P3 - B1

Posture and freedom of movement

  • Develop an appropriate relaxed posture and hand position, in line with the learner’s physiology, age and muscle development:
    • supporting and balancing the instrument with more ease
    • maintaining the guitar at the appropriate angle by either using a foot stool or raising the guitar with a suitable support
    • ensuring that both hands can move freely

Ask learners to perform ‘dummy’ hand-position shifts, moving the left arm up and down the neck and the right hand to and from the bridge without actually playing, keeping the upper body as centred as possible and the guitar as still as possible.

Ensure that learners’ shoulders are level and relaxed by asking them to hunch them up and let them fall two or three times.

When teaching children, re-evaluate aspects of learners’ posture as they grow, e.g. the position of the right arm on the guitar. Also advise learners to change to a full-size guitar if necessary.

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