Finding the right position on the neck to produce an ideal sound depends on how your hand is placed; spread your fingers wide without touching other strings or needing to bend your wrist, for an optimal sounding result.
To put this theory to the test, try forming the G major chord and observe how your thumb moves around your neck to find its most comfortable place.
Finger Position
Beginner guitarists frequently struggle to position their fingers properly on the guitar neck. Therefore, many beginner method books begin by emphasizing only one hand position at first before gradually adding new positions as students gain proficiency.
Each finger should be placed close, yet not on, the fret to reduce pressure needed to produce clear notes and prevent flattening out of knuckles.
Thumb position should be slightly above the middle of the neck, yet not too high to prevent you from curling fingers two and three around it (see centre photo above). Furthermore, thumb should be positioned slightly away from body of guitar in order to reduce wrist strain while playing for extended periods.
Beginners may benefit from practicing forming G major chords individually with each finger before proceeding to combine them all at the same time. This will familiarize their fingers with their correct positions and will ensure the chords are played accurately.
Thumb Position
Thumb position offers more natural hand and fretboard positioning that improves accuracy while decreasing finger strain. Furthermore, thumb positioning facilitates greater agility when traversing guitar chords fingerboard, making fast passages and complex rhythms possible more quickly.
Thumb position should be upward and perpendicular to the neck of the guitar. Some students tend to play in this position with their thumb pointing backward or straighten it, which creates too much stress on thumb and wrist.
Beginning guitarists often struggle to lay the first finger flat while curling fingers two and three away from other strings without touching other strings, often due to tense wrist positions that exert too much pressure on their thumbs, leading to pain or Gamer’s Thumb (more formally de Quervain’s syndrome).
Wrist Position
While your thumb should remain relaxed and away from the guitar neck, it should never come over or behind the fingers as this puts too much strain on its muscle, leading to tightness that can result in finger and wrist problems. Your thumb must also have freedom of movement so it can adapt for each chord in a different position.
This slanted hand position works well for basic folk chords and some simple classical pieces, while other formations require the thumb to come closer to the sixth string (nearer to sixth fret) or point slightly left or right for slurs and pull-offs. Furthermore, flexibility must also be allowed so as to enable stretchy chords. Allowing it to drop all the way to the floor is not recommended since this limits chord making capabilities and may strain wrist tendons over time leading to tendon or ligament issues.
Finger Length
For optimal finger health and to prevent straining your wrist, be sure to leave some room between the palm of your hand and guitar neck. Aim for approximately the same space as when holding a golf ball; experiment and see what works for you.
Bar chords require one finger to cover multiple strings and frets at once; to ensure their success, make sure to adjust its height so it covers all required strings and frets for this chord. New players often set their bars too high and find that certain strings that should have been fretted become buzzed during strumming – something experienced players know to avoid doing!
Notice how the 3rd finger is slightly rolled back behind the fret; this is an ideal position to aim for when playing bar chords using just your 3rd finger, as it will allow the pressure on that finger to distribute evenly so as to not accidentally mutes other strings.