Acoustic Guitar Technique: Sitting with the Guitar

Casual Sitting Position for Guitar

This area of technique is a hotly contested area. There are people out there that swear by one way and one way only to sit. There are 2 main ways to hold your guitar, the classical way and the other way which has many different names. We’ll refer to it as the casual style. Anyway, we’ll take a look at both in depth and go over the similarities and differences they have. Actually the two styles have more similarities than differences. In my opinion in comes down to two determining factors as to which position you prefer: comfort and accessibility.

Casual Style

Benefits

There are no benefits per say of one style over the other. Again it’s a matter of choice. But one convenience that the casual style has is that it can be played anywhere with no special equipment needed such as a footstool. It is easier to learn than the classical position. But as you will see, it’s almost the same position. It’s just a tad less awkward in the beginning than the classical position.

Things to look out for

• slumping over your guitar
• lowering the neck too low so that it’s almost parallel to the floor
• leaning one way or the other causing your back to curve
• lowering your fretting hand’s shoulder causing your spine to get out of alignment
• cocking your head in one direction one way or another causing your spine to get out of alignment

Things to try to do

• stay relaxed
• keep your spine aligned
• keep the headstock of the guitar head up eye level or thereabouts
• keep your shoulders straight and level
• keep good right and left hand form

Front view: foot stool

• Shoulders: shoulders are level and straight forward
• Back: back is aligned and along with arms and shoulders, envelops the guitar
• Head: head is aligned with spine
• Legs: guitar on right leg, raised for easier access with right and left hands, thighs about parallel to floor (for seat adjustment)
• Feet: feet on the floor, foot supporting the guitar
perpendicular to the torso to avoid twisting
to reach the guitar.
• Guitar: guitar headstock is raised, guitar is angled
so that the neck is slightly pointing forward.
Allows for easier access to fretboard (strap
facilitates this, prevents guitar from sliding
off or around on leg)

sitting with guitar

Front view: crossed leg

As you can see, the position of all of the body parts remains the
same. This is simply to show that a footstool is not necessary

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