Right leg vs. "Classical" form

[Minitruth]

Ok, I've been trying different holds for the guitar, to alleviate tension in

the wrist. I've isolated the problem and it is a combination of overpractice,

bearing down too hard on the strings and "goosenecking" (for lack of a better

word) the wrist. I can still play in the "classical" form, but really have to

pay attention to keeping the wrist straight when making G or A chords.

Putting the guitar over the right leg solves this problem naturally, but the

guitar moves too much, can't seem to keep it still. Also, seems like having

to learn to play all over again.

 

How do you play and if right leg, how do you keep the guitar steady?

[exhaust_49]

I found that my wrist pain was more because of having a guitar with a thin neck. I got a guitar with a thicker neck and I had no more wrist pain.

[Minitruth]

 

I found that my wrist pain was more because of having a guitar with a thin neck. I got a guitar with a thicker neck and I had no more wrist pain.

 

 

That might be part of the problem. I'd been playing an Ovation Celebrity

almost exclusively, it has a thin neck. Got an old Aria, has a wider neck

and there seems to be less wrist problem.

[exhaust_49]

I would suggest thinking about getting a guitar with a thicker neck and for the time being play your acoustic in the classical position with your guitar over your left leg. This will keep your wrist straighter and you won't have to bend it (you call it goosenecking, I know what you mean!) nearly as much.

[Hudman]

It's hard to hold an Ovation still.

 

Try using a strap while sitting.

[Minitruth]

It's hard to hold an Ovation still. Try using a strap while sitting.

 

I do use a strap and have been playing this:

 

[Stackabones]

I'm a right-handed player ... I put a foot stool under my right leg and rest my guitar on the right leg. Or I just cross my leg.

 

My guitar doesn't move -- maybe it does, but it doesn't seem to be a problem.

 

So ... is your guitar sliding off our leg? IIRC, I've seen players put a cloth (or something) under the guitar inbetween the git and their leg. Maybe something like that would keep the guitar from moving?

 

Is that Aria a dread? Perhaps you're playing the wrong body size/style for your body? Does it happen when you play a jumbo or classical or other body size?

 

Just some ideas.

[Flamencology]

left leg + dynarette cushion

[Minitruth]

I'm a right-handed player ... I put a foot stool under my right leg and rest my guitar on the right leg. Or I just cross my leg. My guitar doesn't move -- maybe it does, but it doesn't seem to be a problem. So ... is your guitar sliding off our leg? IIRC, I've seen players put a cloth (or something) under the guitar inbetween the git and their leg. Maybe something like that would keep the guitar from moving? Is that Aria a dread? Perhaps you're playing the wrong body size/style for your body? Does it happen when you play a jumbo or classical or other body size? Just some ideas.

 

Yeah, I posted a pic of it here. (you have images turned off?) It is a dread.

Never played a jumbo or classical, just the ovation and the Aria. (and a $20

Squire S-100 I drag out into the woods here to play sometimes) The

problem I have when playing right leg is that the neck won't stay still. How

do you anchor the guitar, so it stays put?

 

Also, I'd like to be able to stand up and play. Any tips for that? Watched the

new David Gilmour DVD "Remember That Night" last night and the rendition

of "Fat Old Sun" really got to me, beautifully done. One of my all time

favorite PF songs. Now I want to learn it.

[totamus]

My wrists bother me too. I went to a thinner neck and that seemed to help a lot. I have even had a couple of thick necks shaped by a luthier to duplicate a Taylor's neck.

 

I also find that that guitar set-up, string gauge and type makes quite a difference. I have mine set up as low as it can go without buzzing and use (generally) medium strings. I will use lights when my wrists are acting up though. It is a dilemma - lights are easier to play but mediums sound better.

 

Sometimes I will use Silk and Steel also. A very warm tone (not as crisp as regular strings) but very easy to play. The tone is very pleasing.

 

It can be really hard to develop a "light" touch on an acoustic. If you have an electric, force yourself to play it. If you keep 9s or 10s on your electric, you will find that you HAVE to develop a light touch or else you will stretch the strings sharp when you chord.

 

Another thing you can do to develop a light touch is play with a thinner pick. The pick really does make a difference, you will find that the thin pick forces you to reduce the "attack". Joint issues (Wrists, fingers, carpal tunnel) are all reduced by developing a lighter touch, and (IMHO) your playing is better too.

[Minitruth]

My wrists bother me too. I went to a thinner neck and that seemed to help a lot. I have even had a couple of thick necks shaped by a luthier to duplicate a Taylor's neck. I also find that that guitar set-up, string gauge and type makes quite a difference. I have mine set up as low as it can go without buzzing and use (generally) medium strings. I will use lights when my wrists are acting up though. It is a dilemma - lights are easier to play but mediums sound better. Sometimes I will use Silk and Steel also. A very warm tone (not as crisp as regular strings) but very easy to play. The tone is very pleasing. It can be really hard to develop a "light" touch on an acoustic. If you have an electric, force yourself to play it. If you keep 9s or 10s on your electric, you will find that you HAVE to develop a light touch or else you will stretch the strings sharp when you chord. Another thing you can do to develop a light touch is play with a thinner pick. The pick really does make a difference, you will find that the thin pick forces you to reduce the "attack". Joint issues (Wrists, fingers, carpal tunnel) are all reduced by developing a lighter touch, and (IMHO) your playing is better too.

 

Yes, a lighter touch is what I really need. Ironically, I started playing an

acoustic to practice barre chords initially, to make them easier to play on

electric.

[drnihili]

I used to have a lot of difficulty holding the guitar still (somewhere there's a thread with me complaining about it). Working on a lighter touch seems to have helped a lot. For a while I practiced playing chords without my thumb or other pressure on the back of the neck. This forced me to use less pressure and to be more aware of how I was supporting the instrument.

 

I still go back and forth on whether I hold the guitar on my right or left leg. I find it easier to play in classical, but much more convenient to play in folk position. Being esssentially lazy, I spend more time in folk.

[RizinRico]

I had the same problem with pain and an overly mobile guitar. on my acoustics i use an A-frame device with the guitar on my right leg. the

a-frame creates a 3 point stable position on my right leg. on my electric i use a small neck up device as it does essentially the same thing as the a-frame but fits on the thinner body.

I also started doing the exercises described in the guitar principles style of paractice. so that i release the string using the tension i created by fretting the string so that it feels like the string is pushing my finger off of the fretboard rather than me lifting my finger. that seems to have stopped my from strangling the guitar (that is why they call it a neck, right?)

[ESL94]

I'm a right-handed player ... I put a foot stool under my right leg and rest my guitar on the right leg. Or I just cross my leg. My guitar doesn't move -- maybe it does, but it doesn't seem to be a problem. So ... is your guitar sliding off our leg? IIRC, I've seen players put a cloth (or something) under the guitar inbetween the git and their leg. Maybe something like that would keep the guitar from moving? Is that Aria a dread? Perhaps you're playing the wrong body size/style for your body? Does it happen when you play a jumbo or classical or other body size? Just some ideas.

 

When I'm sitting I like to use a foot stool, right or left foot. Helps me keep my hand in the correct position when I'm practicing.

[Minitruth]

 

I had the same problem with pain and an overly mobile guitar. on my acoustics i use an A-frame device with the guitar on my right leg. the a-frame creates a 3 point stable position on my right leg. on my electric i use a small neck up device as it does essentially the same thing as the a-frame but fits on the thinner body. I also started doing the exercises described in the guitar principles style of paractice. so that i release the string using the tension i created by fretting the string so that it feels like the string is pushing my finger off of the fretboard rather than me lifting my finger. that seems to have stopped my from strangling the guitar (that is why they call it a neck, right?)

 

 

That's the book I started with, by Jamie Andreas.