How do you play higher fret on a guitar without looking?

Question:I've been playing classical guitar for a little while, and I have trouble moving between positions without looking at my hand. Shifting up or down one position is ok, but if i'm moving from 1st to say 4th...then I'm completely messed up trying to read the music and hand at the same time. So far, I've only been able to avoid the problem by memorizing the piece (which is difficult, provided that I have bad memory and there are too many pieces).

But I look at the other "professional players", and they don't seem to have this problem, even if its their first time reading through the music. How do they do it?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: I've been playing classical guitar for a little while, and I have trouble moving between positions without looking at my hand. Shifting up or down one position is ok, but if i'm moving from 1st to say 4th...then I'm completely messed up trying to read the music and hand at the same time. So far, I've only been able to avoid the problem by memorizing the piece (which is difficult, provided that I have bad memory and there are too many pieces).

But I look at the other "professional players", and they don't seem to have this problem, even if its their first time reading through the music. How do they do it?

Mostly playing any musical instrument is about muscle memory. Probably a good approach would be to take the shift out of the music and just play back and forth between the position shift many many many many times. Repetition will help with not looking EVENTUALLY. It won't happen over night but each time you do this it will get a little teeny bit easier!

Practice each possible shift so that when it happens in the music you won't need to think about it!

You need to feel the frets and after a while you will naturally judge the distance.

spend more time just jammin on your axe and less time reading music.

Orangecup,

In all honesty I've been playing for some 30+ years and sometimes still find myself taking quick glances at the fret board. Don't feel bad you're not the only one. Even if they're relatively simple pieces like 'Blackbird' or 'Romanza' I'll still look time to time. I think it is more important to get the notes right not how you do it.

Peace, Alan K.