Hey guys, welcome to the lesson n.2 of the beginner guitar course. In this guitar lesson I am going to show you what I think is the best way to position your left hand on the guitar neck. Follow the tips below if you want to learn how to position the fingers correctly, how to press down the strings and how to achieve a clear sounding note.

There are two different left hand positions you could adopt: The Classical approach and the Modern approach. I just came up with the two names so I don’t know if these are the names other teachers use.

• With the Classical approach you should keep the thumb behind the neck, in the middle. Lowering the thumb is really beneficial for finger position, stretch and control. Leave space between the bottom neck and palm. I use the classical approach when I play melodies or stretchy parts.
• With the Modern approach you will bring the thumb all the way up to the top neck. I usually use this approach when I play chords. This technique is really useful when you want to mute the low E string. The Modern approach will change the left hand position and make the fingers less stretchy.

Left Hand Position Golden Rules

There are three rules that I like to teach to all of my students. Follow these three rules if you want to achieve a solid left hand control, stretch and speed.

Rule 1: Always practice everything with the Classical approach first. By doing that you will develop fingers stretch and dexterity. Once you become better, switch between Classical and Modern.

Rule 2: Press down the fret with the fingertip. Use the phalanges close to the nail and always leave space between the bottom neck and the palm.

Rule 3: Position the finger close to the fret to avoid the awful buzzing noise. For some chords it will be more difficult to do that. Just practice slowly and be patient.

Name of The Strings

Press down the strings to play notes.

There are six strings on the guitar. The first string is the thin one close to your leg. The name of the strings are:

1. E (high E)
2. B
3. G
4. D
5. A
6. E (low E)

What is a Fret?

The fret is the space between two wires. Each fret represent a different note.

For now practice this very simple exercise and play the fret I with the finger 1, fret II with the finger 2, fret III with the finger 3 and fret IV wit the finger 4.

Quick Recap

• Learn how to use both Classical and Modern approach. Adjust the thumb position based on what you want to play.
• Learn the name of the open strings.
• Press down the first four frets using the simple exercise shown in the video.