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In practice, the left hand occasionally does do some balancing, particularly when holding chords with the left hand while the right hand strums the strings, which can be awkward if using too much forearm pressure against the body. Remember, the forearm only needs enough pressure to achieve balance - any pressure beyond that point is creating muscle tension and friction.
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== Standing ==
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Another inclination is to sling the guitar low, which looks super cool. Some people can pull this off, but I am not one of them. It kills my left wrist and greatly limits my playing ability. I don't think anyone should start that low. Sling it so it feels similar to sitting down or only slightly lower. As you gain comfort, you can start to lower the strap.
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== The Pick ==
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Typically you will hold the pick on the fingerprint or joint of your thumb and side of the last digit or joint of your index finger. My index finger is curled so that the last digit is almost parallel with my thumb, and my thumb is straight, not bent at the joint. Only the pick should hit the strings. Either curl your other fingers to make a loose fist or leave them more extended. If extended, you can straighten your fingers or give them a slight curl. I like extended, as it has advantages that we will get to later. I also allow them to curl slightly, which is most natural to me. But the most important thing is to not strain. The more strength you need to give your muscles to keep your unused fingers curled or extended, the more tension it places on your wrist which affects picking strength, speed, accuracy, and stamina.
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== Body Angle ==
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How you hold the neck with the left hand is discussed in [[Basic Technique]].
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== Homework ==
Practice holding the guitar. Try to see how little pressure you can apply with your right forearm while balancing the guitar. Try to strum the strings while balancing solely with your right forearm (no left hand). Try to slide your left hand up and down the neck without using it to balance (pinch the guitar neck with the tips of your left hand middle finger and thumb, no other part of your left hand). Stand with your guitar and see how comfortable it is to reach the 6th string 1st fret with your left hand index finger or 6th string 4th fret with your pinky. It will not be easy but should be doable. If it's impossible, try shortening the strap length to sling the guitar higher.
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[[Category:Guitar]]
[[Category:Lessons]]
[[Category:Beginner Lessons]]