Today we explore basic left-hand techniques. Your left-hand fingers (1-2-3-4) control musical pitch—notes and chords—by pressing down strings on the fingerboard. Before beginning this lesson, trim your left-hand finger nails as short as possible.
Left-Hand Position
Left-Hand Position "How to" | Professor Frary
Here's how to form the left-hand playing position:
Place your left-hand thumb behind the neck.
Curve the fingers and hover them over the fingerboard.
The left shoulder should be relaxed with the elbow pointed towards the floor. Keep the wrist straight or slightly curved.
Left-Hand Position | Elbow pointed at floor, thumb behind the neck, wrist straight and fingers curved over the strings.
Your View of the Left-Hand
Fretting Notes
The left-hand controls pitch by pressing the string against a fret. Here's how to fret a note on the fingerboard:
Use your fingertip to press a string against a fret.
Touch the string as near as possible to the fret.
Avoid placing the finger midway between the frets: this position buzzes easily and requires more pressure for a clear tone.
Press Near the Fret | Press near the fret wire and as lightly as possible.
Role of the Thumb
The thumb rests lightly against the back of the neck and stabilizes the hand. Don't use the thumb to squeeze the neck. Squeezing is uncomfortable. Use light pressure from the arm (biceps) to support the fingers as you press down the strings.
Left-Hand Thumb | The thumb rests lightly against the back of the neck.
We're almost ready to try out the left-hand on a scale. But first take a quick detour to tablature reading.
Tablature
Tablature, or TAB for short, is a music notation system for indicating finger placement on the fingerboard. Basically TAB is a numerical map of where to place your left-hand fingers when playing music.
"How to" for Basic TAB | Professor Frary
TAB Staff
The TAB staff has six horizontal lines: each line corresponds to a string on the guitar's fingerboard:
The uppermost line of the TAB staff represents the guitar's first string or E string, i.e., the string nearest to the floor when in playing position. The second line from the top is the second string or B string. The third line from the top is the third string or G string, and so on.
Numbers on the lines indicate frets to be played: 0 = open, 1 = 1st fret, 2 = 2nd fret, 3 = 3rd fret, 4 = 4th fret, etc. Like English, tablature is read from left to right.
TAB Example | Play open, 1st fret and 3rd fret notes on the first string.
In this course, tablature is used as a supplement or alternative to staff notation.
Exercise 3 | G Major Scale
Play this exercise with a firm, clear tone and a slow, steady pulse. Strive for accurate placement and economy of motion. Alternate the right-hand fingers (m-i) while plucking. The scale is played four times in the audio track.
Tablature for G Major Scale | The lines present guitar strings while numbers indicate fret positions played on a particular string.
The above tablature translated into English:
Pluck the open 3rd string.
Place the 2nd finger in the second fret of the 3rd string and pluck the string.
Pluck the open 2nd string.
Place the 1st finger in the first fret of the 2nd string and pluck the string.
Place the 3rd finger in the third fret of the 2nd string and pluck the string.
Pluck the open 1st string.
Place the 2nd finger in the second fret of the 1st string and pluck the string.
Place the 3rd finger in the third fret of the 1st string and pluck the string.
To descend, play the above in reverse order.
Congratulations, you played a G major scale and read TAB! Practice this scale until smooth. Playing along with the audio is helpful. If you hear string buzzes, insure you are using the tip of your finger as near as possible to the fret.
All sheet music in this course is written in both TAB and staff notation (music notes).
Exercise No. 3 | "How to" for the G major scale.
Next, we work another essential left-hand technique, forming chords.
Chords
A chord is a group of three or more notes sounded together:
The process of connecting and organizing chords is called harmony. Creating harmony to accompany melody is one of the primary roles of the guitar.
Chord Symbols
In popular and folk styles, chords are indicated with a chord symbol, a letter name such as F, G, C, etc. Suffixes such as numbers, accidentals and other letters may be added for chord alterations. For example, "m" is an abbreviation of the word "minor." When a suffix is present, pronounce both the letter and the suffix. For example, Am7 is spoken as A minor seven. To play from chord symbols, you must memorize the position and shape of the chords.
Music Score | The format used in this textbook: chords, notes and tablature.
Reading Chord Diagrams
In sheet music, a chord symbol with a chord diagram beneath it may be used. Chord diagrams are similar to tablature insomuch as they're a graphical representation of finger placement. But, instead of depicting the fingerboard horizontally, the chord diagram shows the fingerboard vertically. Vertical lines represent strings while horizontal lines are frets. Black dots indicate where to press with the left-hand fingers.
Both the chord symbol and chord diagram are used throughout this textbook.
Chord Diagram
Practicing Chords
In Exercise 2 on the prior page, we strummed open strings with the thumb. Now practice strumming fretted chords. Trim left-hand fingernails as short as possible. No amount of practice will overcome muffled tones caused by long fingernails.
If a chord is difficult to finger, spend time practicing the individual chord:
Form the chord shape in the air and hover it over the strings.
Drop the chord shape onto the strings.
Do the above repeatedly until it becomes a reflex.
Plant all the notes of the chord at once, rather than one finger at a time. Staggered placement creates rhythmic delays.
Exercise 4 | Down 2X Strum
Learn to play the two chords below: Em and Am. Once the chords are memorized, practice strumming them in a steady pattern of one strum every two beats. This strum pattern is called the Down 2X strum.
Count 1-2-3-4.
Strum on beats 1 and 3.
Spot Practice
If you hesitate between chords, practice switching between Em and Am until smooth. Place all the fingers down at once rather than one at a time. Practicing a small musical detail or passage repeatedly is called spot practice.
Em to Am D2X Strum | Four clicks and start strumming! Runs eight times.
Exercise No. 4 | Down 2X Strum "how to" and play along.
Need Help?
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Left-Hand Position
Fretting Notes
Role of the Thumb
Tablature
Chords
Exercise 4 | Down 2X Strum
