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THIS Bad Habit Can WRECK Your Fret Hand! Here's a Fix!!

🕑 Added 2024-08-10 16:20:14 +0000 UTC

Comments

Eric C

I use 8s on my hard tails, and may try it on my Floyd Rose guitars, knowing I will have to “block” the FR, and reduce the tension on the springs. I have an Amato LP that is blocked, and may give it a try.

Eric C

Great advice. But this is also a function of the variable fret height of each fret, and its wear pattern, and is going to be different on each guitar. An exercise I do is to play notes and chords with my thumb completely off the neck using only the strength and touch in my fingers. This has helped me with the death grip bad habit! Give it a try!!!

E-Rex

Excellent advice -Thanks!

The longest Jan

Thanks for the video, really need to work on this. By the way, what string gauge do you play? I recently changed from 10 to 9, that helps quite a bit but I still tend to press too hard.

Ryne G. Schuler

We could all use a reminder about this from time to time. Thank you

Diego U

Next video: String skipping à la Paul Gilbert

Gregory Taylor

Really timely…I’ve been trying to work on this for a while. I make progress but the death grip ultimately returns…. I think that part of my issue is that my first guitar was an Ibanez from the ‘70s that has very low and wide frets. It does not penalize you by going sharp when you over-fret. This is a really good video.

William Hernandez

This is a game changer for me....thank you. the best part of this is that no matter what your style or skill level it will be helpful.

Thom Marz

Great video with loads of brilliant explanations and advice. ✊ In a live stream of GI there was the issue of pull offs being plucked in contrast to brushing the strings. That helped my touch immensely. 😁

Marty

I really need to practice this. Been playing for somewhere in the 25 year range and I still push too hard. Thanks Ben. Excited to find the pressure point that works for me. 🤘🏻

Paul K.

I second this!

Paul Jones

I feel like Phoebe in Friends, with the claw chord. This is the medicine my Darth Vader force grip needed.

Tim Reese

Thanks Uncle Ben! Yes I know I need to improve this. I’ve known it before and then I completely forget about it. Another suggestion for a video. Holding on to the pick too hard stiffens the wrist and makes speed work slow down

Brock Sirmons

Uncle Ben, do you have any advice for the thumb on back of the neck? I was doing Bernth’s 5 minute legato workout and my thumb was extremely sore afterwards and had to rest for like 10 minutes until the pain went away. I experience more thumb pain at times than the fingers.

Jamie Lodberg

Thanks uncle Ben!! My left pointy hand finger has sustained damage over the past year, since I started playing again after a 15 year break. I’ve been pressing too hard for sure. And plus I’m all old now, so there’s that too. This is going to help reduce digit damage from my fiddle playing as well 🎻☝🏻 Do like Uncle Ben says, kids, and protect those mitts! 50-year old you will thank you 👨‍🦳

adrian

Just wondering about the picking hand. I do anchor my fingers but when I try to pic with a closed hand especially down slanting the pick, my finger nails brush the other strings. With distortion, the scratching gets picked up . When I anchor them they are out of the way. I was wondering how you get round this. Cheers Ben. Ps I use hss, the middle pick does get in the way but I can't lower it as I use it and prefer the sounds with this setup.

Pat

Thanks uncle Ben, but how about some help with the strumming feel like when I try and play something fast dig into the strings way to hard and deep, that sounds step dad dirty

Alberto Giachetti

Thank you so much, this is extremely helpful. Chris Brooks also talks about something similar in one of his methods. You two guys are a real blessing for all aspiring guitarists

Chris K.

This is great, UB! Have you ever done a video on right hand technique related to the “anchor vs float” options? In watching this video, I noticed how smoothly your right hand moves between the high and low E strings. It’s something I've always struggled with despite my step-dad's best intentions. Thanks, UB!