playing, then I watched this video and like magic, no more problems. Thank you, for making guitar playing enjoyable!

[tomknight]

Hi Justin ... I fell into the “crane neck” posture when I started at Christmas but I’ve found I grew out of it as I started to find my way around the neck and gained confidence... still little “blips” but getting there
Many Thanks & Keep the good work up 👍

[mandolinbee]

I have some physical challenges for playing guitar, but I've never let that stop me trying. Once upon a time, I learned a few specific bits like the intro to "Wish You Were Here" from some videos of a very young you in a floppy knit cap.... I recently picked up my old guitar again and here you still are, being amazing and wonderful. Thank you for being you, I wouldn't be able to limp through this without your teaching clarity and dedication to the craft. Thank you thank you thank you.

[bubbajeph]

Thank you Justin! Already had carpal tunnel surgery from doing CPR too many times in my career since 1972. Getting the fingers ready to play the guitar, I can forget feeling for an artery doing arterial blood gasses. Learning the guitar, is all very new to me.

[peterschlosser]

This 'how to hold the guitar' vid is priceless. It is probably something experienced players no longer think about, but beginners struggle with and don't even know what they are doing wrong. The 'don't hold the guitar up with your chording hand' is something I really needed to hear. It's a gamechanger. Now I can get my hand position where it belongs. Give yourself a raise.

[kristofczirjak]

Thank you! I'm currently learning to play and holding the guitar never felt natural before. This video genuinely helped and now I feel like the guitar is where it is supposed to be :D

[lindsaymorgan]

Always easy to understand .us older long term players can learn to forget your bad habits and if you listen advance very quickly it’s helped me so much. Thank Justin. Top Man👍

[Userft]

I’ve been learning guitar with Justin’s and other online video for a month. I skipped this video at the first coz I thought I got it. Now I’m coming back coz I realize it’s a bit hard to change chords fast coz my left hand is kinda holding the guitar and try to watch this clip for any clue.

Now I am just amazed how Justin understands so much what a beginner needs, from a beginner perspective😂 the left hand learning guitar was a really genius idea

[MichBel]

Hello Justin, I am guilty of all bad gestures after watching this: leaning my guitar on my thigh, lowering my head to look at my left hand on the fretboard... thanks for enlightening me. I've always played violin but recently my neighbour binned his old Yamaha guitar, I felt it's a shame, so I picked it up and disinfected it. Then I messed around with it. I accidentally came across your channel and now I am hooked. Lovely to find this compilation of great videos for a novice like myself. Your lessons are easy to follow and your voice is really soothing. Thanks a million for your great work!

[TiberiusWallace]

I'm too fat to play it on my left leg.

DOGGO!

[bluehour]

Thank you for this. I have q bad back and neck pain even though in only 15 due to stress and sometimes playing guitar will make my back pain really bad. I picked up a few things I've done in the video!👍

[mcquared]

Thank you for all These nuances and tricks to the trade that only experience brings! Your channel makes music fun

[egsiio]

Thank you Justin! I decided to learn electric guitar from zero (literally zero) and this is really help me!

[nycrawgirl]

Thanks, Justin. My neck is killing me and I have to figure out a way not to crane my neck but still hit the chords accurately. Oy!

[baknss]

Thanks for telling me how to keep a grip without holding the fret board made things so much easier
(now I just need to memorise fret notes and chords )