Guitar - Thumb position

Subject: RE: Guitar - Thumb position
From: Pseudolus
Date: 05 Dec 01 - 12:13 PM

I tried playing my guitar with my thumb behind my neck but all of the chords sounded the same....you all are amazing!!! *BG*

Frank

Subject: RE: Guitar - Thumb position
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 05 Dec 01 - 12:26 PM

"it's a treat to have all this from the horse's mouth" - this would be the horse that Big Bill Broonzy said he'd never heard sing...

Subject: RE: Guitar - Thumb position
From: 53
Date: 05 Dec 01 - 08:59 PM

you have to move your thumb according to the chords or the lead that you areplaying. BOB

Subject: RE: Guitar - Thumb position
From: GUEST,Misato
Date: 13 Dec 11 - 04:52 AM

This is a great topic about playing the Guitar. I sort of believe the 'whatever feels comfortable' school of thought. I am just now trying to learn to play the guitar, and my instructor is one of those 'we have to go by the book' people.

The thing is, placing the thumb on the middle of the back of the neck feels very uncomfortable. I still can't place my thumb in the so called 'proper' way.

Something I have noticed about the famous guitar players when I watch their thumb placement, is that a whole lot of them wrap their thumb around the neck, or hook it along the top of the neck, and a few other bad positions that would really through my instructor for a loop.

He insist that there is only one way to place the thumb, and it has to be the most uncortable placement there is, and says you have to place the thumb that way if you want to be good at playing the guitar.

Well, I'm sorry, but that just doesn't wash. There are a lot of well known guitar players that are better than me and my instuctor put together, who don't place their thumn anywhere near the back of the neck.

This leads me to believe that the thumb placement myth was debunked a long time ago, and instructors who are like mine need to quit spreading this old wives tale about thumb placement.

Subject: RE: Guitar - Thumb position
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Dec 11 - 06:36 AM

It depends on the guitar position also. With a classical hold the thumb in the middle of the back of the neck is easy. With a dreadnaught held on the right knee it's virtually impossible.


Stu

Subject: RE: Guitar - Thumb position
From: Tunesmith
Date: 13 Dec 11 - 07:55 AM

Well, the bottom line is that you need to develop a technique that will best serve the music that you want to play.
Placing your thumb behind the neck does allow free - economic - movement of the left hand fingers.
Older rock guitarist ( think Clapton) rarely use their left hand pinky when soloing, but modern players ( think Steve Vai ) are four finger players.
A complete guitarist should train themselves to adopt whatever position best serves the music that are playing.
I've no doubt that -theoretically - placing the left hand thumb behind the neck would make for faster, more fluent playing of fiddle tunes, for example.
Some great, great players ( Charlie Christian, for example) didn't use their left hand pinky when soloing but managed just fine; well, he managed a lot better than fine. He was fantastic!

Subject: RE: Guitar - Thumb position
From: The Sandman
Date: 13 Dec 11 - 07:58 AM

the thumb should be able to move as you change chords , end of story