Getting Physical With Your Guitar

Graeme Campbell encourages electric guitar players to get physical as they work on their playing. The guitar is a physical instrument. Most people, especially beginners, confuse physical problems with musical ones. If there is a problem with fluidity in your playing, then it is more than likely a physical problem rather than simply a musical one. This problem can be easily fixed, but it does require a little bit of time and effort as you are dealing with muscles and tendons. Here's how to get started.

1. RELAX AND OBSERVE.

Look at your posture when playing your guitar. If you are sitting in a chair playing your guitar, pay special attention to your shoulders and your arms.

2. PLAY BETWEEN TWO CHORDS AND OBSERVE.

Now, try playing between two chords, such as A and D. Notice how your muscles are working. Chances are those muscles will be tensing up, and there are two reasons for this: Fight or Flight: Our natural instincts kick in when we do something physical, especially when we are nervous. Even though you may think "it's all in the fingers," the muscles in your back, as well as your arms, are gearing up for action just in case you need that extra bit of strength. Now, what you need to do is to counter that instinct! Beginner's Mindset: When you played your very first chord, you had to press down pretty hard to get a nice sound. This was because the skin on your fingertips wasn't hard enough to sound the note. However, as you've been playing awhile, that skin would have built up (quicker than you might think), but you may still be putting the same amount of pressure on the string – even when you don't need to. Play between the chords again, but this time, don't strum or pick. Just make the movements between the two shapes. Do it as slowly as possible, as if you are watching an action replay. Look at how you are forming the shapes. Now keep going, and keep your shoulders and arms completely relaxed. You aren't sounding any notes, so just put the minimum amount of pressure on the fingertips. If you are not already doing so, try making the chord shapes "in the air" as you change. In other words, exaggerate the motion so that you lift your hand right off the fretboard, make the chord shape, and then land in one fluid motion. The trick is: do it very slowly. Repeat this exercise with every open chord you know. Do the exercise while watching TV, having a conversation or reading. Repetition is the key.

3. HELP YOUR BRAIN TO GET OUT OF THE WAY.

Any physical problems in playing the guitar are often caused by the brain getting in the way. For example, when you pick up a pen or a fork, you don't even think about the motion or worry about the action. Why? You don't worry because your muscle memory is doing the work for you. There have been so many times that you've done this motion that there is no need for your brain to get involved. By simple, repetitive, relaxed chord changing, you are training the muscle memory in your fingers. To be successful, you must do the exercise above slowly and stay relaxed. If you practice slowly, but accurately, your chord playing muscle memory will make your chording fast and accurate.