How can I avoid my guitar strings from buzzing?

Guitar strings can buzz for a number of reasons, including strumming too hard, fretting with the pad of your finger, or changes in temperature or humidity. Here are some tips to help prevent buzzing:

Strumming

Avoid hitting the strings too hard, which can cause them to vibrate too much up and down instead of side to side.

Fretting

Make sure you're fretting with the tip of your finger, not the pad. You can also try arching your fretting hand by bringing the palm closer to the bottom of the fretboard.

Neck relief

Check the relief of your neck by fretting the first fret and the fret at the body, and listening for a ping. If you hear a ping, your neck might be too straight or back bowed, which can cause buzzing. You can try adjusting the truss rod to fix this.

Unused ends

Cover any unused ends of electrical tape to prevent ground loops.

Environmental factors

Changes in temperature, humidity, and pressure can cause buzzing, especially if the guitar has been in storage.