Sitting and holding

Start sitting down. Most people learn faster seated, because the guitar stays still and your hands can concentrate on the strings.

Pick a chair without arms, where you can sit with your feet flat on the floor and your thighs roughly level. A sofa is the worst choice: you sink back, the guitar tips away from you, and your wrist ends up bent at an awkward angle.

For a right-handed player:

• Rest the waist of the guitar, the narrow part of the body, on your right thigh.
• Let the back of the guitar touch your stomach and chest. It should feel upright, not lying flat on your lap.
• Tilt the neck slightly upwards, so the headstock sits a little higher than the body.
• Your right forearm rests on the top edge of the body. That arm holds the guitar in place; your left hand should not have to.

A quick test: take your left hand away from the neck completely. If the guitar stays where it is, you are holding it well. If it slides or tips, adjust until it doesn't.

If you play left-handed, everything in this course is mirrored. The guitar rests on your left thigh, and your hands swap jobs.

Tension is the most common reason beginners find chords hard and tiring. Check these three things every time you pick the guitar up:

• Shoulders down. Lift them towards your ears, then let them drop. That dropped position is where they should stay.
• Left elbow relaxed, hanging naturally by your side rather than pushed out.
• Left wrist gently curved, not bent sharply. Your thumb rests behind the neck, roughly opposite your second finger.

When you are comfortable sitting, you can use a strap to stand. Adjust it so the guitar sits at about the same height as it did on your lap. Many players wear the guitar very low because it looks good, but that makes chords much harder to reach.

For now, stay seated. Everything in the next lessons is easier that way.