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Previous:
The Parts of the Guitar

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How To Play Notes on the Guitar

How To Hold the Guitar

You can play guitar either seated or standing up.

Seated: Spread your legs a bit and position the rounded middle portion of the bottom of the guitar on your right leg. Use your right arm to support the back of the guitar and grasp the neck with your left hand.
Standing: Sling a guitar strap over your left shoulder to support the guitar—it should rest against your right hip.

Once you have the guitar resting in the right place, you need to position your right and left hands in the correct way.

Hold the neck with your left hand and position your right hand above the sound hole (on acoustic guitars) or between the pickups (on electrics).
Cradle the neck by holding your thumb in the middle of the back of the neck and placing your four fingers on the opposite side.