Getting your hands into the correct position is fairly easy. Simply follow the steps with images below:
1. Extend your left hand with your palm facing upwards.
2. Make a loose fist, placing your thumb roughly between your first and second fingers.
3. Make sure that your knuckles are bent.
4. Remember how your left hand looks like. It should look the same when you place guitar neck in it.
5. Your thumb should be placed right in the middle of the back of the guitar neck.
6. Position your fingers in way that one finger is assigned to one fret.
7. To fret a note, use the tips of your fingers. Your fingertips should come down vertically on the string to prevent muting and buzzing which is usually caused when the sides of your fingers touch the adjacent strings. Use your thumb at the back of the neck to get a tighter grip of the fingerboard.
8. Keep your upper arm and forearm parallel to the side of your body. Relax your elbow so that it stays at your side.
Positioning your thumb
There are some who consider it a bad habit to see a thumb hanging over the top of the fretboard while others actually utilize the thumb to fret the 6th string. Thus, it is a common point of argument among guitarists about where your left thumb should be positioned.
Positioning your thumb at the middle of the back of the guitar neck exerts the greatest pressure on the string and encourages independent movement of your fretting fingers. This thumb positioning was highly influenced by the classical-guitar tradition. Also, this is commonly used by electric guitarists so achieve a faster and easier fingering movement. However, there will be instances that you need to use your thumb to fret a note on the 6th string to make a variation of a chord.
Personally, I use both depending on the situation but for newbies, place your thumb at the middle portion so that your finger will get use to the pressure. As you get better with your fretting and your fingers become stronger, you should try experimenting using your thumb to fret the 6th string to play certain chords. Just avoid having your thumb running parallel to the fretboard as shown in the image below:
Left-hand fretting requires strength, a lot of patience, and takes time to master. So don’t be tempted to try speeding up the process of strengthening your hands through artificial means as nothing can help you build your lefthand fretting strength better or faster than simply playing guitar. Also, take frequent “drop-shoulder” breaks to relax your shoulder which has a tendency to rise up to compensate for the strength exerted during fretting. If you feel that your hand already hurts, simply stop playing and take a rest for while.
Right hand position (Strumming/Picking hand)
The photo below shows the proper position of your right hand.
Notice that the forearm rests on the upper bout of the guitar and crosses the strings at about a 60-degree angle. This position is good for playing with a pick.
When strumming, strike the strings with your pick by using wrist and elbow motion. When playing lead or picking single notes, you only need to use your wrist and you may support your right hand by placing the second and third fingers on the body of the guitar. Don't grip the pick too tightly as you play. If you are playing an acoustic guitar, pick the strings over the sound hole as this makes the best sound.
In fingerstyle playing, you play the guitar by plucking the strings with your individual right-hand fingers. The thumb plays the bass, or low, strings, and the fingers play the treble, or high, strings. To comfortable do this and to be able to pluck the strings better, simply turn your right hand more perpendicular to the strings.
If you are left-handed, simply swap everything that is described here around.
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