►►Elevate your guitar progress using 8 quick hacks with this FREE cheat sheet: subscribepage.io/VnmuOH ►►Website: zakcharguitar.com/ ►►FREE RESOURCES: zakcharguitar.com/free-resources
When I first started playing years ago I didn't even know it was called a classical position. I had seen some people doing it that way, along with some people who would have the guitar on their pick hand side. I tried both ways early on, and it was immediately evident to me that the classical position was much more comfortable, so that's what I've always done. The other way makes me feel like I'm all cramped up in a tight space.
@grants.1883 I hear ya. I occasionally switch to the more casual position, but that never lasts long before I go back to the classical position. Thanks for watching and for your comment! 🎸
Solid tip. I use mine, and it really does help, especially for building stamina for tremolo, or rapid down picking. I like to compose riffs sitting down then film myself standing up.
Absolutely. Using a footrest is especially helpful for anything where your picking hand is doing a ton of work, like with the techniques you mentioned. That's a solid process. Thanks for watching and for your comment! 🎸
Another reason to use the classical position - the arm rests on your chair get in the way if you don't. 😁 Good advice on the foot rest. It never occurred to me, but like you mentioned, I tend to prop my foot against the chair leg, and it gets strained after awhile. I think I will get a foot rest. Thanks.
I have osteoarthritis in my left elbow and had problems with playing for years when trying to play in the"normal" seated position. My elbow would get tingly and it would radiate down my arm until after a while my hand would cramp up and i had to stop playing. I had seen alot of people play in the classical position so I gave it a try one day. It was a night and day difference, it was so much more comfortable and caused less pain and numbness in my arm. I now use exclusively when playing. Also with your use of words like suboptimal, science based and flexion you're half way to having a channel about body building.
@danielarnold8344 it's pretty cool to see one simple change make such a big difference. And yes, I enjoy lifting weights and have done a good amount of research on that kind of stuff, so I appreciate your comment about that. It's handy to have that lens to pull from whenever there's crossover between that world and the guitar world. Thanks for watching and for your comment! 🎸
I’ve had the foot rest for a year now and it’s one of the best purchases I’ve made. I’m new to guitar as I’m a drummer and all of my guitarist friends are dumbfounded when they discover this thing in my studio room. Lol
Paused the video just to order the foot stool. Thanks, Zak. I get so uncomfortable so quick when I'm playing my heavy 7 string and I already KNOW that it's because I don't have one of these.
Standing is definitely the way to go when training for a live situation. You pull out the ancient "power stance" technique, and you're on your way to rock stardom. Thanks for watching! 🎸
@@ZakCharGuitar you can also get the guitar to hang in the classical position, seen Tim Pierce do it all the time. The only way I would get one of those stools is if I played/performed on classical guitar only
No doubt. With that said, alot of people have no intention of playing live on a stage. For those who do, it is great advice. For those who don't, get a good stool and footrest. As a guy who plays alot of Classical guitar, I notice alot of guitar players who have poor body positioning while playing seated. He hit the nail on the head in the video about resting the guitar on the weakside leg and having a good stool and footrest. I think alot of guitarists, especially beginners, could learn alot from Classical guitarists on this front.
@@lonestarpatriot876 I disagree, people are sitting way more than intended by nature already and a bunch of health problems arise from that. Playing standing up is a win/win
@ilmisxx2 I agree that far too many people don't get enough exercise, with that said, standing with a guitar strapped to you for hours does not change that and can actually be bad for you. Kirk Hammett has talked about how it has caused him neck, back, and shoulder problems. He is not alone on that front.
One leg elevated can cause back issues in some people so most modern classical guitarists avoid it in lieu of a guitar lift (Woodside, Sageworks, Ergoplay, etc.) For electric, I would look into something like a Performaxe instead.
I prefer the pads you placed on your leg to elevate the guitar. If you play electric guitar in classical position a lot, most of the time you are sitting on the edge of your seat to avoid the guitar cable from hitting the chair. With the foot rest, it becomes very uncomfortable for your butt with one leg elevated for long sessions. The cushion for your leg allows both butt cheeks to sit evenly on your chair without one of them exerting pressure more than the other. I used a foot rest a long time, but for me, the leg cushion is much more comfortable.
I broke my left wrist in 2019, and its never had the same ability to supinate since. I primarily play bass, but i also practice guitar, and both instruments i always play at an angle, because if i play with the neck level, i cant play long without issues.
Good question. I can't give a complete opinion because I've never tried it, but it looks fun and seems like a good way to expose people to a lot of great guitar music. Most importantly, it seems like it gets people actually playing guitar. Nothing wrong with things like Guitar Hero (I had a lot of fun with it back in the day), but Rocksmith seems much more enriching since it requires one to actually play an instrument. As far as results go, I have no idea how effective it is in helping someone become a better player/musician. Have you tried it out at all?
@@ZakCharGuitarWell, me personally I have been on the guitar journey for over 5 months now, and two of those months were on Rocksmith, due to laziness and not feeling like practicing at that period... but I have improved from playing it, my hands feel more free on the fretboard after those 2 months and chords transitions got noticably faster. However I don't want myself to get attached to the game since it's not very useful for ear training and focusing on techniques, but it sure is a super fun way to learn a song and memorize it. I would say the progress I made from playing the game is because I am still very new to guitar and anything I do on the instrument is an improvement whether with or without the game. To describe it shortly, this game is an interactive guitar tablature. It also can get expensive since buying songs costs ~3$, but I would totally recommend anyone grabbing it for when you're sick of practicing and just want to jam to your favorite songs.
@slek_cs while not a comprehensive guitar system, it sounds like it does what it does pretty well. I think it would be fun to try someday. Thanks for sharing!
Guilty as charged reporting for duty. However with modeling software I have no excuse anymore I have every amp and tone a person could want and yet I still suck because my undisciplined ass won’t sit down and grind through the hours of technique to get better. Anyways off to play the four horsemen for the 9 millionth time
😂🤣😂 I can relate brother. I'll go through periods where I practice a lot, at least 2 hours a day. Only a handful of times in a few months. Starting over back where I was before I put that last stint of practice. It's been a horrible cycle. Game noticeable ground and then I regress because of my lack of discipline !!!
►►Elevate your guitar progress using 8 quick hacks with this FREE cheat sheet: subscribepage.io/VnmuOH
►►Website: zakcharguitar.com/
►►FREE RESOURCES: zakcharguitar.com/free-resources
Clear and concise, with no BS. Thanks Zak!
Glad to hear it. Thanks so much! 🎸
When I first started playing years ago I didn't even know it was called a classical position. I had seen some people doing it that way, along with some people who would have the guitar on their pick hand side. I tried both ways early on, and it was immediately evident to me that the classical position was much more comfortable, so that's what I've always done. The other way makes me feel like I'm all cramped up in a tight space.
@grants.1883 I hear ya. I occasionally switch to the more casual position, but that never lasts long before I go back to the classical position. Thanks for watching and for your comment! 🎸
Solid video and grats on 1k subs!!
@@czh2432 Thanks so much!! 🎸
Solid tip. I use mine, and it really does help, especially for building stamina for tremolo, or rapid down picking. I like to compose riffs sitting down then film myself standing up.
Absolutely. Using a footrest is especially helpful for anything where your picking hand is doing a ton of work, like with the techniques you mentioned. That's a solid process. Thanks for watching and for your comment! 🎸
Another reason to use the classical position - the arm rests on your chair get in the way if you don't. 😁
Good advice on the foot rest. It never occurred to me, but like you mentioned, I tend to prop my foot against the chair leg, and it gets strained after awhile. I think I will get a foot rest. Thanks.
Haha so true about the armrest problem! No problem. Hopefully it serves you well! Thanks for watching and for the comment, friend! 🎸
I have osteoarthritis in my left elbow and had problems with playing for years when trying to play in the"normal" seated position. My elbow would get tingly and it would radiate down my arm until after a while my hand would cramp up and i had to stop playing. I had seen alot of people play in the classical position so I gave it a try one day. It was a night and day difference, it was so much more comfortable and caused less pain and numbness in my arm. I now use exclusively when playing. Also with your use of words like suboptimal, science based and flexion you're half way to having a channel about body building.
@danielarnold8344 it's pretty cool to see one simple change make such a big difference. And yes, I enjoy lifting weights and have done a good amount of research on that kind of stuff, so I appreciate your comment about that. It's handy to have that lens to pull from whenever there's crossover between that world and the guitar world. Thanks for watching and for your comment! 🎸
I loved this tip 8:01 and I have to admit you do look professional sitting in that classical pos 😂😂
😂🤘🎸
I’ve had the foot rest for a year now and it’s one of the best purchases I’ve made. I’m new to guitar as I’m a drummer and all of my guitarist friends are dumbfounded when they discover this thing in my studio room. Lol
Paused the video just to order the foot stool. Thanks, Zak. I get so uncomfortable so quick when I'm playing my heavy 7 string and I already KNOW that it's because I don't have one of these.
@@TheSaintedOne I hope it helps! Thanks for watching and for your comment! 🎸
Great Video and tips, Zak! If you wanna take this to the next level, check out a guitar rest Cushion or a performaxe
@DeweyJHall1 Thanks, man! I'll have to check those out. Thanks for watching! 🎸
@@ZakCharGuitar Welcome man!
Or... Hear me out... Practice with a strap standing up as much as you can since that's the way you will play live
Standing is definitely the way to go when training for a live situation. You pull out the ancient "power stance" technique, and you're on your way to rock stardom. Thanks for watching! 🎸
@@ZakCharGuitar you can also get the guitar to hang in the classical position, seen Tim Pierce do it all the time. The only way I would get one of those stools is if I played/performed on classical guitar only
No doubt. With that said, alot of people have no intention of playing live on a stage. For those who do, it is great advice. For those who don't, get a good stool and footrest. As a guy who plays alot of Classical guitar, I notice alot of guitar players who have poor body positioning while playing seated. He hit the nail on the head in the video about resting the guitar on the weakside leg and having a good stool and footrest. I think alot of guitarists, especially beginners, could learn alot from Classical guitarists on this front.
@@lonestarpatriot876 I disagree, people are sitting way more than intended by nature already and a bunch of health problems arise from that. Playing standing up is a win/win
@ilmisxx2 I agree that far too many people don't get enough exercise, with that said, standing with a guitar strapped to you for hours does not change that and can actually be bad for you. Kirk Hammett has talked about how it has caused him neck, back, and shoulder problems. He is not alone on that front.
I have this actually and use it just cus im getting old and my foot fall asleeps so putting it up helps with circulation for me
One leg elevated can cause back issues in some people so most modern classical guitarists avoid it in lieu of a guitar lift (Woodside, Sageworks, Ergoplay, etc.) For electric, I would look into something like a Performaxe instead.
I prefer the pads you placed on your leg to elevate the guitar. If you play electric guitar in classical position a lot, most of the time you are sitting on the edge of your seat to avoid the guitar cable from hitting the chair. With the foot rest, it becomes very uncomfortable for your butt with one leg elevated for long sessions. The cushion for your leg allows both butt cheeks to sit evenly on your chair without one of them exerting pressure more than the other. I used a foot rest a long time, but for me, the leg cushion is much more comfortable.
I broke my left wrist in 2019, and its never had the same ability to supinate since. I primarily play bass, but i also practice guitar, and both instruments i always play at an angle, because if i play with the neck level, i cant play long without issues.
I have an out of pocket comment but what are your thoughts on Rocksmith 2014?
Good question. I can't give a complete opinion because I've never tried it, but it looks fun and seems like a good way to expose people to a lot of great guitar music. Most importantly, it seems like it gets people actually playing guitar. Nothing wrong with things like Guitar Hero (I had a lot of fun with it back in the day), but Rocksmith seems much more enriching since it requires one to actually play an instrument. As far as results go, I have no idea how effective it is in helping someone become a better player/musician. Have you tried it out at all?
@@ZakCharGuitarWell, me personally I have been on the guitar journey for over 5 months now, and two of those months were on Rocksmith, due to laziness and not feeling like practicing at that period... but I have improved from playing it, my hands feel more free on the fretboard after those 2 months and chords transitions got noticably faster. However I don't want myself to get attached to the game since it's not very useful for ear training and focusing on techniques, but it sure is a super fun way to learn a song and memorize it. I would say the progress I made from playing the game is because I am still very new to guitar and anything I do on the instrument is an improvement whether with or without the game. To describe it shortly, this game is an interactive guitar tablature. It also can get expensive since buying songs costs ~3$, but I would totally recommend anyone grabbing it for when you're sick of practicing and just want to jam to your favorite songs.
@slek_cs while not a comprehensive guitar system, it sounds like it does what it does pretty well. I think it would be fun to try someday. Thanks for sharing!
Great advice brother. Get a good stool, footrest, and learn how to play in the classical position!
@@lonestarpatriot876 Exactly! Thanks for watching and for your comment! 🎸
Guilty as charged reporting for duty. However with modeling software I have no excuse anymore I have every amp and tone a person could want and yet I still suck because my undisciplined ass won’t sit down and grind through the hours of technique to get better. Anyways off to play the four horsemen for the 9 millionth time
😂🤣😂 I can relate brother. I'll go through periods where I practice a lot, at least 2 hours a day. Only a handful of times in a few months. Starting over back where I was before I put that last stint of practice. It's been a horrible cycle. Game noticeable ground and then I regress because of my lack of discipline !!!
@@longshankdrills8799exactly
Ok but what if I want a foot rest that's HEAVY metal?
Okay but its mostly of metal, already