Where do you look?

[Jonny]

No- not on an attractive lady's body.

But when you're playing guitar, do you stare off into space? Picturing that tablature/scene. Or do you look down at your strings?

I, for one, close my eyes. Friends say it's wrong cause I can't see the fret board. But I seem to play better not focusing on it. And I don't usually hit a wrong note, if I do. I spend 10-20 runs through it till I get it right then continue playing.

What about you?

[Twinfan]

I look at my fingers, but I'm trying to start looking in front of me i.e. into an audience.

[dave_mc]

i normally look at my fingers. or out the window if i'm feeling particularly flash.

your friends are eejits, by the way. you're aiming to be so good that you don't have to look at what you're playing...

[38thBeatle]

If it is a challenging song I do find myself looking at the fretboard but mostly I either look over the heads of the punters or I close my eyes. I play better with my eyes closed. Much of my  playing is live.

[hamfist]

It always looks good from the audience's perscpective if we don't look at our fretboard too much.
  I try to look around, at the audience, at my bandmates, eyes closed, whatever.
I look at my fingers whenever I have to do a jump in position, or a really tricky bit. All in all, I just try to keep a bit of variety in where I look, both for me, and for the audience.

[il˙ti]

When practicing: at the music sheet, occasionally at my hands.
When improvising: anywhere or nowhere.
Live: at people, at my hands, or nowhere.

[noodleplugerine]

I watch the TV, PC screen, or if nothing's on - the fretboard.

[FELINEGUITARS]

[Austin Powers voice] In the mirror baby! [/Austin Powers voice]

[Will]

I watch the TV, PC screen, or if nothing's on - the fretboard.

Pretty much the same

[Austin Powers voice] In the mirror baby! [/Austin Powers voice]

I also find that useful, if standing up, I would usually use a mirror to develop to do it without looking

for the real mirror posing stuff though, I don't look at the fretboard of my (air) guitar :P

[AndyR]

I agree with the mirror thing.

I learnt to look at the audience, and look less at the fretboard, by always practising in front of a mirror. I started out by watching my fretting in the mirror, and then imagining it when I was on stage.

I felt it was kinda important that I learnt this, because I was also the front man, so when I was singing I had to be looking outwards or "emoting" in some appropriate way! (And continue to provide all the guitar parts for a three-piece at the same time).

It also helps that I'm one of those lucky people who can stand the person who looks back at him from a mirror!  :lol:

[indysmith]

I always look at the fretboard, lol. Sometimes my eyes stray, if I'm trying to be cool and look like a rockstar, but then I never do look cool because I've hit about 5 bum notes by then.
I also can't speak to people or sing whilst playing guitar. All concentration MUST be focussed on the guitar for me, or else I suck even more than usual.

[Ratrod]

Mostly I look at my fingers on the fretboard. Then to the drummer and others. I try to look into the crowd as much as possible but that's not always that easy.

[MDV]

I always look at the fretboard, lol. Sometimes my eyes stray, if I'm trying to be cool and look like a rockstar, but then I never do look cool because I've hit about 5 bum notes by then.
I also can't speak to people or sing whilst playing guitar. All concentration MUST be focussed on the guitar for me, or else I suck even more than usual.

I used to get that. I'd try and talk and my playing would just unravel. But it just...stopped. I cant sing at all, but I can hold a conversation while playing anything that I can play now. I have no idea what happened. I just noticed one day; someone asked me something, I answered and didnt skip a beat or miss a note. It carried on that way.

Oh, I look at the fretboard most of the time, and I have to for big jumps over the neck, but dont need to for most stuff, so my eyes wander a bit.

[gwEm]

i look into the crowd when playing chords and riffs, for solos i still look at my fingers. don't quite trust myself.

[MrBump]

... what's wrong with looking at an attractive ladys body..?