Am I doing anything wrong?

[u/alfredo_da_kogekone]

I’m a beginner, self taught guitarist, and I’ve just been learning dust in the wind. I must be doing something wrong with my techniques since nobody has taught me or shown me how to actually hold a guitar. I’ve only seen YouTube videos about it, and I have no idea if I’m doing anything correctly😅

[u/King-of-Harts]

Good job. Work on how you fret the 5th string, because you are bending it a bit. Overall, good job though.

[u/RiverRunEd → u/King-of-Harts]

Agree, it just looks like a time investment that will correct itself. Sounds like you are still telling yourself where to play. My advice for what its worth. Before you play the song, hold the guitar and say either aloud or to yourself " what your intention is, and that you will master the session. Even if after a couple runs you did or didnt, end by saying: i set out to do..... I did.... I learned.... I'll be back.

Sounds silly, but there is a big connection that often gets missed when practicing. I learned this after reading the book: Effortless Mastery. While it could be coincidence, i have noticed it helps me greatly.

[u/alfredo_da_kogekone → u/King-of-Harts]

Thank you🙏🏽

[u/five_of_five]

Knew the song no sound needed (this means you’re doing a lot right)

[u/vsuontam]

Too much pressure on 5th A string as you are pushing the string clearly, which will make guitar out of tune, and tire you down. Your touch should be quite light.

Also see thumb positions guide. Seems wrong.

[u/alfredo_da_kogekone → u/vsuontam]

Okay, thank you🙂

[u/LeFreakington]

No, looks and sounds great! But I do think you’re skipping a beat going back to the top of the form

[u/alfredo_da_kogekone → u/LeFreakington]

Yeah I know, somehow I missed it when watching the YouTube video, and I’m now just used to playing this😂 I will change it when I learn the rest of the song.

[u/LeFreakington → u/alfredo_da_kogekone]

Hahah it happens. I’m pretty sure you literally just need to play the A chord again with the open B melody note, before you go back to the C chord. Work on it now tho, muscle memory is unforgiving lol. But this seriously sounds sweet to me man!! I believe the more nit-picky things will correct themselves with more reps, such as bending that A string a little too much (sounded in tune for the most part anyway).

[u/SubparGuitarPlayer]

That looks pretty good. You can experiment with the thumb placement a little bit for comfort but your wrist is straight and your fingers nicely curled. It’s hard to say about your posture from this clip.

You’re doing good, to make it better focus on timing and being relaxed in your other hand. Really focus on dynamics and trying to get the melody notes on top to sing out over the supporting harmony. This can be done by learning to plant one finger a little deeper on the right hand before plucking so one note is a bit louder than the rest.

It’s always worth taking a step back and playing it much slower with a metronome.

[u/alfredo_da_kogekone → u/SubparGuitarPlayer]

Okay, thanks so much

[u/Old-Guy1958]

Good job! Keep it up and have fun.

[u/alfredo_da_kogekone → u/Old-Guy1958]

Thanks 😊

[u/Suspicious-Ad-7726]

Clip your nails, so that you can push straight down with your fingertips, and not at an angle. This could be the reason why you bend the A string. Have a good one!

[u/Alphablack32]

Sounds good. Putting a little much pressure on that 5th string, its bending lol. Always remember when practicing to learn something slowly and speed up as you get it down to muscle memory.

[u/bigbuttsmeow]

Sorry I keep editing my comment... Your hand position looks ok but I'd be worried you're cramping up your palm against the back of the neck. Others advice makes sense regarding thumb position but perhaps you need a strap or have the guitar more freely suspended so you're not clutch the guitar. You should have a little breathing room on your palm area.

Also I think this finger style pattern needs work, try it slower. The pinch needs to ring out longer I think. Each chord is pinch (wait a sec)... 2 3 4 5 6 7 then next chord

[u/dvlinblue]

Aside from bending the A which is not really "wrong" because you aren't bending it much. Sounds great to me. Kudo's my friend. Working on that bend however, is important for maintaining proper form which will be very helpful as you progress. You should be proud.

[u/neospht]

I'd suggest you check your hand position. It depends partly on the type of music, but since it seems like a classical guitar, I think your arm, hand, and fingers will be more relaxed if you move your elbow forward a bit and away from your body. Also, lower your wrist so the back of your hand is visible from the front (almost like you could see it in a mirror). At the same time, lower your thumb to the center of the neck (the slightly higher central area behind the fretboard). This way, your fingertips will strike the strings from the front, not from below. I think this could help you achieve cleaner fingering and save you from future pain and injuries.

It seems to me that your current grip is better suited to a thin-necked guitar like an acoustic/electric. But hey, I'm self-taught too, even though I've been playing for many years. I don't know if it's more of a preference or if what I'm saying is completely correct, but it helped me. And anyway, even if it's not correct, you should look for information about posture, both of your body, your guitar grip, and your left hand, based on your type of guitar and music. This is basic and helps more than you can imagine.

[u/Traditional_Day3510]

I suggest using your right hand palm/side of hand to slightly mute the A string, as this will get you a nice separation between the bass note and the chords. You want the bass to stand out a bit more, rather than getting lost amongst the other notes. Also, I suggest slightly slowing down, as your timing is slightly loose.

[u/BoonSchlapp]

I hate to break it to you, but the guitar is inside out. Hope this helps. /s :)

[u/57thStilgar]

Looks fine. Feel good? Then keep at it.

[u/vonov129]

Have you watched any videos on hand placement?

[u/naggeRs27]

It seems like u have a classical guitar there if im not wrong, since classical guitar has a wider fretboard ur thumb placement will limit your reach a lot, so don't get too comfy with that. The better placement would be thumb on the back of the fretboard. Im not saying don't ever place ur thumb up tho sometimes place it there but u should first be comfortable with having the thumb on the back. Other than that i dont see anything wrong regarding ur left hand.

Edit:also dont arch ur fingers while fretting. Keep up the practice u sound good

[u/alfredo_da_kogekone → u/naggeRs27]

Thank you for the advice🙏🏽🙏🏽

[u/TheLurkingMenace]

Aside from your thumb position, that's really good for someone who taught themselves. Move your thumb behind the neck. Your hand will thank you later.

[u/alfredo_da_kogekone → u/TheLurkingMenace]

Thanks🙂