If you’re a guitar player, improper fretting technique can cause frustration, injury, and fatigue. All of these things can hold you back from achieving your guitar goals. In this video, I’ll show you how to fix your fretting problem!
Fretting technique is a guitar technique gets overlooked too often when you play guitar. Whether you’re playing in standard tuning or something alternative like open D tuning, fretting is extremely important. Having proper fretting technique sets you up for sustained success and enjoyment on your guitar journey.
So…why would you continue to play with improper fretting technique? Sometimes the answer to this question lies in the complexity of fretting technique.
To make things easy, this video will break down fretting technique by addressing the 3 most common problems I see with guitar players of all ages and sizes. I’ll offer a few solutions for each problem, as well as a possible solution if none of these technique checks improve your sound!
In addition to learning how to fret the guitar properly, I’ve got plenty of guitar news that you can use! From new music to drool-worthy guitars, you’re not going to want to skip this week’s segment!
As always, you can catch Acoustic Tuesday at 10 am every Tuesday.
Credits:
Eric Bibb – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gsPyQWXAc0
Larrivee Guitars – https://www.instagram.com/p/CMc6yv7MJ_Q/
Adrian Bellue – https://www.instagram.com/adrianbellue/
Amber Russell – https://www.instagram.com/amberrussellmuzic/?hl=en
Tommy Emmanuel and Hensley + Ickes – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPdwqQG2tb0
Hi Tony,
I think this episode on fretting technique was useful. Thanks
john!
Awesome point on the pressing too hard…has multiple reactions – besides making the note ring a bit sharp, it’s also going to tire your hand quicker 😉
Thanks Tony! This was soooo helpful! My buzzy chord were driving me nuts!
On another note, playing bar chords are my enemy these days. lol I hope to see a tutorial/video of how to tackle these types of chords. 🙂
Wow ,
that is the same thing that has happened to me my 1 year anniversary was just last week and I was not able to excel like I had hoped I have decided the same as Steven I will throw out all the other noise and concentrate on the task at Hand
Thanks Steven for the story!
Tony, for smaller handed people trying to reach across the neck to the 5th and 6th strings, it may help to center the left thumb behind the neck to give the wrist and fingers more flexibility and arch.
Hi Tony, loved the show! I bet a lot of people would like to see barre chord techniques discussed in one of the upcoming editions of the Acoustic Tuesday Show. I read a lot of comments in the TAC Daily Challenges and Forums about people struggling with them. I know that you’ve touched on the subject in the past, but a little more wouldn’t hurt.
Thanks,
Bill Brown
Guitar Technique tune up sounds great! I’ve played for years and didn’t really understand the some of the fretting issues I had!
Tony I have a different problem, my high e sounds tinny , the rest of the string sound good. I have tried different strings, but it still sounds tinny. Any suggestion.
Fretting tips were VERY helpful. I’ve been noticing lately that even though I just changed my strings a couple of weeks ago, that I was getting those very sounds you described. So, I thought I bought old or bad strings. After your tips on fretting, I saw that it was MY TECHNIQUE that was bad. I knew how, I just had let it slip. Thanks you. I’ll add this to my #smallwins!
This just maybe the best episode this year!
I love Celtic guitar being a Welsh born Aussie. I’d like to bring to your attention Dylan Fowler from Wales, who in my opinion, is one of the best Celtic guitarists out there at the moment. Thanks for the great show!
Re: buzzy notes . . . very helpful suggestion on not pressing too hard with fretting hand.
I need guidance on how to understand different keys on the guitar. Also, how to understand which chords I am playing when I use the capo. I watched the capo comprehension lessons, but you don’t explain how to understand how or why the chords change with the capo on a different fret
Technique lesson on vibrato.
Thanks so much for this video Tony. I have been playing guitar for most of my life, I’m now 67. I still go back to my old bad habit of fretting with the pads of my fingers instead of the fingertips. I needed to hear again the correct technique for fretting, and hope that it stays in my mind longer this time. Also, that’s a great tip of yours to bring the palm closer to the fretboard to get a better arch of the fingers. I have very short fingers and have always thought that this was a disadvantage to me when playing guitar. I would be grateful if you, Tony, or any other players would give your opinion on this point.
CAN YOU MAKE A $40.00 GUITAR SOUND GOOD OR IT’S JUST A GUITAR FOR PRACTICE OF FINGERING?
All good points. Amount of pressure is very interesting.
Hey Tony, You’ve done it again, another great show and you have given me so many tips to fix my fretting issues I’m certain to be replaying this episode again and again. So now that you’ve sorted out my fretting hand, how about my plucking hand. I have seen an interview wit the great James Taylor where he says that due to his age he now has to resort to gluing ‘bionic’ nails to his right hand. As someone who has struggled to find and set of picks to fit my thumb and fingers, and not being able to grow nails hard enough to be useful (they split real easy when just at the right length). What would you suggest?
Thanks really useful fretting tips. Little adjustments make big differences. Anita
Fretting Technic is very useful, the problem I have is getting my little finger to cooperate.
Any ideas to combat that issue, 7 months newby
Tony, next week acoustic duos Aztec Two Step, Portland, Tir Na Nog, Batdorf and Rodney. And while not really an acoustic record, Corbett,Hirsch and the late John McCracken (also not a duo). Owned a guitar for 50 years still cannot play but really love acoustic music, your fretting techs are excellent and if I could play would definitely employ them, Thanks
Yes these fretting tips were certainly helpful. Thanks Tony.
Hi Tony,
Your show has become a “must” watch for me over this past year. Thanks for the tips. I’ve found myself deadening a string or two and the tip to play on your fingertips, and especially to keep your palm close to the guitar are really helpful. If I can chime in with a few others, I’d love to see an episode on barre chords as well. I’ve been playing for 48 years and still have the ability to deaden a string or two when I’m playing a barre chord. Would love some tips and tricks.
Let me also say in closing that I love you mug “be nice and play guitar,” and that you live up to it by being a true gentlemen. You always show respect and kindness to everyone who comments. It’s much appreciated. Keep up the great work, you are an inspiration to many of us!
Thanks Tony,
Great tips for improving my fretting skills and trouble shooting problems. On your next technique discussion could you address thumb positioning as it relates to fretting and specifically Barre chords.
Geoff Roberts comment took me back to when I joined TAC about 15 months ago. I was pretty skeptical that 10 minutes a day would result in much progress. And I also didn’t want to feel like practicing was a “chore”. But I dove into the deep end with both feet and started diligently doing the daily challenges. In truth, I usually spent more than 10 minutes on each lesson – I still do today. But, if 10 minutes was all the time I had I would get as much accomplished as that 10 minutes would allow. AND I felt GOOD about picking up the guitar and practicing, even if only for 10 minutes. What happened is I developed some great practice habits, I typically practice for 20-40 minutes almost every day and then play and sing songs for fun for another 30 minutes to an hour. I have completed every daily challenge since I joined even though I sometimes am a day or two late due to schedule conflicts. Plus, I have made amazing progress and am having tons of fun along the way. 10 minutes a day. Yeah, that is a great rule.
Tony,
I am interested in learning what the best string height is for me. I had 2 guitars set up last year and when I got them home I didn’t like the low action because I get buzzing and slap on the strings when I strum hard. It was great to play finger style but not for strumming. Does this take years to learn by trial and error and going back to the luthier and ask him to raise the strings. This seems difficult and can be expensive. Is this the normal route of learning this aspect of playing guitar? This might be a good subject to discuss. I’m sure other G Geeks have the same question.
Omg thank you sooooo much! I have always wanted to know why my notes weren’t coming out right. :0
I was watching Acoustic Tuesday 182. A viewer wrote in asking what is the best guitar for an Open D tuning. This really perked my interest because I have just started experimenting with Open D with a Bob Dylan song (simple twist of fate). I had my Martin D28 tuned to an Open D and it sounded great. Since I don’t want to keep tuning back and forth between standard tuning and Open D, I figured I’d retune my ½ size guitar into Open D. WHOA! Talk about crapola! It sucked!! I thought I just wasn’t tuning it right. I was so happy to hear your answer to the question. You said you prefer a larger body guitar, of course individual methods of strumming / picking comes into play here. I would have never thought the size / body of the guitar would play into it as much as it did. Thanks, I can now add this answer to another piece of guitar geek knowledge.