How to Play Guitar Chords

Using Left Hand

For using your left hand naturally, wrist should be straigt and fingers should be curved from knuckles properly. Developing clear sounds may be possible by some simple principles.

  • Relax your shoulder and arm, then keep in mind this relaxing position when pressing strings.
  • Wrist should be straigth to avoid extra effort on fingers.
  • Press fingertips as close as possible to the frets. Don’t force the fingers to come fret, try to place the first finger of your left hand very near of fret(if it has an assignment). By this way other fingers will find their proper fret positions easily. Whether your first finger has a duty or not, your natural left hand position should start from first finger placement on frets.
  • Don’t use too much force to press notes on the frets. Optimal pressure may produce enough tension to hold strings for playing notes. If sound is not clear as you expected, check firstly your finger position on the fret, and if they look correct, then you can adjust your pressure amount.
  • When pressing a fret on any string, try to avoid from touching another string by this finger. Each finger has unique purpose for every chord. A finger should not distract other fingers or string when it is pressing on frets.  To accomplish this, try to curve your fingers as could as natural way like you see in chord images.
  • Use your thumb position carefully. The thumb is a secret helper to position your fingers on the fretboard. Best way to use your thumb in correct position, trying to find a proper place mirroring between first and second left hand finger. Instead of using too much pressure with your thumb and other fingers, try to hang on your left hand on strings and proper position.
  • When pressing chords in longer times by left hand, use your left hand and arm weight with gravity to help your pressure in a natural way to decrease of muscle tension.