Are You Playing Guitar Too Hard? Let's Talk Finger Pressure

#guitar #banjo #bluegrassbanjo #acousticguitar #mandolin #playingguitar #learnguitar
You're fretting your instrument too hard, and I can prove it. In this lesson we'll learn why it's important to examine our finger pressure, audit & correct our pressure, then end with some exercises to build finger strength!
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0:00 Lesson Preview
2:04 Why is Pressure Important?
9:00 Let's Audit

[@johnfoti7956]

Great video. I've been playing since i was 9. Im 76 now. I learned this through all my years of playing. But...if your hand is fatigued..you will develope bad habits. I play when Im feeling good. Unfortunately now my left hand has arthritis. But i still play everyday. I will never stop playing my beautiful instruments. Thanks.

[@user-ev9mf8lp2d]

Speaking about arthritis holy crap man my hands are all messed up they go numb all the time because I broke my back and fractured my neck and accident so that I have to go numb all the time I can't hold the pick half the time but I'll never quit playing in fact I just ended up buying extra guitars the other day cuz I can't stop man I'm addicted is there something about it it's just real special to me somehow I got all this sounds in my head I have to come out or I'll go crazy and the only way they can come out is through the guitar rock and roll

[@luvbgrass]

I'm 60 years old. Been playing guitar since I was 12. When my dad started teaching me I was playing an old Harmony guitar with a pretty high action. Therefor I developed a heavy fretting hand and even to this day I know I fret harder than I need to but can't break the habit. Maybe I need to work on it more. The big thing is.... never start out on an instrument that has a bad setup. It will stay with you for years like it has me. Thanks for a good lesson Ben. Kenny is a great picker too! EE

[@BanjoBen]

Yeah, sometimes folks have to just work with what they have, though. That's how I started. These days it's quite amazing how cheaply you can acquire an instrument that is set up satisfactorily.

[@peterwerner835]

Same for me. Started with Sears Silvertone (Harmony or Kay) in 1965. Really had to mash the strings down. I still have a 1944 Harmony I Play occasionally. This one plays pretty well but but no volume. Cool funky tone tho. This lesson helps alot. I think I've carried that bad habit with me.

[@leealsing7979]

I’m pretty sure I have that same guitar!

[@luvbgrass]

😂

[@peckinggirl]

>£

[@motokev2727]

I remember watching a guy play at a music store. His fingers were just floating around the neck. I always remembered that and try to remind myself to play lightly.

[@dewardroy6531]

When I was first learning guitar, all the chord shapes were new; my fingers were entirely unused to what I was asking of them. In order to hold my fingers where I wanted them to be, I held them down tightly, too tightly. 100% agree with everything you’re saying, but I want to add that little bit. Unlearning bad/incorrect habits takes a too long time, and then the time to re-learn correctly. Learning correct technique does take time, but the alternative takes 3 or 4 times as long and, as you say, can be very harmful. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, knowledge and experience.👍

[@BurninSven1]

My guitar teacher told me to remove the thumb from the backside of the neck and only use the fingers to learn how soft you have to push down your fingers on the finger board in reality to get a clean note or chord.

[@jeffbosch1697]

But if you don't support the neck, wouldn't pressing the strings tend to push the neck back, away from the fretting hand, unless you support the guitar with pressure from the other arm? Would that in turn potentially cause limitations or issues with the picking/strumming arm?

[@NoLefTurnUnStoned.]

@@jeffbosch1697 I think they were suggesting it as an exercise and not an actual playing technique.

[@gtrshrdr729]

Great lesson! I remember after having my first guitar called a "Stradolin," my grandmother realized I was serious about learning to play and bought me an upgrade that was much more playable. I was about 13 then. I had become so used to the bad setup on my first guitar that I remember my teacher telling me "you don't have to press so hard now, you have a much better guitar." I was actually still pressing the strings so hard during the lesson that all the notes I played were going sharp!

[@flylippfantom8425]

I'm 61 Harmony was my first guitar and it took me awhile to stop pressing hard. It's hard to undo a bad habit and make it right

[@RickMcCargar]

I never knew we should be fretting directly behind the fret..thanks. One other thing. If the string action is lower, there is also less distance up/down to have to cover to make the note ring...distance is speed.

[@johnpearson429]

Man I've always said music isn't a sport but the way you put it makes great sense! I got a new American professional stratocaster in 2020 and the frets are showing really bad fretwear, I'm heavy handed but I will now start working on that and my speed has definitely picked up

[@almccallie4314]

It is absolutely the key to velocity…

[@Southernguitar74]

If you are aware of Bob Minner, simply watching him play is like taking a masterclass in this very subject…Great video, Ben. A very light touch is vital for clean speed. It also drastically reduces hand fatigue, which is very helpful when playing 3 hour sets. Thanks

[@BanjoBen]

Yep, ol' Bob is a friend of mine, super great picker.

[@Southernguitar74]

@@BanjoBen yes he is. Super clean and tasteful. I really like his playing.

[@Santaheckler]

This is why I like electric guitars with jumbo frets and acoustic guitars with lighter strings. They make me control the pressure so I don’t go sharp. Helped me a ton!

[@roblowry5676]

That's interesting, maybe a good thing for me to do would be to have a jumble threaded or a scalloped guitar playing around and spend about an hour on it each week. From a complete other angle, I know that when I play on a bass for a while, I go to pick up my guitar and I just play so relaxed and it seems so easy.

[@Santaheckler]

@@roblowry5676 that makes sense. I accidentally discovered the jumbo frets thing when I bought my American Special Telecaster. I bough it online and hadn’t known about the frets, I was used to medium jumbo like most guitars are. So when I got the jumbos I didn’t bond with them at first. But when I relaxed my fingers I realized the advantages of them. I also find bending on them is easier bc I can get my fingers on the sides of the strings much easier, sort of “dig in” without pressing so hard.

[@PR-BEACHBOY]

I’m 73 as of last week. I received my first guitar at approximately 10 years old. It was either a Harmony or a Stella arch top I can’t be sure. My parents didn’t know that guitars came in both right and left handed. I’m left handed and as such the guitar teacher didn’t recognize that and forced me to hold the guitar as a right-handed player would. Long story but I won’t go on with it. The action on the guitar was so high you could’ve driven a truck under the strings. Needless to say I have a very strong grip on the neck. I appreciate your video see and I will do my best to be aware of my grip. I have 27 guitars of varying styles and will experiment with fretting. Thanks!

[@user-nk8yg1db8o]

😂

[@lindamorgan2678]

Do you know your brain builds dendrites if you learn to do something to make yourself ambidextrous. Even brushing your hair or teeth or throwing something in the trash can. Learning in later years also helps so you do not get cognitive impairment. Dancing and musical instruments are great that is why I bought a guitar after not playing for 45 years and a clarinet. So you did good things for your brain by the music teacher not knowing you were left handed :- )

[@dinkaboutit4228]

The best guitar player I know has no calluses on the fingertips of his left hand. Like, none. He made me examine them while explaining about only pressing as hard as you need to to make the note ring, and only fretting while the note is ringing...

[@BanjoBen]

Did he play acoustic?

[@loumulkern2724]

@@BanjoBen I'd venture to say no...

[@dinkaboutit4228]

@@loumulkern2724 He plays everything.🤮Mostly when I'm hanging out with him we play acoustic.

[@schincat]

Great lesson.

[@kendylhoudyshell1399]

Great lesson Ben!!! Have a wonderful weekend ❤

[@paulalbert4946]

Great video Thank you!

[@rogertinker1813]

Great lesson, I'm very grateful

[@p7g498]

had a luthier here in sarasota setup my sg a couple years ago to the point it plays itself. He talked a lot about the pressure on the strings and just shallow touching the string with the pick. it has changed my playing for the better. great subject that is completely overlooked. with practice and patience. it. will help a lot. great video bro!!! thanks for posting

[@stevegunn9971]

I just realized I'm trying to strangle the thing. Great video, thanks!

[@flynnlizzy5469]

Dang it, here all this time, I thought that it took MORE pressure if I played closer to the fret bar. so I always played it in the middle. I thought this for over 50 years too. Thanks Ben !

[@dougbrownpee]

Great lesson,i been playing way to hard for 40y years, knew it tried to back off but thought I had to put everything in it plus the kitchen sink, walked through video now easing off thank you.

[@lornews1]

I wear out the fret crowns really fast. My 2002 HD-28 frets are only .025 high now and the lower they get the harder I seem to fret. Time for new frets. This is a great lesson. I'm going to work on these things. Thanks Ben!

[@jayschoenike7759]

Thank you, yes, an interesting subject. Makes sense. I, like John below, have been playing since I was around 9 y/o, and now I am in my sixties. I also play every day. It is my passion too. Very cool.. thx

[@fischman26-China]

Important video. I learned on high action and a fat neck. I am still learning to play as lightly as possible. It is taking me years and as a hard strummer, learning to play lightly is quite difficult for me. Thanks for sharing.

[@cugir321]

This is probably the most important lesson a person can concentrate on to go from intermediate to pro. Pro Jazz players do the same thing except they say instead of using a heavy pick hand use the volume control. Work it on a guitar that's harder to play and your well set up guitars will be a breeze.

[@lindamorgan2678]

I can hardly wait to try this ! I am going to lighter strings also so good timing thanks !

[@leighcecil3322]

Great 👌 tips 🇦🇺 your probably right.. I've back Off ...& Relaxing my shoulder 👍

[@MARTILOU]

Great lesson .as far as the sports thought ive had it for some time music playing with others is ateam effort and when you take abreak you are making. Pre defined play within a set preset boundry This is from a non sport fan...

[@jeffro.]

I've been playing for awhile, too. I've noticed how some things i can play automatically without even thinking about it. Periodically, I'll go through and play things slowly and deliberately, just for that reason: to see if there's something i can improve on. Over the years, I've discovered some wonderful improvements that i was able to make, things that, when i was learning the song (or lick), i never would've dreamed of! I was just so happy to even be playing it in the first place (after i "got" it). But later, i was able to add some cool stuff to it! So, now i do it more regularly. For the most part, i practice on an acoustic guitar. I know i should play my Classical guitar more often, and i intend to. But of of the reasons why I mostly practice on acoustic is to keep my hands strong. I'm 68 now, so it's not as easy to keep them strong as when i was young! But, I'm not sure that i play too hard, i try not to.

[@Greg-fi8zw]

Great Lesson. I know I do this on my Mandolin. Can't wait to see The Purple Hulls at Silver Dollar City on Wednesday the 15th! R/ Greg

[@TheTimeProphet]

I think this is important for all styles of music. I am aiming to play lighter too.

[@andyderby150]

I worked back breaking jobs since I was 12 , now I’m 60 and I can’t bar the second fret with my index finger? Arthritis? My LP plays like butter and I still have trouble 😖frustrating!

[@user-ev9mf8lp2d]

Yeah about wearing out the frets on your guitars man I got these e a r t guitars and they are stainless steel frets and is the smartest thing I ever did That's what I'm going now I got like six of them different styles and I'm telling you these are the way to go

[@user-uo9cy2ep2h]

I have 35 years as a mechanic that needed a ultimate, death-grip for work. I've been playing 1.5 years. I absolutely guarantee that I am pushing to hard.

[@DudGolfer]

This also helps singing because the tension radiates through your hand and arm

[@BanjoBen]

You bet, helps in many ways!

[@bryantcochran5065]

I know lots of players that have gouged their fret boards from finger pressure. I only press enough to get the string to the fret, even if I'm vibratoing the string I rarely hit my fretboard with the string.

[@davidfletcher9683]

Arthritis is your worst enemy as we grow older

[@archtopp1]

I said years ago that in order to be a musician, you have to have "musical athletic prowess." Just like being an athlete, everyone can compete but not everyone will be a champion. When you watch a piano player, you realize that they are athletes and train to do what they do. That's with any instrument. Practice is training and even musicians can get injuries.

[@jesseoelbaum6843]

I'm 69 also playing several decades. With arthritis in both hands and after reconstructive thumb surgery in both hands for last 3-4 years I'm going through a relearning process. I've restrung one box with silk & steel (for standard tuning) and have switched from medium guage to lights on other instruments for altered tunings. This forces me to play more lightly in order to achieve decent tone and articulation. I hope I'll get my groove back to the point where heavier guage can be used again for a fatter sound and I can dig in like years ago. But as in the video, the physicality of playing is like a what is needed for any sport. And as we age we must sometimes accept certain limitations. I hope I'll be able to fly about the neck as 30 years ago but songs with a certain level of difficulty seem out of my reach. As the great Rev. Gary Davis said, "play what you know".

[@BanjoBen]

Hope you continue to improve on your journey!

[@user-ev9mf8lp2d]

Well I'm 65 and I started playing guitar at 9 years old because we couldn't bring my drum set from California to Oregon there was no room in the car so I ended up playing guitar when we got to Oregon and it was a harmony and the action was very high as well yep it's crazy right if we would only had a guitar that was set up right we would be probably as good as Eddie Van Halen I have about 25 6 or more guitars rock on

[@dewardroy6531]

Even with the best of teachers and the best of guitars, I cannot flatter myself to think of being anywhere near as good as EVH. That’s a mighty high bar.

[@gordyhydro5774]

Great information. Im 62yrs old trying my best to play classical guitar. Can it be the co-ordination between the left and righthand as well. I try my best to play lightly but i think i have issue with the right and left working together.

[@stonybuckner9928]

Man brother Ben!? Deep and important(heavy even👀) points I've been meaning to getting around to evaluating 👀 will kinda... So helpful now if I can consciously apply re teach myself this needed control!!! God bless

[@slicksnewonenow]

Believe it or not, even those old "Cheese Grater" guitars can be properly set-up to fret easily... Provided that the baseball bat neck is still flat. I also learned how to play on a 1947 Silvertone (or a Sherwood) that was passed down to me from my uncle. But as soon as I laid my hands on a properly set-up guitar, I had mine done right away. Over the years, I've learned how to do them myself and I even have Telecasters that I can run 12-56 gauge flat wound strings on... And they play LIKE BUTTER. Keep pickin', folks!

[@user-ev9mf8lp2d]

Now I want to play my guitar oh I'm going to go play

[@brucecook5595]

12 - 56 on a Tele? Wow!!!

[@brucecook5595]

I had 10's on one of my Tele's and can hardly bend the strings. I put 9.5's on it and it's somewhat better. But one Tele #2, I have 9.5's and it play lots easier. On my Taylor, I have 12's. Can't bend anything there. Going to, try it with .11's next.

[@TheMan-ud2wq]

Griping the fretboard is like driving in a blizard, youre not used to it so you squeeze the steering wheel. The more you do it the comfortable you are.

[@BanjoBen]

That's a great comparison.

[@dltippett]

I am trying to get into playing guitar. Is better to fret more on my fingertips or another part of my finger?

[@michaeldrevyankosr6180]

My brother in law has played accoustic guitar for 50yrs, and wanted to play one of my electric guitar’s. I always set mind up with very low action and 9-40 tension balanced strings. They require a light touch & finesse when played. My brother in law could not play it at all because he crushed the strings and was play out of tune. He gave it back and said forget it 😅

[@BanjoBen]

Haha, I've been there, too!

[@WayneChurchill-zd3pm]

Ben what strings acoustice guitar

[@robpearson9526]

It trying to be one of those people here. Great video, fundamentally. Just tighten up a little bit, and a little more breathing room between words. That’s honest advice from a random passerby😊 do what you will. Cheers

[@BanjoBen]

Ok, thanks.

[@fred4664]

Interesting lesson. Unfortunately not fretting directly behind the fret is caused by inability to stretch fingers far enough because of age and flexibility thus too much pressure is the result. Just my observation.

[@GhettoStudio4]

I am 73 and getting better at guitar. I have arthritis, working is good for it, I wish my feet were as young

[@lenwhatever4187]

Use your ears, I was looking at a better guitar because my open chords had bad tuning.... I could tell before even plugging a better guitar in that I had the same problem with it.... I didn't buy the guitar but rather have been concentrating on my finger pressure. Might have something to do with also playing a fretless bass? ;)

[@molotulo8808]

I have always told my friends, "My favorite sport is music"!

[@BanjoBen]

😂 That's good.

[@noahtenshen]

Action matters. I've never played an acoustic with low action. Never.

[@paulmitchell5349]

B B King as athlete ? Or musician .....

[@BanjoBen]

Hmm, I don't know of anything in this video that would challenge you to choose either or. The answer is yes.

[@danbgt]

B B King played with very, very light strings. I don’t know, but I am guessing he played with a very, very light touch with his fretting hand. I saw a video where Billy Gibbons is talking about meeting B B King and King played Gibbons guitar and told him he was working to hard with those heavy strings. So Gibbons actually switched to lighter strings than King used. Watching either of those guys play it looks like they are not working at all.

[@pharmerdavid1432]

@@danbgt That was in the past, BB King currently uses 10-52 strings (10-13-17-30-42-52), which is medium-heavy, not light at all.

[@Southernguitar74]

⁠​⁠@@pharmerdavid1432 That’s interesting. BB King has been dead for 9 years, so I wasn’t aware he was using any strings.

[@huffy1282]

What happened to your intro? I mis the, “ba pa da daaaa!”

[@BanjoBen]

Ha! I still usually do it, actually don't know why I didn't this time.

[@MichaelBurkhalter]

I feel like I’m hearing people say “more better” ALOT recently. Doesn’t matter what content I’m watching. I really hope it’s being said ironically cause it’s killing me

[@unclebilloutdoors136]

I seem to hear that more frequenter also!

[@BanjoBen]

Did I say that?

[@monsterram6617]

I know, right?! It's almost as bad as when people try to spell "a lot" but instead smash it together into a single "alot"... which isn't even a word!

[@BanjoBen]

@@monsterram6617 🤣

[@WayneChurchill-zd3pm]

And gage

[@chubbyoo7]

No convincing needed here. I could always tell by watching a good player.

[@robpearson9526]

Ok wait, I’m sorry but I have to point out that, at yet another sales caveat, by your own words. You point out that you over compensate for your pinky, and the very next sentence you talk about the value of your finger exercises!? 🤭 🤔

[@robpearson9526]

Just a little too much talking. Sorry, ya lost me😶

[@joecox8909]

Goodness… it’s like watching an infomercial…. Could you take any longer to get it out… pass!

[@rollin8248]

If you have nothing nice to say then shut up.

[@SuperOhdannyboy]

Great lesson.