Left Hand Wrist Technique and

[Mystical Potato Head]

I have been playing quite comfortabley for years with my current technique, but after hooking up with a new teacher he informed me that I play with far too much stress in my arm and that my wrist bends at a right angle almost when im playing(usually on the lower strings). He reckons I have to correct this or else I cud seriously damage myself.
You wud think this problem wud only occur with the guitar slung low, but mines at a very respectable height and my hands are pretty big!!
Ive tried and tried to fix this but I just cant play with my wrist straight and I just give up and no longer feel like playing!!!!

My teacher reckons I shud get a classical guitar and learn classical 4 a while as this shud sort out my whole posture and technique.

Have n e of u guys had to correct the same sort of thing??
How can I destress my arm and wrist?

[zEr0]

I don't really understand what kind of posture you play with but I don't think you should quit playing like that if you feel comfortable. However, I think that for electric guitar playing it is essential to know how to play with more than one type of hand posture. You can't do everything with only one posture. I use a very classical position for legato runs or sweeps but it is also essential to get your thumb over the neck (ala Hendrix) if you want powerful bends. Anyway, it is also possible that your curent position may lead to health problems in the future in which case you MUST change. I can't help you if I don't see you, though. Try getting a good pic of your hand while you are playing so we can see what it looks like.

[Courjan]

The first thing that came to my mind when I read your description of your posture was Marty Friedman. If you've seen him play you should have noticed that he bends his wrist at a very peculiar angle too. Is your case something like that?

[Mystical Potato Head]

It basically is when im playing on the bottom strings. My wrist is fully bent and my hand seems 2 arc inwards slightly as if it is making an imaginary support for my fingers

[Pleuvra]

Anyone got anymore ideas on this? I've just started classical guitar lessons to make myself a better musician, and the left hand position is really bothering me.

I can understand why you need to have you wrist straight, etc. so you can stretch and fret things easier, but I've just held my hand in that kind of position for about 5 mins, and I got a pain in my palm, and I could feel the ends of my fingers start to go numb.

What makes it worse is that I can't even fret an open position Gmaj chord without bringing my wrist over at an angle.

I've only been at it for a day, and I might be doing it wrong, it seems to look right, but feels extremely uncomfortable, my teacher said it would, but I didn't assume it would be painful!

[Pleuvra]

I've got that sinking feeling...

Anyway, I figured it out myself, and it's all fine again. It's quite funny cos it forced me to look at my LH position, and I've found that I subconciously shift between a few different positions depending on what I'm doing. For instance, if I bend a string, my thumb wraps around the neck, and the upper side of my palm acts as a pivot, and for legato stuff, m wrist bends a little bit, my thumb becomes a bit straighter, and my fingers get arched.

There are a few other things, but they're probably not interesting to any of you either! The point is...errrr...do what is natural for your hand!

[sniperfrommars1]

Classical positioning technique can teach you alot about just how you go about holding the guitar. ITs likely that alot of great players arent really aware of the postures they are trying to use while playing guitar. Find what works best for you. The numbness in your fingers sounds ike and early sign of carpal tunnel syndrome unfortunately though.

[AKMG]

Yeah I've always wondered about this. I used to have "proper" technique then it went to hell. On the lower frets, my thumb always wraps around the neck, only when bending, just as somebody above me said. But on the higher frets, my fretting hand retains proper positioning and the thumb is directly centered on the back of the neck. Anybody know if this is detrimental to my health, playing ability, etc?

[sniperfrommars1]

Originally Posted by AKMG

Yeah I've always wondered about this. I used to have "proper" technique then it went to hell. On the lower frets, my thumb always wraps around the neck, only when bending, just as somebody above me said. But on the higher frets, my fretting hand retains proper positioning and the thumb is directly centered on the back of the neck. Anybody know if this is detrimental to my health, playing ability, etc?

Satch often puts his thumb over the neck as well as several other guitarist i know of, just try to be more aware of your thumb placement its crucial to whatever you doing, i dont know how wrong something is if its EXTREMELY comfortable to you.