I still can’t over the fact that I just discovered Michael’s music through his clips with the Blue Guitars only to find out that he had left us. I will continue to dig up his work, recordings and legacy. A quiet giant of the guitar. RIP.
There are advantages and disadvantages with all the positions. 1) With the footstool the hips are unbalanced and there is a tendency to twist to the left. But it can feel very secure. 2)With the ergoplay, you can raise the guitar to the ideal height but it looks ugly and also the suction cusps may slip or destroy the guitar varnish. 3)The dynarette cushions are better than the suction cups solution but still they feel alien to the body 4)The flamenco position shown (also used by Paco Pena and Scott Tennant) is not easy and also can create stress on the right shoulder. Also it doesn't allow one to change the tone colour of the music by playing on the 7 different tone spots between the bridge and the 12th fret, because to support the guitar while the right arm moves you must use the left hand as a support. 5) Another solution I have found is to play on a low coach or seat so you don't need a footstool at all. 6) The Paco de Lucia position can put a lot of pressure on the lower back so I don't recommend that. 7) The Paul Galbraith and other vertical neck positions look good but are very tiring especially when you play in the first positions because you're always working against gravity. 8) Strap solution: I don't know, I 've never tried it. As a physio once told me, what is important in all cases, is not to sit in the same posture for a long time so that the muscles 'lock'. Every 20 mins or so get up and give the muscles a rest. Even in a concert you can stand up between pieces. Different people have different bodies so there is no 'one size fits all' solution. What is important is to experiment and end up so that you are playing the guitar, and not the guitar playing you!
Gee I've NEVER seen someone go through a comprehensive and comparative explanation of guitar seating! A wonder to behold and sooo helpful! A big thank you Michael
A thoughtful presentation. I have been a professional player my whole life. Now at 65 I still believe in what I discovered decades ago. I almost exclusively play standing up with a strap. I was criticized a lot early on for putting strap buttons on fine classical guitars, but it puts any/all guitars where they should be in relation to my body. Lighter guitars (like acoustics) are best. Shoulder strain and leg tension are the concerns. I can walk around my house while playing/practicing (especially with wireless systems for electrics). Walking is good and I am able to move any part of my body to insure circulation without having to support the guitar with either hand/arm. It is my understanding that we were designed to be on our feet moving around, not sitting on our behinds.
My classical guitar includes a cable jack, fortunately alleviating some of the difficulty that @bradard5862 encountered. So, attaching a strap at the boot and the neck was straightforward. I arrived at this approach after having difficulty with installing a Sageworks support. The result - no more wrestling matches which the guitar always won.
To summarize: Mr. Chapdelaine started with the so called old flamenco position, continued with the so called classical position with a foot stool, went to a position with guitar support ( ergoplay) and got back to the old flamenco position which he says is best for him.Personally I like also the new flamenco position - guitar on the right leg and right leg put over the left ( the preferred position of Paco De Lucia), but I must admit this cannot be maintained for too long.Very useful video, I enjoyed it a lot.
After watching this for the first time, I tried this position after finding several different positions in my beginner instruction books. Thank you, Michael, for this position really works (plus it made fretting the second string much easier, the "Easy C" chord of Douglas Noble), a great improvement for starting out at 65... It appears to ease the learning process of locating fret position without looking, too! Reminds me of knuckleball pitchers and the pitch (Jim Bouton, and others featured in a movie by that name.) that was easier on the body than other pitches. After being black-balled by MLB, Jim Bouton came back to baseball, pitching for the Portland, Oregon minor league team owned by Bing Russell, whose son Kurt starred in his dad's baseball player training films.
Interesting stuff thanks! One thing I really recommend for your back is yoga...loads of people say this...every time I hurt my back, I start doing yoga again and it goes away...then I get lazy and stop doing yoga, injure it again, oh yeah yoga, doh, etc...swimming great also...
This is a truly excellent video Michael. I don't know how many instruction videos you have done (I'll have to look!), but in my opinion, you do very well indeed. Thank you.
I'm grateful that I have yet to have any back pain with the footstool position I'm pretty short (bout 5'6) and have yet to feel any trouble. However the footstool position is not a position I would recommend for taller people as I've noticed most of my buddies who are tall and play classical had to switch to a guitar support because they got back pain over the years of using the footstool
For my nylon string crossover guitar and my several 12-fret small- body steel string acoustic guitars, I have found that the best solution for me is using a guitar strap (with pins fitted to the body tail and the heel block) to position and support the instrument exactly where I want it. The position is similar to that shown for the 4th solution in this video, except that my guitars are at a larger angle to the horizontal so that the elbow of the picking arm is less elevated relative to the shoulder as it drapes around the body. This feels like there is significantly less strain put on the shoulder of this arm. This results in the guitar sitting a little higher relative to my body than that shown for the 4th solution in this video. However, it seems to me that all four limbs are being submitted to minimal strain in this position, while the fretting hand is able to address the neck exactly in the position recommended in this video. Whatever negative aspects can be put forward for having to fit two strap pins to a guitar body pale into insignificance for me, compared to the many advantages of a strap over all other solutions I have seen. I would point out that have not fitted strap pins to an expensive classical guitar since I do not own one, but I do own several high-end steel string acoustic guitars which now have my strap pins fitted.
I've been a fan of yours for a number of years now, but somehow I missed this video until now. A great presentation and analysis. I play a bit of flamenco which pointed me in the direction of your position. I want to add support with a strap, but don't want to put holes in my best guitars, although I have some cheap ones with buttons installed. Decisions, decisions!
Very informative!! and I agree that paul galbraith does look quite ergonomic actually, I have tried similar and it was great for the body but it kinda sucked for the hands, I didn't feel like I could get the same body of sound and the angle is different.
Wow have tried this position on the right thigh across the body clutching the guitar body with right arm, this is not the flamenco position but a position used by South American players and it is amazingly comfortable after you get used to holding the guitar there. it looks more natural and is better for posture. Win win, win why don’t more classical players adopt this ?
I play electric but have had similar problems with back & playing position. You have come to a similar solution. Seems to me the shape of guitars needs to be reconsidered, locate lower waist near the lower bout/hip, for sitting play with guitar resting on strumming side leg.
Michael's preferred position reminds me of that which you get with the Mundo Guitar Support. I used this for years (alas its sucker cups don’t stick to the weird finish on my new guitar) and it did offer exceptional playing comfort. Check out Mundo Music Gear if interested!
Excellent and very useful. I'd like to refer to this video briefly in an upcoming instructional video and direct the watcher to watch this video, if that's ok with you.
Hi, MC,! Heretical though it may seem to Classical traditionalists, the tool I've found most helpful for maintaining a good, secure playing position is a standard guitar strap (the horror, the horror!) You may still have to crane your neck a little to see the fretboard, but that guitar is not slipping anywhere, especially if you use straplocks. Some might argue that this position might muffle the vibration of the guitar's back; I don't hear much difference (the guitar is against your chest already.) I like one pin in the end block and the other in the guitar's heel, like a Les Paul electric (I did notice your guitar has a pin in the Taylor position on the down sde of the heel.) What are your objections to the strap solution solution to the mismatch of the guitar's shape and the human body?
I'm absolutely with you on this! I've played for many years with a bad back, tried every guitar support there is, and came to the same conclusion - the strap is light, unobtrusive, keeps the guitar in the right place, and most importantly for me, allows me to practice standing up, walking around, sitting in any position I want, and my back doesn't start bitching...
Hi Simon, we don't have a video for the fretting hand lesson yet, but you can read the article here: acousticguitar.com/acoustic-guitar-basics-how-to-train-your-fretting-fingers-for-maximum-efficiency-and-musicality/
I’ve tried every position in the classical guitar. The old position the flamenco guitarist used, where the lower bout rest on right leg, is about as comfortable as it gets. There are new guitar lap stands, as he shows, that maintain this position. Unfortunately the suction cups don’t work in my guitar. So, I do agree with his conclusion. There is a reason those old guitar flamenco players came up with this position.
Merry Christmas Michael! Starting to grow insensibility on my fingertips. Thank you for all those tips! Trying your healthy approaches. About the CDs, are those about you playing guitar? if you want to recover some space, please let me know. Again thank you!
Yes the fretting hand out forward is easier. But I need to straighten out my elbow so it doesn't pinch a nerve that puts my whole arm, hand and fingers numb
This is a very instructive video, thanks! You say you don't play often near the bridge so it's probably a moot point for you, but doesn't your position have a similar instability problem as the one cited by @bzeliotis below, when shifting between (very) different picking locations? I already have that using a support (DeOro for me), esp. when the left hand also makes a large shift in position (downwards is worst). Other than that ... what are those pads you have stuck under your guitars? Did you do the same thing to the BlueGuitar collection and Ken Parker instruments I've seen you play? ;)
I primarily play flamenco guitar, but I'm wanting to try and learn bluegrass flatpicking. I could really use some advice on adapting posture from a nylon string instrument to a Martin D28. Any thoughts???
4:08 "...the middle point of frets is 6." The frets get significantly narrower as you go up the fretboard. The 6th fret is not halfway (in terms of distance) between the nut and the twelfth fret. Halfway would be around the fifth fret.
need sticky pads - go to the Dollar Store (Dollar General) - Go to the home and bathroom section and they sell a shelf liner product made by Duck Tape. Comes in a roll for ~ 3$
BTW, I'm using a $20 D'Addario strap on my Kremona classical that looks rather elegant and keeps it firmly on my right thigh; www.daddario.com/products/accessories/straps/guitar-and-bass-straps/standard-leather-end/woven-guitar-strap-black-satin/ (& have you tried the D'Addario Pro-Arte PCH-3B polished bass-string half-set? So quiet, the best I've ever used!)
I might try that, I do find the ergo play lowered to the lowest level possible to near the base of the guitar and placed on the *right* thigh really comfortable and gives me perfect right hand positioning over the sound hole.
i could NEVER get comfortable playing the guitar and ive been playing 45 years. I tried the dynarette cushion and it was too noisy for recording. I have spent 1000 dollars on a classical guitar, i would be dammed to use suction cups on that finish.
Very interesting, Michael! Love your arrangements, btw. John Stowell also plays from your ideal position, but his guitar is more angled. Wonder what you'd say about how he holds the guitar.
its sad that michael has passed away. The segovia event must have overshadowed his entire life , and it was so unecessary . segovia was probably having an off day maybe his mrs was giving him trouble and he could definitely have been more gentle and diplomatic in his critisism of michael that day. He probably told the truth but as michael said himself it effectively ended his classical guitar career.
Segovias fingerings aren't always best, but his arrogance would never entertain another option. Especially in public. For Segovia it was never about the student. It was really about him. Michael was a fine musician. And artists should be allowed to make their own musical choices without being attacked by an inflexible teacher.
For me, an electric is unapproachable without a strap. I have a really long torso and not appropriately long arms. Even sitting, I use a strap. i bring the electric guitar to the same position as where the classical is in my preferred position.
I still can’t over the fact that I just discovered Michael’s music through his clips with the Blue Guitars only to find out that he had left us. I will continue to dig up his work, recordings and legacy. A quiet giant of the guitar. RIP.
There are advantages and disadvantages with all the positions.
1) With the footstool the hips are unbalanced and there is a tendency to twist to the left. But it can feel very secure.
2)With the ergoplay, you can raise the guitar to the ideal height but it looks ugly and also the suction cusps may slip or destroy the guitar varnish.
3)The dynarette cushions are better than the suction cups solution but still they feel alien to the body
4)The flamenco position shown (also used by Paco Pena and Scott Tennant) is not easy and also can create stress on the right shoulder. Also it doesn't allow one to change the tone colour of the music by playing on the 7 different tone spots between the bridge and the 12th fret, because to support the guitar while the right arm moves you must use the left hand as a support.
5) Another solution I have found is to play on a low coach or seat so you don't need a footstool at all.
6) The Paco de Lucia position can put a lot of pressure on the lower back so I don't recommend that.
7) The Paul Galbraith and other vertical neck positions look good but are very tiring especially when you play in the first positions because you're always working against gravity.
8) Strap solution: I don't know, I 've never tried it.
As a physio once told me, what is important in all cases, is not to sit in the same posture for a long time so that the muscles 'lock'. Every 20 mins or so get up and give the muscles a rest. Even in a concert you can stand up between pieces.
Different people have different bodies so there is no 'one size fits all' solution. What is important is to experiment and end up so that you are playing the guitar, and not the guitar playing you!
Gee I've NEVER seen someone go through a comprehensive and comparative explanation of guitar seating! A wonder to behold and sooo helpful! A big thank you Michael
A thoughtful presentation. I have been a professional player my whole life. Now at 65 I still believe in what I discovered decades ago. I almost exclusively play standing up with a strap. I was criticized a lot early on for putting strap buttons on fine classical guitars, but it puts any/all guitars where they should be in relation to my body. Lighter guitars (like acoustics) are best. Shoulder strain and leg tension are the concerns. I can walk around my house while playing/practicing (especially with wireless systems for electrics). Walking is good and I am able to move any part of my body to insure circulation without having to support the guitar with either hand/arm. It is my understanding that we were designed to be on our feet moving around, not sitting on our behinds.
My classical guitar includes a cable jack, fortunately alleviating some of the difficulty that @bradard5862 encountered. So, attaching a strap at the boot and the neck was straightforward. I arrived at this approach after having difficulty with installing a Sageworks support. The result - no more wrestling matches which the guitar always won.
To summarize: Mr. Chapdelaine started with the so called old flamenco position, continued with the so called classical position with a foot stool, went to a position with guitar support ( ergoplay) and got back to the old flamenco position which he says is best for him.Personally I like also the new flamenco position - guitar on the right leg and right leg put over the left ( the preferred position of Paco De Lucia), but I must admit this cannot be maintained for too long.Very useful video, I enjoyed it a lot.
Try a footstool under the right leg. This maintains the "new flamenco position" and prevents blood circulation issues in the legs.
Thank you Michael.
You have given me a great insight into playing posture with this video.
It's great when people care and share these things.
Thank you, Maestro Chapdelaine. Keep well, sir.
After watching this for the first time, I tried this position after finding several different positions in my beginner instruction books. Thank you, Michael, for this position really works (plus it made fretting the second string much easier, the "Easy C" chord of Douglas Noble), a great improvement for starting out at 65...
It appears to ease the learning process of locating fret position without looking, too!
Reminds me of knuckleball pitchers and the pitch (Jim Bouton, and others featured in a movie by that name.) that was easier on the body than other pitches. After being black-balled by MLB, Jim Bouton came back to baseball, pitching for the Portland, Oregon minor league team owned by Bing Russell, whose son Kurt starred in his dad's baseball player training films.
I have 2 of your CDs not thick enough for a footstool, maybe I shall buy more.
Interesting stuff thanks! One thing I really recommend for your back is yoga...loads of people say this...every time I hurt my back, I start doing yoga again and it goes away...then I get lazy and stop doing yoga, injure it again, oh yeah yoga, doh, etc...swimming great also...
This is a truly excellent video Michael. I don't know how many instruction videos you have done (I'll have to look!), but in my opinion, you do very well indeed. Thank you.
thanks for your wisdom, that helps me a lot , always waiting for your next tunes ,your fan , peace !!!!!
Thank you very much for this!!!
My Ergo play is coming in today, but I'll definetly try the other two as well.
Thank you 😊
I'm grateful that I have yet to have any back pain with the footstool position I'm pretty short (bout 5'6) and have yet to feel any trouble. However the footstool position is not a position I would recommend for taller people as I've noticed most of my buddies who are tall and play classical had to switch to a guitar support because they got back pain over the years of using the footstool
Love this guy!!!
For my nylon string crossover guitar and my several 12-fret small- body steel string acoustic guitars, I have found that the best solution for me is using a guitar strap (with pins fitted to the body tail and the heel block) to position and support the instrument exactly where I want it. The position is similar to that shown for the 4th solution in this video, except that my guitars are at a larger angle to the horizontal so that the elbow of the picking arm is less elevated relative to the shoulder as it drapes around the body. This feels like there is significantly less strain put on the shoulder of this arm. This results in the guitar sitting a little higher relative to my body than that shown for the 4th solution in this video. However, it seems to me that all four limbs are being submitted to minimal strain in this position, while the fretting hand is able to address the neck exactly in the position recommended in this video.
Whatever negative aspects can be put forward for having to fit two strap pins to a guitar body pale into insignificance for me, compared to the many advantages of a strap over all other solutions I have seen.
I would point out that have not fitted strap pins to an expensive classical guitar since I do not own one, but I do own several high-end steel string acoustic guitars which now have my strap pins fitted.
I've been a fan of yours for a number of years now, but somehow I missed this video until now. A great presentation and analysis. I play a bit of flamenco which pointed me in the direction of your position. I want to add support with a strap, but don't want to put holes in my best guitars, although I have some cheap ones with buttons installed. Decisions, decisions!
Very informative!! and I agree that paul galbraith does look quite ergonomic actually, I have tried similar and it was great for the body but it kinda sucked for the hands, I didn't feel like I could get the same body of sound and the angle is different.
Thank you Michael! Very interesting!
Wow have tried this position on the right thigh across the body clutching the guitar body with right arm, this is not the flamenco position but a position used by South American players and it is amazingly comfortable after you get used to holding the guitar there. it looks more natural and is better for posture.
Win win, win why don’t more classical players adopt this ?
Brilliant!!!
Thank you!
I play electric but have had similar problems with back & playing position. You have come to a similar solution. Seems to me the shape of guitars needs to be reconsidered, locate lower waist near the lower bout/hip, for sitting play with guitar resting on strumming side leg.
Michael's preferred position reminds me of that which you get with the Mundo Guitar Support. I used this for years (alas its sucker cups don’t stick to the weird finish on my new guitar) and it did offer exceptional playing comfort. Check out Mundo Music Gear if interested!
Excellent and very useful. I'd like to refer to this video briefly in an upcoming instructional video and direct the watcher to watch this video, if that's ok with you.
All good, Mr. Richie. use it. Thanks for the nice words.
Helpful, thanks!
Hi, MC,! Heretical though it may seem to Classical traditionalists, the tool I've found most helpful for maintaining a good, secure playing position is a standard guitar strap (the horror, the horror!) You may still have to crane your neck a little to see the fretboard, but that guitar is not slipping anywhere, especially if you use straplocks. Some might argue that this position might muffle the vibration of the guitar's back; I don't hear much difference (the guitar is against your chest already.) I like one pin in the end block and the other in the guitar's heel, like a Les Paul electric (I did notice your guitar has a pin in the Taylor position on the down sde of the heel.) What are your objections to the strap solution solution to the mismatch of the guitar's shape and the human body?
I'm absolutely with you on this! I've played for many years with a bad back, tried every guitar support there is, and came to the same conclusion - the strap is light, unobtrusive, keeps the guitar in the right place, and most importantly for me, allows me to practice standing up, walking around, sitting in any position I want, and my back doesn't start bitching...
Did you ever make the left (fretting) hand video you mentioned here...I couldn't find it...only a brief article on acousticguitar?
I've yet to see any good videos about left hand technique...they all seem to focus on finger individualisation exercises and stuff like that...
Hi Simon, we don't have a video for the fretting hand lesson yet, but you can read the article here: acousticguitar.com/acoustic-guitar-basics-how-to-train-your-fretting-fingers-for-maximum-efficiency-and-musicality/
I’ve tried every position in the classical guitar. The old position the flamenco guitarist used, where the lower bout rest on right leg, is about as comfortable as it gets. There are new guitar lap stands, as he shows, that maintain this position. Unfortunately the suction cups don’t work in my guitar. So, I do agree with his conclusion. There is a reason those old guitar flamenco players came up with this position.
Merry Christmas Michael! Starting to grow insensibility on my fingertips. Thank you for all those tips! Trying your healthy approaches. About the CDs, are those about you playing guitar? if you want to recover some space, please let me know. Again thank you!
Than you. 👍
Why we must struggle with guitar position and do not start to create it in a more ergonomic way instead?
Yes the fretting hand out forward is easier. But I need to straighten out my elbow so it doesn't pinch a nerve that puts my whole arm, hand and fingers numb
This is a very instructive video, thanks! You say you don't play often near the bridge so it's probably a moot point for you, but doesn't your position have a similar instability problem as the one cited by @bzeliotis below, when shifting between (very) different picking locations? I already have that using a support (DeOro for me), esp. when the left hand also makes a large shift in position (downwards is worst).
Other than that ... what are those pads you have stuck under your guitars? Did you do the same thing to the BlueGuitar collection and Ken Parker instruments I've seen you play? ;)
"Sticky Pads". Yes I always have one. On my guitars, they are adheased, on loaners they are less permanent.
Thankyou
I primarily play flamenco guitar, but I'm wanting to try and learn bluegrass flatpicking. I could really use some advice on adapting posture from a nylon string instrument to a Martin D28. Any thoughts???
there is a korea brand "machine" (i forgot the name...) can support on your right leg which is the most conformable
What about using a support over the right thigh ?
4:08 "...the middle point of frets is 6."
The frets get significantly narrower as you go up the fretboard. The 6th fret is not halfway (in terms of distance) between the nut and the twelfth fret. Halfway would be around the fifth fret.
He meant middle point of the neck from nut to 13th fret, which is the "playing area of the neck"...which would be the 6th fret
need sticky pads - go to the Dollar Store (Dollar General) - Go to the home and bathroom section and they sell a shelf liner product made by Duck Tape. Comes in a roll for ~ 3$
BTW, I'm using a $20 D'Addario strap on my Kremona classical that looks rather elegant and keeps it firmly on my right thigh; www.daddario.com/products/accessories/straps/guitar-and-bass-straps/standard-leather-end/woven-guitar-strap-black-satin/ (& have you tried the D'Addario Pro-Arte PCH-3B polished bass-string half-set? So quiet, the best I've ever used!)
I might try that, I do find the ergo play lowered to the lowest level possible to near the base of the guitar and placed on the *right* thigh really comfortable and gives me perfect right hand positioning over the sound hole.
i could NEVER get comfortable playing the guitar and ive been playing 45 years. I tried the dynarette cushion and it was too noisy for recording. I have spent 1000 dollars on a classical guitar, i would be dammed to use suction cups on that finish.
A Tele in the background!
Very interesting, Michael! Love your arrangements, btw. John Stowell also plays from your ideal position, but his guitar is more angled. Wonder what you'd say about how he holds the guitar.
Your chosen position appears to be the same one that traditional flamenco players have used for generations.
check out guitarlift - save your back
its sad that michael has passed away. The segovia event must have overshadowed his entire life , and it was so unecessary . segovia was probably having an off day maybe his mrs was giving him trouble and he could definitely have been more gentle and diplomatic in his critisism of michael that day. He probably told the truth but as michael said himself it effectively ended his classical guitar career.
Segovias fingerings aren't always best, but his arrogance would never entertain another option. Especially in public. For Segovia it was never about the student. It was really about him. Michael was a fine musician. And artists should be allowed to make their own musical choices without being attacked by an inflexible teacher.
How would you hold the electric guitar?
For me, an electric is unapproachable without a strap. I have a really long torso and not appropriately long arms. Even sitting, I use a strap. i bring the electric guitar to the same position as where the classical is in my preferred position.
All of that and not play One Note of music I am very disappointed