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03 / 04 · Get comfortable

How to hold your guitalele

A supported instrument lets your hands concentrate on making music.

Start with a stable seat

Choose a chair without arms and keep your feet supported. Sit upright without making your back rigid. Rest the lower curve of the body on a thigh and angle the neck slightly upward. Bring the instrument to a comfortable height instead of folding your shoulders over it.

Try either thigh to find a balanced position. A footrest or suitable instrument support can help raise the body. Your picking forearm should rest lightly on the upper edge; avoid squeezing the instrument against your chest. If you play standing up, use a strap compatible with your instrument's attachment points.

Give your fretting hand room

Your fretting hand is the hand that presses the strings. Place the thumb lightly behind the neck and curve the fingers toward the fretboard. Keep the wrist comfortable and avoid a sharp bend. The thumb position can move as the fingers move; it does not need to stay fixed in one spot.

Let the body support carry most of the instrument's weight. If the neck drops whenever you relax your grip, adjust the support before working on chords. Left-handed players can use the same principles with an appropriately set-up instrument.

Make one clear note

  1. Place the index fingertip on string 1 in the first fret space, just behind the metal fret on the headstock side.
  2. Pluck that string gently with your other hand.
  3. If the note buzzes, move closer to the fret and check the fingertip position before pressing harder.
  4. Release the pressure, relax the hand and repeat.

Use the fingertip rather than flattening the whole finger across nearby strings. Press only firmly enough for a clear sound. Some shapes later use a flatter finger deliberately, but one clean note is the goal here.

Let the picking hand stay loose

Start by plucking open strings with the thumb. Keep the movements small and listen for an even sound. Then brush gently across the strings with a relaxed finger. You do not need a forceful strum to hear whether a note is clear.

Practise for a minute, then release both hands. Check your shoulders, wrist angle and grip. Stop if playing hurts; reposition the instrument before trying again. Once single notes feel comfortable, you are ready to combine them into chords.