Question:
I've been trying to pick up guitar lately but I feel like the 10+ years of violin playing have trained me to be confined to a certain left hand position (usually gracefully arched) and it's soo hard for me to adjust to the more casual, gripping of the guitar with my left hand and reach all the strings with different fingers. It's also hard adjusting to the bigger finger board. Has anyone else found this to be difficult as well? It's so frustrating and i dont know what I can do to adjust to the guitar.Guitar Nerd Answer:
I have the exact opposite problem! I have been trying to casually learn violin, but my 12 years of guitar won't let my hand hold the violin properly! It's too small, lol!
Anyway, one thing I could suggest is to place your thumb on the middle of the back of the neck, pointing up. (I tell students to give the guitar a "thumbs up") Don't wrap your hand around the guitar (don't hold it like a baseball bat!) but let your fingers curl around and use your finger tips. Your palm shouldn't touch the neck, just your thumb and your finger tips. (This, of course can be disputed, but is how classical guitarists play) This should allow you to reach the farthest string quite easily.
Hope this helps!
