Things That You Can Do If Your Fretting Hand Feels Slow
As you learn how to play the guitar, one struggle that you might encounter is feeling as though you can't move your fretting hand — the left hand, if you're a right-handed player — quickly enough when you change notes. You may be amazed at how quickly your guitar teacher is able to change his or her hand between different strings and frets, and you may feel like you're stuck in the mud as you try to keep up. First of all, don't get discouraged. This is a strength that you'll develop through time and plenty of practice. While you should ask your teacher for tips, here are some things that you can also do.
Lighten Your Touch
If you're holding the neck of your guitar too tightly with your left hand, you'll find that it can be difficult to quickly and easily move between notes. Additionally, the energy that you're wasting will tire your hand faster, and thus make it feel even slower to move. Lots of beginners grip the neck of the guitar tighter than necessary. Try relaxing your grip even a little bit, and you'll often notice that it will become easier to move your fingers between notes faster.
Change Your Thumb Position
The manner in which you hold your thumb can also influence how quickly you're able to move your left hand when you're playing the guitar. If your thumb is stiff, you'll have a tendency to find your left hand moves slowly. However, if you keep the thumb loose, faster note changes will be possible. As you practice, try to notice how your thumb is. Generally, it will be pressed against the back of the guitar neck or perhaps even wrapped around the upper edge of the neck slightly. You may find that by moving it from one spot to the other, you'll be able to increase your speed.
Treat Your Neck
Some guitars that have a high-gloss finish tend to feel a little stick on the neck. This can be even worse if your hands are on the warmer side, as they'll seem to stick even more. A glossy neck can be a major obstacle to playing guitar quickly. Talk to your guitar teacher about the different ways that you can treat the neck to reduce its stickiness. A common way is to rub the neck from top to bottom with a fine abrasive pad. Doing so will remove the glossiness and, while the appearance of the neck will change a little, you'll notice a dramatic improvement in how it feels. Once the gloss is gone, the neck will be much slicker, allowing you to play quicker.
Consider lessons, such as from Guitar Works Ltd , for more help.
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