Classical Guitar Practice Tips: Avoiding Tension

Classical guitarists, particularly those just beginning their study or those who are working on difficult sections, should try to avoid excessive tension as they play. Tension causes pain, which in turn can cause lack of focus, and ultimately, mistakes. The following list presents the most common tension points for classical guitarists:

- Hunching shoulders

- Applying excess pressure of the right arm to the guitar (This common problem arises from trying too hard in order to control the right hand.)

- Excessive tension in the muscles of the face and neck (The muscles around the mouth, the jaws, and the neck often tighten in sympathetically with those of the arms and hands, during difficult passages.)

- Tension in the legs (This generally comes from an improper sitting position.)

- Back tension (Excess tension in the back often comes from sitting too long without breaks, or from poor posture. Back tension also enters the picture when the guitarist twists the spine excessively and sits with the right leg extended too far out to the right. Many players also have tension from back problems not related to the guitar. Seek medical attention if you have corrected the more obvious causes stated here.)


- Neck tension (Neck tension is usually a result of turning the neck stiffly to the left and trying too hard to watch and control the left hand.)

- Tension in the left arm (The common cause for this problem is faulty hand-arm position.)

When you have further developed your sense of body awareness (your kinesthetic sense), you will be able to gently release whatever excessive physical tension that you discover.

Los Angeles Guitar Academy Online specializes in the art of the classical guitar. Their world-class faculty provides on-demand online classical guitar lessons as well as live online classical guitar lessons. For those who live in the greater Los Angeles area, LAGA has studios located conveniently in residential communities.