So...I've had a free half hour tester......

StanleyAccrington

......lesson with a local tutor. Where he's advised me about guitar set up...what positions to hold it when playing...left thumb positioning and fretting pressure. Apparently I shouldn't play the guitar hunched over it with the neck parallel to the floor, it should be at an angle towards my left armpit.....and I'm fretting too hard....he showed me a technique to only press as hard as I need to. And changing fretting thumb positions between barre chords and more finger extended chords. Now I just need to find twenty quid for my first paid lesson!!

thecolourbox

The big question is, a question failed by the two teachers I've ever tried to have lessons with...Did he then try and teach you Stairway to Heaven?

StanleyAccrington

thecolourbox said:

The big question is, a question failed by the two teachers I've ever tried to have lessons with...Did he then try and teach you Stairway to Heaven?

No.....only had half an hour. He might try on my next lesson.

BigLicks67

StanleyAccrington said:

......lesson with a local tutor. Where he's advised me about guitar set up...what positions to hold it when playing...left thumb positioning and fretting pressure. Apparently I shouldn't play the guitar hunched over it with the neck parallel to the floor, it should be at an angle towards my left armpit.....and I'm fretting too hard....he showed me a technique to only press as hard as I need to. And changing fretting thumb positions between barre chords and more finger extended chords. Now I just need to find twenty quid for my first paid lesson!!

To be fair having the neck parallel to the floor is not the greatest of crimes as there are a lots of styles where this wouldn't make much of difference, particularly where the thumb is on top of the neck rather than behind for example :

.

Also, I'd question the wisdom of showing someone barre chords in the first lesson.

Sambostar

The neck not being parallel to the floor or on the left knee only is to save your back in the longer run.

BigLicks67

Sambostar said:

The neck not being parallel to the floor or on the left knee only is to save your back in the longer run.

You could just as easily argue that having the left foot raised by a foot stool in the classical style will promote back trouble, it certainly did for me and judging by the widespread use of devices like the Ergoplay I'd say I'm not alone.

StanleyAccrington

Think I will be giving Stairway to Heaven a miss while this copyright mullarkey goes on.