5 BIG Mistakes Guitarists Make - and how to fix them

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  • Опубліковано 11 січ 2025

КОМЕНТАРІ • 85

  • @beatrixguitar
    @beatrixguitar  Місяць тому +6

    What other common mistake would you add to the list? Let us know under this comment!
    if you like what I'm doing, consider supporting my work on Patreon: www.patreon.com/c/beatrixguitar

    • @tigranayvazyan5974
      @tigranayvazyan5974 Місяць тому +2

      Having the right arm contact point either too forward, making them stretch out the ring finger to reach the first string (if they do, at all) or, conversely, way back, near the elbow, resulting in a too-protruded wrist (another mistake on its own) due to the fingers hanging too low over the top.
      "Resting" on the side of the guitar, instead of just putting the arm on it, "successfully" resulting in a numb arm due to poor blood flow.
      Applying too much pressure on the left-hand thumb. A lot of beginners (I was one of them :D ) hold the neck too firmly.

  • @tomperrin9563
    @tomperrin9563 12 днів тому +1

    Amazing thank you!! I think I definitely have the 4th problem - practising over and over without spending so much time working on the mistakes. I do sometimes focus on them, but hearing you spell it out reinforces the issue. Your clarity in your videos is really helpful, and it shows your dedication to music as well as teaching

  • @GregDenver303
    @GregDenver303 Місяць тому +8

    I subscribe to your channel and watch it occasionally but whenever I do visit it, I ALWAYS walk away with something new I’ve learned. I have a local guitar instructor where I live and he’s great. But coming to your channel sometimes provides me an alternate viewpoint that I definitely consider valuable. It’s clear you love what you do (music + teaching) and it shows in your enthusiasm. Keep up the great work.

    • @beatrixguitar
      @beatrixguitar  Місяць тому

      Greg that’s fantastic, I’m happy you get the support you need locally but still enjoy my work every now and then 😁

  • @PhilipSummers-g7o
    @PhilipSummers-g7o Місяць тому +2

    Brilliant video. The comment about the thumb position makes alot of sense. A bit like a "pivoting point" so that access to the strings with the fretting fingers is easier and less likely to create a "cramped hand position". Which can create tension. Thank you. 😊

  • @datdudeCharles
    @datdudeCharles Місяць тому +2

    Been watching your videos to learn guitar, and I initially started learning to play towards metal music but you've got me hooked to classical now :) I've been studying your 11 exercises workbook (not as often as i should lol) and I'm diggin it! ty, plz keep showing us the way

  • @Anna-h2d2u
    @Anna-h2d2u Місяць тому +1

    Beatrix you are great! In every video you give me so much inspiration and new informations that I can continue to work on! Szia, Anna.

  • @quailstudios
    @quailstudios Місяць тому

    These are good tips. Thank You! This is the first time that I have been to your channel.

  • @pitchmeupscotty
    @pitchmeupscotty Місяць тому +5

    On the topic of 4 & 5: Dominic Miller said that the difference between the amateur and the pro is that the amateur is happy when he finally knows how to play the correct notes in time. But that endpoint is only the startpoint of the pro. Like me, many "home playing" people just like to play guitar for fun, and at that point "playing the correct notes within certain time accuracy" is enough to create happiness for yourself. 4 & 5 are indeed underestimated in these modern times. And because I am a Dominic Miller fanboy... I bought his book and 4&5 are daily habits now... eat, play, repeat, sleep,... 🙂

  • @MrSyjdub
    @MrSyjdub Місяць тому +2

    Excellent content. Thank you! From Brooklyn, NY.

  • @rva11
    @rva11 Місяць тому

    Great advice and well presented. Your experience as a music educator is very apparent.

  • @Tiger1050Tom
    @Tiger1050Tom Місяць тому

    Wonderful lesson! So glad I found you here on UA-cam!

  • @nukhanlee2394
    @nukhanlee2394 Місяць тому

    Good recommendation there, Miss...I also subscribe Evan's channel as well! 😉
    He's one formal gentleman and a truly classical guitar guy! 😍🌟

  • @kiranchannayanamath3230
    @kiranchannayanamath3230 Місяць тому

    I started off bracing pinky on the sound board and it felt very secure and natural to me and it is playing without the bracing that felt very unnatural and felt like loose playing, this pinky bracing is popular among fingerstyle players, even players like Tommy Emmanuel says it in one of his videos that it is the winners technique, but when it comes to classical guitar one has to get rid of this habit as it severely limits movements and its going to take a while to get rid of this habit.

  • @claudiamoser9513
    @claudiamoser9513 Місяць тому

    Your videos are so helpful, thank you!!

  • @jmorra
    @jmorra Місяць тому

    Great advice! One minor point...planting the pinky is something that does work for certain effects, especially in steel string blues playing where you are doing really fast upstrokes with the index finger. Most of the time there is no need to brace/ plant, but having ready when needed is fine.

  • @waltertanner7982
    @waltertanner7982 Місяць тому

    very valuable helpful hints, thanks a lot!

  • @TheNorthernPiper
    @TheNorthernPiper Місяць тому

    This was a great video, as I’m fairly new to playing guitar. Thank you for putting this together

  • @joelwhatever
    @joelwhatever Місяць тому

    This was an interesting video and well done.
    You mentioned active listening. Do you have a video on that? I would be interested to see what you listen for/what you hear.

  • @Jolgeable
    @Jolgeable Місяць тому

    I watched several videos from the channel. You explain very well, the tips are great, and you have a really cool vibe. Thank you for the work, it can't be easy to do so much. I'm loving the channel. All good luck to you! ❤🫀❤

  • @KL-td8ty
    @KL-td8ty Місяць тому

    I love you and I love your smile and your work. Thank you Beatrix!!!

  • @michellegault4122
    @michellegault4122 Місяць тому +5

    I have trouble sitting still because of pain. I need to slightly change my position constantly:(

    • @jackbond8237
      @jackbond8237 Місяць тому

      @@michellegault4122 me too. I got a beanbag chair and it has helped me a lot.

  • @kashinewell6239
    @kashinewell6239 Місяць тому

    These were great tips! I played too hard for 20 years becasue I'd always hit the notes as hard as i felt them inside haha only recently learned how to control this. im really glad this wasnt corrected early on though becasue it lead to developing my own technique and now people started asking how I get such good tone. Im still picking hard sometimes but learned to control the pressure exactly so now can play at all volumes and get good tone with soft and hard picks so its added a lot of dynamic to my playing. Agree wholeheartedly about listening to music more and not having distractions but just sitting with the music. Thats my main "guitar practice" now. Just listening, singing along with all the insturments and whebever i discover new patterns i walk around n sing them all day. When i pick up the guitar music just pours out, I dont have to try so hard to write and can improvise easily. But my technique has always been the weak point so just a little bit of focus there made everything sound a lot better. Singing what i hear and singing the scales to grow my ear changed everything. Thanks for the video! What i needed to hear today was the part about posture. Started to realize this omce combinimg playing and singing. Will work on it for sure!

  • @macstil585
    @macstil585 Місяць тому

    What a great review thank you very much🙏🙏🙏

  • @Aarrmehearties
    @Aarrmehearties Місяць тому

    Thank you Beatrix

  • @russpalmeri
    @russpalmeri 23 дні тому

    Much to say about this excellent video. Let me however, highly encourage you to follow the link and watch the video on left hand thumb position. It spurred the greatest leap in my playing ability than anything I’ve done. Beatrix is a very rare individual. Where else will you find someone so knowledgeable about learning theory and an excellent classical guitar guitarist? Answer to that one’s easy - nowhere.

  • @anthony_bis
    @anthony_bis Місяць тому +13

    I've stopped learning guitar because depression wins so far. But I still enjoy watching your videos. I love your smile and your enthusiasm. Thank you for being there

    • @beerbikesandblues
      @beerbikesandblues Місяць тому +13

      Understandable, however I encourage you to try for 10 minutes a day of playing anything. Practice breath control, posture, and relaxation. Get comfortable. I wish you the best, bud. From a guy who is crawling out of the hole.

    • @claudiafrers8923
      @claudiafrers8923 Місяць тому +9

      Playing guitar has always kept depression away for me as I live where it is dark for 9 months. May I suggest her pomodoro methos and just do anything for 5 minutes three times a day. I know it helps.

    • @michellegault4122
      @michellegault4122 Місяць тому +7

      I make guitar practice my daily peace and quiet time. I don’t focus on results, only the process. I say give it a try.

    • @TheDesertwalker
      @TheDesertwalker Місяць тому +2

      Hang in there. It can go away. Playing guitar does help. Trust me.

    • @anthony_bis
      @anthony_bis Місяць тому

      I'm afraid I'll need more time. I can barely eat. I don't trust myself at all, maybe I don't deserve to be happy. Maybe I can't accomplish anything. I've been thinking of leaving this world lately. I still wish to thank you all for your support. You are good people

  • @kaushiksenapsti6523
    @kaushiksenapsti6523 Місяць тому

    Thanks for this information!!! I actually use my pinky to feel secure. But I will make a change

  • @allthingsmusic-
    @allthingsmusic- Місяць тому

    I've been playing for over 50 years, and teaching, for over 40. I see SO many of these same issues, with many students, especially those who have been playing for a while. Hard habits to break, for sure.

  • @oromani1842
    @oromani1842 Місяць тому +3

    I think there’s something to be said for “exercise” as opposed to “training.” I find myself exercising on guitar technique, that is to say just doing different things to keep fresh. Training, on the other hand, has a specific goal - such as improve tremolo, play with less tension etc. Training is intentional, exercise is not.

  • @randykalish7558
    @randykalish7558 Місяць тому

    I seldom listen to music except what comes to mind, but I recently watched videos of Vera Danilina and Tory Slusher, which reassured me the Universe is quite large and permeated with genius, and that its okay to listen and capture what Music plays for me. I must.

  • @karmukgupta6338
    @karmukgupta6338 Місяць тому

    Thanks!

  • @katanafourzeronine
    @katanafourzeronine Місяць тому +5

    Betti on the thumbnail smiling like she's not judging us for making these mistakes (I just started playing guitar and feel extra judged).

  • @TheNcmore
    @TheNcmore Місяць тому

    Regarding the mistake of "bracing" with the little finger of the picking hand - compare using it with light intermittent touch as a tactile reference point to give your picking hand tactile positional feedback where it (and your other picking hand fingers) are relative to the sting-set, as opposed to using it as a force-exerting brace.

    • @TheNcmore
      @TheNcmore Місяць тому

      I realized that your presentation seems to be from the stanpoint of fingerpicking rather than flatpicking - I can see how forceful bracing with the little finger can be detrimental to both, but with flatpicking the picking hand must dynamically move across the stings to a greater extent, and is more prone to inadvertently drifting without an intermittent light touch of the little finger as a reference point. Watch, for example, advanced bluegrass guitar players, although some also use palm lightly intermittently resting on the bridge pins as a reference (e.g. Molly Tuttle).

  • @josdurkstraful
    @josdurkstraful Місяць тому

    Very solid advice.... it could have been me talking ;-)

  • @gardnep
    @gardnep Місяць тому

    Good tips Beatrix, Bad position, tick; Bad practice, tick; tension, tick; not sure about LH thumb. Thanks.

  • @WWS322
    @WWS322 Місяць тому

    hey beatrix! I'm a self taught classical guitarist. i enjoy talking about guitar. i would like to one day take lessons but I'm poor. i also try to play the mandolin. i only practice mandolin fifteen minutes a day. I'm sure i do plenty wrong being self taught. maybe one day i can work things out?

  • @Diego_SoundDesigner
    @Diego_SoundDesigner Місяць тому

    Normally the players who use the pinky on the top, they do that only when they play with the index and middle finger of the right hand. Usually when they need the ring finger, they lift the pinky from the top.

  • @SorenCramer
    @SorenCramer Місяць тому +1

    I guess a lot of my "lack of progress" over the years comes down to lazyness.
    I suppose that motivated/ambitious students of the guitar will have the discipline and focus to make deliberate practice time happen in a structured and productive way because they focus on improvement.
    It requires more energy to do deliberate practice.
    Studying music, understanding sheet and nodes, breaking down problems, actively listening to music, awareness of practice and playing, learning music theory etc.
    I guess that it is similar to changing habits - it requires effort and motivation.
    I have accepted that I play for pleasure and the joy of playing classical guitar and am at peace with that 😊
    While trying to improve along the way.
    So long as you enjoy the moment when you play, then you are in a good place.

  • @ducas8937
    @ducas8937 Місяць тому

    Using the pinky as a support is actually documented as a technique in spanish and classical guitar. I recall learning about usina p i m a fingers to strike notes and the pinky being called c or "apoyado", meaning it would be rested against the guitar too

    • @Newfoundmike
      @Newfoundmike Місяць тому

      Spanish guitar and Regular guitar require different techniques

  • @carlossori2877
    @carlossori2877 Місяць тому

    good video i need a sugestion
    i need higher trets on my guitar i heard higher trets are easier to play
    which is the tallest trets i can get?

  • @wholovesyababy5574
    @wholovesyababy5574 Місяць тому

    Can you make a video about the left hand fingers flying in the air when not being used. If I engage my index finger, my pinky flies away. If I engage my pinky, my index finger flies away. I have a very hard time keeping all 4 fingers near the fretboard ready to go. Thank you.

    • @beatrixguitar
      @beatrixguitar  Місяць тому +2

      Sure, I’ll try to cover it in an upcoming video soon. However, usually that’s caused by pressing to had and playing with too much tension. Try to experiment with more relaxed fingers, see if you have tension issues

  • @vagamorneval8451
    @vagamorneval8451 Місяць тому

    Thanks.

  • @collinbrendemuehl6967
    @collinbrendemuehl6967 29 днів тому

    1. Be certain to ask your instructor to be a coach. The teaching needs to build you, the student, more than just going through lessons. This should include posture as well as hand skills.
    2. Obey your metronome.
    3. Learn your style. Some people & systems build fundamentals & add voicing later. But that doesn't work for all students. It's like method acting vs natural acting. This is method playing vs natural playing. Not skipping the fundamentals, but only alter the sequence.
    (#3 is a personal perspective that I've not seen anyone address. Make sense to me as I being being an older learner.)

  • @zu0832
    @zu0832 Місяць тому

    where's the link for your video on the left hand thumb?

    • @beatrixguitar
      @beatrixguitar  Місяць тому

      you can find it in the description, I forgot to put it there yesterday but I just updated :)

  • @lizardhunt96
    @lizardhunt96 Місяць тому

    Try an F bar chord, it’s difficult to play without buzzing on one of the strings. I squeeze very hard to correct. Perhaps it is the fleshy part of my index finger? I ended up switching to jumbo frets and that helped tremendously and did not affect the sound or intonation.

    • @beatrixguitar
      @beatrixguitar  Місяць тому

      I have a video about bar chords on my channel, check it out 😁

    • @jfo3000
      @jfo3000 Місяць тому

      Taller frets do help.
      Also, it's not good when the strings are too high at the nut. This makes everything different to execute within the first 3 or 4 frets, (actually the entire fretboard to varying degree) and the closer the note to the nut, the more sharp it is, as excessive deflection of the string is required just to get it touching the fret, even without holding it securely enough onto the fret for zero buzz.

  • @claudiamoser9513
    @claudiamoser9513 Місяць тому

    My ringfinger is not rund enough. Do you know some exercises?

  • @nakajimaarts5955
    @nakajimaarts5955 Місяць тому

    So Beauty And Talented I challenge you to do a Classical Shred solo Can you do Please ? Neo Classical maybe ? I Wish we can be Friends to me learn more about classical guitar you are so Pro Glad to Know your Channel Beatrix

  • @emanuelburlacu2
    @emanuelburlacu2 Місяць тому

    I think another big mistake is picking advanced level songs. Thanks to the modern technology I can listen many professional guitarist, I am tempted to pick advanced level songs but it makes the progress very slow, as an amateur guitarist I use to make this mistake very often.

  • @reivax5742
    @reivax5742 Місяць тому

    Lute players brace with the pinky, maybe I'll try it for a while.

  • @discobacon5160
    @discobacon5160 Місяць тому

    Where are you from?

  • @Gypsy-D
    @Gypsy-D Місяць тому +3

    Well now, this is interesting, as an almost intermediate player now and following more than one extremely reputable guitar teachers, most have some sort of anchor position. Either with their pinky or the bridge, with their palm,probably a mixture of the 2....depends what you're playing. Certainly not an exception, very common. Just keep practicing very slowly and it will become natural. Depending on each individual is depending on how you would like to keep your picking position. Good material here for most, but you should narrow it down a bit.

    • @Amaranthslo
      @Amaranthslo Місяць тому

      Not with classical guitar. Holding the pinky down even ever so slightly means that you are using unnecessary force that can hinder your playing not to mention it is severely limiting your ability to change tone color. It is at least a waste of force. Maybe when playing p-i passages it is ok. Obviously people can play well doing it but I wonder if it is healthy for the hand and if it is limiting technique possibilities. And no it is not common to have professional classical guitar players doing that. I have never seen anyone do it except maybe in very limited situations.

    • @Gypsy-D
      @Gypsy-D Місяць тому

      @Amaranthslo you may want to do some research on that one. Almost all the greats have an anchor position. This comes from more than one professional. Especially when picking. It's fairly simple to go to anchor when needed and no anchor when not needed with the right practice. Not to mention when you wish to do some muting of the strings, your hand needs to be anchored on the bridge. There is no "real" force when planting the pinky, it is merely to hold your hand in position and I can play a few songs this way and there is NO issue as your saying. You also said you think it's an exception. It is not. Very common. Do some research, you'll see I'm right. Classical is a world of its own and takes considerable skillsets to play. The same with jazz. First of all you need to be able to read notation. Then all the rest of the fancy chords. Without a solid foundation, the odds of playing those genres are difficult at best. And even then, I bet if I look I can find players that do.

    • @Gypsy-D
      @Gypsy-D Місяць тому

      Now I was unaware till now that you are a classical guitarist. No wonder you are saying that. I'm a rock/blues guy. Give me some tabs and I'm off to the races. So all I'm saying is in context to Rock/blues. I am certainly not a classical player and never will be.

  • @Sherman1862
    @Sherman1862 Місяць тому

    What Brand/Model of Guitar are you playing there please? I might want to investigate purchase of one as your playing on it always sounds so beautiful, just like you! : ) Thank you! : )

  • @amsumalivallaart2805
    @amsumalivallaart2805 Місяць тому +1

    You should show all the stuff you talked about by actually demonstrating on the guitar that was in your hand
    That would have helped

    • @beatrixguitar
      @beatrixguitar  Місяць тому

      This is just a collection of common mistakes, however you can find many videos of some proper technique on my channel!

    • @jysmtl
      @jysmtl Місяць тому

      @@amsumalivallaart2805 Good advice.

  • @dsbarclayeng1
    @dsbarclayeng1 Місяць тому

    Easy to be comfortable with the guitar when you have that apparatus holding it up for you.

  • @kennethkingz
    @kennethkingz Місяць тому +1

    First one here

  • @pottedrodenttube
    @pottedrodenttube Місяць тому +1

    Get more gooder

  • @FrankOutright
    @FrankOutright Місяць тому

    @beatrixguitar I have a question on how to play scales or fretting the notes of melodic lines. I noticed that if I fret the 1st note using mere finger strength the other fingers aren't in ready position therefore I have to curl or draw back and manouver each of the other fingers to fret the following notes. This is tedious especially when we have to do fast runs. However when I fret the 1st note together with a grip hand strength the other fingers seem to curl along in somewhat ready position so much so that I just have to focus on the 1st note and land the rest naturally. This work well especially if you are doing 1234, 124, 134 patterns on the string. So what is the proper way to fret the guitar? 1) Manouver each finger to desired frets or 2) Focus the curl and grip on the 1st note to get the others to curl along and land the rest naturally? Which is the proper technique that should work best in the long run?