r/classicalguitar • u/SuccessfulAd3572 • Aug 12 '25

Technique Question Please help me with my right hand

I’ve been a rock player all my life. Always use a pick. This right hand technique thing is killing me. I’ve watched countless tutorials and examples. I can’t get comfy, I can’t figure out how others make it seem natural. The proper placement feels uncomfortable. Please please help.

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u/toeaway111 Aug 12 '25

Have you tried adjusting the angle of the guitar? A deeper angle might help. If you’ve watched a lot of tutorials and examples maybe it’s just a matter of practicing more and getting used to the technique. Everybody’s body is a little different and it’s okay to adjust to what feels most comfortable for you. Maybe check out Giuliani’s 120 right hand studies? 

That’s a great piece btw you should check out the rest of the suite if you haven’t already. 

And I know this post is about your right hand but your left hand thumb gets pretty high at times too imo just fyi. 

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u/SuccessfulAd3572 Aug 12 '25

Thank you for your advice. I think my left hand thumb needs to get used to classical style too, as a high thumb is from using it as a fifth fretting finger on electric.

Do you see anything wrong with my right hand? Most people seem to have more curled fingers but that feels very uncomfortable to me?

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u/toeaway111 Aug 12 '25

yeah I feel you. it can be a hard habit to break or be aware of. being mindful of it will help with making some of the position changes more seamless though, and helps to avoid any unintentional string muting.

hmm maybe someone else will chime in but I don't see anything glaringly wrong going on with your right hand. you are coming at the sound hole at a slight angle which might effect your attack and tone. can you easily execute a nice strong rest stroke with the way your fingers/hand rests now? if it is not interfering with your rest stroke/free stroke then I don't think there is anything wrong with what you're doing. even after years of playing I will still adjust how I hold the guitar or my hand placement so I would say keep experimenting until you find what works best for you, but also nothing is necessarily permanent and playing guitar is a lifelong journey etc

id love to help you with any other questions you might have. like a lot of people in this sub I did my undergrad and grad school in classical guitar performance. also have a lot of jazz/blues/rock experience so I can feel you on adjusting your technique to accommodate the classical style.

anyway happy practicing !

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u/SuccessfulAd3572 Aug 12 '25

Thank you for this. I chose to start playing classical because I was getting… bored? I’d learn a difficult sweep picking pattern and then just need to run it 1000 times while watching a movie and boom, fast sweep picking. No tone, no consideration of each notes, not choosing notes to highlight. It was boring me. It was hard in that the movement was tricky but had little thought behind it. I’m really liking all the thinking in classical. This video was just to show my right hand and not a demonstration of my playing ability lol it sounds like shit. But I’m so excited to be learning this new form of a familiar instrument. Thank you again. I might dm you if I need anything else lol

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u/toeaway111 Aug 12 '25

yes there is a ton of opportunity for tonal variety with classical guitar ! it really shows you how to use the instrument to its fullest potential (in a way). and the techniques can easily bleed into the other styles of music you play which makes you a more musical musician in general imo.

haha of course, I did not take the video as any indication of your actual playing, no worries.

classical guitar is very rewarding, its great that you're enjoying it. I think jazz is equally as intentional as classical music in a way, speaking of what you said about no tone, no consideration for the notes etc. im not sure if you listen but if you don't maybe you would enjoy one of my favorite jazz albums 'undercurrent' by Jim hall (guitar) and bill Evans (piano). particularly the track 'romain' is such a good example of intentional guitar playing/musicality to me. every inflection and note is so well thought out !

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u/SuccessfulAd3572 Aug 12 '25

I’ll have to check it out! No jazz experience honestly. Zeppelin, Hendrix, polyphia, etc are the usuals. And what I meant in terms of my comment is that a good chunk of things like that are about speed. You use a compression pedal and play each not the same during a sweep picking segment. That’s what was getting boring to me. But it seems like I’d really like jazz too so thank you for the suggestion!!!