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Sitting position

by Andy
(UK)

I am self-taught so far on the classical guitar, but the other day I had my first lesson with a tutor who said he could teach classical guitar.

I am concerned that I may have picked up some bad habits regarding posture and fingering so I was hoping to start by getting some basic help in these areas.

I was very surprised that one of the first things he said was that he doesn't bother holding the guitar in the traditional classical manner because he finds it "uncomfortable".

Am I right in thinking that I can have no confidence in his teaching if he doesn't care about getting something this basic right and showing it properly by example?

Hi Andy,

Although there are varying degrees of opinion, I'm of the more conservative when it comes to sitting position.

I heard it said that women, for example should put the guitar on their right leg due to "modesty" concerns, though if they wear appropriate clothing that is easily overcome.

Anthony Glise, writing in his excellent book Classical Guitar Pedagogy, says about the sitting position

"...the instrument should be as "centered" as possible to the body. For example, while sitting at the piano, no one would sit at one end or the other, but in the middle, so that both hands have equal access to the keyboard. Likewise, for guitarists, the closer to the 12th fret can be placed to the center of the player's body, the more equally the hands will be able to work and the more balanced the sitting position will be."

Having said that, I have seen people play the guitar on the right leg quite successfully. I would feel like your teacher i.e. uncomfortable in that position, just the opposite to him! :))

So I suppose it is really up to you whether you decide if the teacher is right for you or not. You probable need to balance all your information and go from there.

I hope this was of help.

Kind regards,
Trevor M.

Comments for
Sitting position

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Your question about siiting position
by: Guitarafficionados

Hi,

You are right to express so much concern about the attitude manifested by your new (and first!) guitar teacher about the sitting position when it comes to play classical guitar.

My opinion is: too many 'so called' finger style guitarists are convinced that their playing is "classical" just because they are able to play classical pieces on nylon strings with their hands
and fingers (including their right hand nails).

Usually these people are not concerned by their sitting position not only because they are somewhat careless, but, more importantly because the technical level they achieved in the past is still too 'basic' to realise what would represents for them the development of appropriate habits in all and every aspects of their playing.

Instead of discussing about your teacher's playing habits, it would be a lot more appropriate to ask him WHAT his sitting position
permits him when it comes to interpreting classical guitar works with a somewhat "advanced level of difficulty"?

In fact, it doesn't matter what he is believing or saying about his sitting position : what really matters is how far he can execute complex technical passages when playing pieces from classical guitar repertory!

Simply ask him how comfortable and successful his position is when playing Sor's Study #19 in B major (Segovia ed.). You will have an answer. Then
ask him to play this very difficult left hand arpeggio study... Without an appropriate sitting position, your teacher will experience a 'helluva' bad time in doing so! This is a quite robust test for the 'appropriateness' of his sitting position as well as other 'tiny' elements of his technique ;-) .

Another example that require a well balanced sitting position and technique would be the Study no. 1 in E minor by Villa-Lobos. Quite impossible to play with a lousy position :-).

In summa, as long as the difficulty level is low to moderate, the sitting position doesn't represent a big issue... But for guitarists wishing to achieve a more complete mastery of their instrument in the long run, THEN sitting position IS as important as every other aspect of the calssical guitar technique.

Hope to have shed some light for you about this subject,

Guitarafficionados

What's Important To You ?
by: Mike W

Hi Andy,
Based on what you've said, it sounds obvious to me that you feel that the correct sitting position is important. I agree, and in fact, I feel it is part of the overall classical guitar aesthetic.
It's part of the history of classical guitar playing.
For that reason I think you should find a different teacher ... one who shares your appreciation for proper technique.

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