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Conditioning Your Left Hand

Your First Encounter - You've just had your first encounter with the guitar. The first time you pick up a guitar, it feels very uncomfortable. That's the way it is for everyone. It's hard to imagine that you will ever be comfortable with the guitar, but if you follow these instructions on how to condition your left hand, you will.

These conditioning steps are based on keeping your hand still, in a fixed position. Think of it as yoga -- for your hands.

Do these exercises as you're for watching TV. They don't require any thought or concentration. Remember to use a chair with no arms.

In this next set of exercises, don't worry if your hand posture looks different from mine. Especially don't worry about how you place your thumb on the back of the neck. Place your thumb wherever it is comfortable -- experiment. Worry about refining your hand postures later.

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