Press with just enough force to let the note ring clearly, and that’s it! Guitar necks come with different heights of fret wire and there are advantages and disadvantages to both tall and short frets. A neck with short frets lets the fretboard wood stop your finger from pressing any harder – but if you rely on that, you may already be pressing too hard. Not pressing too hard on the string allows your fingers to work more efficiently, and that means faster, smoother movement. That is essential for playing the way you want to sound, with good tone, in tune and in time.
Taller frets (or a scalloped fretboard) make string bending fairly easy. There’s plenty of space between the string and the fingerboard to let you get a good grip. Hammer-ons, pull-offs and the like are also easier. Taller frets might lead to intonation issues though from players pushing too hard (with no fingerboard to stop them) and making the note sharper than intended. I’ve read that going to taller frets also can present a bit of a learning curve for many players. You’ll generally get longer wear out of a taller fret and you can have it dressed more often, although a fret made with harder metal (stainless steel instead of nickel) might solve that problem.
A medium-height fret is probably a better choice for most players. The majority of guitars come with medium frets installed and most of us are quite happy to play on them. If properly installed, they can usually be dressed a few times before re-fretting or neck replacement is required. If you’re unsure about fret height, go with medium.
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Here’s the crux of the biscuit: press until the string hits the wood just enough to make a clear, buzz- free sound. You only need to form a little bridge between the bridge and the fret wire with the string… and you want that bridge to be straight, with the correct tension. If you press any harder, you are flexing the string downward and you are actually bending the note slightly! (John Lagreca points out that if you are playing a long sustained note and you hear it as a little flat, that extra pressure can push your note into the proper intonation). If your intent is to bend the note, you can get more mileage out of a lateral (sideways-on-the-neck) bend than a downward one for sure.
If you learn to use the proper amount of pressure early in your guitar playing that pressure becomes engrained in your muscle memory. You don’t need the fingerboard wood to stop you from pressing too hard, and you’ll sound great on any neck – short, medium or tall frets notwithstanding.Learning how to control the amount of pressure you use will help you play more accurately and with less effort, but more importantly, will create good habits in your playing.
Beginners tend to press way too hard on guitar strings, and this usually causes pain in their fingers and makes it difficult to play cleanly.
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In this post, we’ll take a look at some tips for finding the right amount of pressure for each string and for different types of music.
The quick answer is that you should press down just hard enough to make the note sound clean and clear. If you press too hard, the note will sound muffled or buzzy. If you don’t press hard enough, the note will sound thin and weak. A great tip is to get closer to the fret and press down just enough that the string and said fret make contact.
In general, it’s best to start with less pressure and increase it gradually as you get used to the feel of the strings.
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If you’re having trouble getting a clean sound, try pressing down a little harder, alternatively, if your fingers are starting to hurt, then you’re probably pressing too hard.
As we mentioned before, the type of music you’re playing will affect how hard you need to press down on the strings.
This is because when you’re strumming, you’re usually using a pick, and muted strings won’t matter as much since they’ll be drowned out by the other strings.
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When you’re playing lead guitar or finger-picking, however, each note is more distinct, so you’ll need to be careful not to apply too much pressure or the sound will be muffled.
In contrast, rock music is usually louder and has more distortion, so you can get away with using more pressure without losing the clarity of the notes.
Of course, these are just generalizations, and ultimately it’s up to you to experiment and find the right amount of pressure for the type of music you’re playing
I Just Got An Acoustic Guitar But It's Very Hard For Me To Press Down The Strings. Is This Normal For A Beginner?
Now that we’ve answered the question of how hard to press on guitar strings, you might be wondering where exactly you should be pressing them down.
The best way to find out is by experimenting with different positions until you find one that works for you; a good rule of thumb is to press down behind the fret, not on top of it.
This will help ensure that the string makes contact with the fret and produces a clear note that is not sharp or flat.
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I recommend every beginner to get as close to the fret metal as possible since this will help you avoid any “dead” notes (notes that don’t produce a sound).
On the other hand, this prevents unnecessary and extra pressure that you would otherwise apply if you press the strings in the middle of the fret.
This is because once the string and the fret make contact, any additional pressure will not make the note any louder or clearer, it just makes out of tune.
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The answer is no; if your fingers are hurting, it means you’re pressing too hard and you need to back off a bit.
Of course, it’s normal for your fingers to feel a little sore after playing guitar for a while, but if the pain is sharp or persistent, it’s a good idea to take a break and try again later.
If the pain is coming from the tips of your fingers, then it’s probably because you’re pressing too hard and maybe just haven’t been calloused up yet.
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A callous is a layer of skin that forms on the fingers from repeated friction, and it can take a few weeks or even months to develop.
For guitarists, this is a good thing since it means you can play for longer without your fingers hurting or bothering you in any way.
Now, if the pain is coming from the joint of your finger (where it bends), however, then it’s a sign that you might be holding the guitar strings too tightly.
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Lastly, you might also experience some pain in your wrist, and if that’s the case, then it’s probably because you’re not using the proper technique.
If you have any pain in your arms or shoulders, stop playing immediately and consult a doctor; this could be a sign of nerve damage and it’s not something to be taken lightly.
In this section, we’re going to take a look at some of the most common mistakes people make and how to fix them.
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If you’re not using the right amount of pressure, it’s likely that you’re not getting a clear sound or that your fingers are slipping off the strings.
A good rule of thumb is to press until you see that both the string and the fret metal are making contact.
You should also make sure that you’re not using too much pressure, as this can make the strings sound muted or even worse out of tune.
Can't Seem To Be Able To Press Down Multiple Strings With One Finger, What Am I Doing Wrong With My Hand?
This is a common problem for beginners, and it can be easily fixed, if the action on your guitar is too high, you’ll have a hard time pressing down on the strings, which will make it difficult to get a clear sound.
For beginners this often the case, since we all tend to buy low-cost guitars when we first start, which unfortunately often have bad factory settings due to little to no quality control.
If you have never done this, I strongly recommend you take your guitar to a qualified technician and have them lower the action for you.
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Old and rusty strings can make it difficult to press down on the fretboard, which in turn can make it hard to get a clear sound.
If this is the case, then it’s probably time to change your strings as new strings will make a world of difference to your sound and are much easier to press down.
On the other hand, if you’re a beginner, it’s very likely that you haven’t used your strings that much and so the problem lies elsewhere.
It's Really Hard To Press My Acoustic Guitar Strings And I Can't Figure Out Why
The gauge of strings you use will have a big impact on how easy they are to press down, if you’re using strings that are too thick, it’s likely that you’re finding it difficult to press them down, as they require more pressure.
On the other hand, if you’re using strings that are too thin, it’s likely that they’re slipping off the fretboard or that they’re going out of tune quickly.
It’s important to
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