By Mike Roberts
Happy 2007, Pluckers! I hope you’ve been diligently practicing the right hand (picking hand) technique we discussed in previous columns. Now that you’re armed with those skills, what better way to ring in the New Year than with a primer on fretting hand* technique? (*Your left hand if you’re a righty, vice versa for southpaws.) I can’t think of a single thing, so let’s get started.
For many guitarists, fretting a note means sticking a finger on the appropriate fret. That’s sort of like telling a pilot to land a plane by aiming for the runway. (Granted, the stakes are somewhat lower when playing the guitar.) In reality, landing a plane is a procedure of many steps which must be followed precisely, with many variables to be accounted for: altitude, air speed, flap position, landing gear, etc. There are likewise a multitude of variables for fretting a note, just as there are for plucking one. Just as a pilot goes through a checklist before taking off and landing, there’s a checklist I like to use for fretting hand technique—a simple reminder of all the variables we need to keep in line. And wouldn’t you know, it comes with its own handy mnemonic!
This Would Be A Perfect Plan:
Thumb
Wrist
Balance
Arch
Placement
Pressure
Here’s how it breaks down as you fret a note:
•Place the pad of your straightened (but not tense) thumb in the middle of the back of the guitar neck. You’ll probably need to roll a bit to the left side of the pad in order to keep the thumb straight. This is important: by straightening the thumb, you can pin your hand in position with only slight pressure from your much-stronger arm. Bend the thumb, and it will need to tense in order to hold itself in place. Try it—you’ll see.
•The inside of your wrist faces your bicep. Relax, and don’t twist. Keep the wrist straight or only slightly bent.
•A balanced hand position means that all four fingertips can reach the fingerboard with equal ease. Good thumb and wrist positioning is a critical starting point. The blade of your hand should be parallel to the guitar neck. Keep some space between all the fingers. It’s normal for the fingers to tilt a little to the side (fingers 1 and 2 toward the headstock, 3 and 4, toward the bridge), especially fingers 1 and 4. As you apply pressure, the tilt increases.
•Arch all four fingers gracefully and comfortably onto the fingerboard. It will help to maintain a space of about inch between the blade of your hand and the bottom of the guitar neck. Arching efficiently transfers power from your hand and arm into your fingertips, and gives you fullest control over your movements. (Notice what happens if you straighten your fingers and lock your knuckles: tension and loss of dexterity. Bad!)
•Place the tip of each fingers just behind the target fret, as close to the fret as possible without touching it. Certain chords will require you to compromise a bit here; just get as close as you can.
•Find the appropriate amount of pressure in each finger—no more, no less—to produce a clear, beautiful note when plucked. An excellent way to achieve this is by thinking of pressure as coming from the weight of your fingers, not from muscle tension. A good arch enables you to channel the superior weight and power of your hand and arm.
Try this somewhere in the middle of the fretboard (maybe 5th or 7th position—i.e., with your first finger on the 5th or 7th fret), with all four fingers fretting adjacent frets on the same string. Here’s what it should look like:
Exercise
Hold this pose. Burn it into your muscle memory. Stay relaxed, as always. Take your hand off the neck, then repeat all the steps as many times as you can, until the hand position starts to feel comfortable (it probably won’t at first). For now, this is all you need to do. You don’t need to play a note; just strike the pose. Next time we’ll add some notes to this exercise. In the meantime, bring this hand position into any playing you are currently doing, keeping in mind that you may need to un-learn some habits. Above all, be patient with yourself—your efforts will be well worth it when your hand is skimming over the fretboard like a waterbug, speedy and tension-free!
Other Fretting Hand Positions
‘This Would Be a Perfect Plan’ is not the only legitimate fretting hand position. Certain chords and specialized techniques like bending and vibrato will put your hand through its own little game of Twister, but this basic position is your home base. Hang out here as much as possible, and this hand position will allow you to play with the greatest efficiency and dexterity, and the least amount of stress on your hand, wrist, and forearm.
Here are a few examples of appropriate “other” hand positions.
•Tricky chords (unbalanced hand):
•Bending a note (thumb comes over the top of the neck; hand braces the bottom of the neck):
•Barre chords (first finger is straight while others remain arched; first finger can lean a little against the fret; more pressure may be needed to execute the barre—but you can relax the barre a little on strings which are fretted by other fingers):
What to Practice:
1) The above exercise.
2) Bring the ‘This Would Be a Perfect Plan’ position into your existing repertoire.
Next time:
More fretting hand adventures, including my favorite, the Zen Exercise.
See you then,
Mike
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