I have a question about how my thumb is usually at the top or sometimes goes over the neck. I have heard that it's best to try and keep your thumb behind, and near the middle of the neck, but I find that rather uncomfortable. Only sometimes does this affect my playing, so I was wondering if someone could help me out...?
If it doesn't cause a problem, and your fingers are coming down vertically on the neck, then I wouldn't worry about it. It's only when you want to do something complicated that the position of the thumb really becomes an issue - until then its job is to stop the neck going too far backwards when you fret some notes.
Best,
A :-)
"Be good at what you can do" - Fingerbanger"
I have always felt that it is better to do what is beautiful than what is 'right'" - Eliot Fisk
Wedding music and guitar lessons in Essex. Listen at: http://www.rollmopmusic.co.uk
You only have to be worried about thumb position if you play classical guitar. Otherwise, just do whatever feels comfortable.
At this time I would like to tell you that NO MATTER WHAT...IT IS WITH GOD. HE IS GRACIOUS AND MERCIFUL. HIS WAY IS IN LOVE, THROUGH WHICH WE ALL ARE. IT IS TRULY -- A LOVE SUPREME --. John Coltrane
depending on what kind of chords you want to play....
with regular open chords my thumb tends to rest over the top or nearly so..it doesnt feel wrong.
however, when barreing a chord it is best to have your thumb behind the neck with the tip pointing towards the headstock. that way you have maximum pressure and control without undue pain or discomfort.
My problem is that I can't play chords with my thumb over the neck because I have short stubby fingers so i keep it in the middle of the neck, but it starts cramping after only a few minutes of playing...I'm chalking it up to the fact that I need to put some practice time in though
"I use heavy strings, tune low, play hard and floor it. Floor it, that's a technical term." - SRV
yep. practice will strengthen the hand muscles .
after awhile it will all feel second nature.
just dont worry or overthink stuff.
play with feeling. that's what I say.
everything else will follow.
best wishes
I was getting stressed about my thumb position as well, then I happened to see a Roy Orbison special on PBS and watched what he was doing with his left hand.
His thumb was visible above the guitar neck for most of the chords that he was playing.
He even used his thumb a couple of times as part of a barre (thumb barring the E and A string, index finger barring the other 4 strings).
I'm sure that isn't what any teacher would recommend, but whatever works for ya, I suppose.
I wrapped a newspaper ’round my head
So I looked like I was deep
I often barre with the thumb over the neck.
well, not really a true barre.
instead of a full barre I use this technique.
form an F chord (non barre form). place thumb over neck and catch the E string.
strum all rings except 5.
using this form you can play all the chords up the neck.
first fret is F
third fret is G
fifth fret is A etc.
many ,many players play chords this way. including Roy.
My thumb changes position depending on the chords I play.
Barre chords often mean my thumb will be in the middle of the neck, whereas say, the Open Dmaj chord will have my thumb over the top of the neck.
From little things big things grow - Paul Kelly
My thumb changes position depending on the chords I play.
Mine too, thats why I didn't know if I was right or wrong.
Here's some stills of the Orbison concert that I was talking about.
The first 2 show Roy, and Bruce Springsteen using the thumb to do a "reach-around" and fret part of the chord on the low E string.
The third one shows that Roy doesn't believe that the thumb has to be hiding behind the neck.
I wrapped a newspaper ’round my head
So I looked like I was deep
