Press next to the fret!

When you are playing the guitar you should press slightly next to the fret toward the nut-not directly on the fret. Guitar strings produce sound when they are supported at two points and plucked. When you press the string between frets, the hard metallic fret becomes one of the support points. If you press directly over the fret the soft flesh of your fingertip will prevent reverberation, resulting in a murky sound.

Learning chords

What is the best way to learn to play chords with ease?

The only way to learn is to practice. Unfortunately there are no shortcuts. As you practice the barre chords your playing will become cleaner and your chord movement will also become smoother. You will only get better with practice, so keep at it!

What do capotastos do?

A capotasto ("capo") is used for a variety of purposes. For example, they are commonly used by female guitarists who want to play accompaniment when singing a song meant for a male singer. Depending on the position of the capotasto on the neck, the pitch can be raised one or two notes, allowing the guitarist to play in a key that is easier to sing in. For example, a "5 capo" that is attached to position 5 on the guitar allows the guitarist to increase the tone by two semitones or a full tone merely by moving its position-without having to change the form of his or her left hand.