I really wish I would've watched this 2 years ago when I started playing guitar so I wouldn't have bad habits that I now have to fix. My advice to anyone reading is just this: Learn how to play right and form good habits so you dont have to come back down the road and do what I'm doing.
Honestly if you've built up bad habits you'd be surprised how quickly it takes to break them if you just focus. But also, even if you're not using "proper technique" it doesnt mean you cant play something that will wow someone, or that expresses yourself. As long as you're not hurting yourself with your form, theres not much reason to worry too much about it imo
I can't belive this video helped me out so much. I've been playing since 2001, and the past years haven't at all. Now that I'm back I watched this, looked to restrength my basics, started playing around with my thumb position, and one simple change has ended the usual strains I get from certain scales. Thanks!!!
A great tutorial. Short, sweet, and to the point. A lot of instructors waste so much time talking about tangential information. This gentleman is right on point. Thumb placement has been a major problem for me as a beginner. I love the way he demonstrates using the pad of your thumb and how to avoid positions that will slow down your Mastery and ultimately damage your thumb. Great job.
1:12 is the low position my last guitar teacher told me I should always have it. I didn't realize that it didn't really need to be that way, depending on hand size or fret board type. He always told me, thumb should align the index finger behind the fret rod of the fret position being used, yet most on youtube are saying thumb should be between the index and middle finger. It all just feels confusing and controversial now.
The thumb position helps, but everyone who is starting out I want to add that keep the frist of your fretting hand straight (only acception are certain barre chords). Hang the guitar in an angle so that the neck points more upwards to keep your wrist straight and for easy access to the higher frets. If it's very hard and painful to play chords in the first few frets, check the distance between the first fret and the open strings with a business card. If it there is enough space to fall through, work on the nutslots or have someone do it for you. With a good string action, playing is bliss. All worth it and you can do a lot yourself, just find the videos online. Play, play, play!^^
Cool. I have average or slightly below average hands (a little over 7 inches from the bottom of my palm to the tip of my middle finger. I found that I am having difficulties when it came to chords that require stretching out to 4 frets (especially since I primarily play a nylon string guitar which has a wider fretboard than steel string and electric guitars). Lowering my thumb position for those chords really helped out quite a bit!
this is awesome bro...., even this is useful who are texting whole day, typing whole day,playing any musical instruments with hand...., this is a video which should not overlooked by anyone and also its worth liking and comenting...,thanks
Short Version: As a base position to work around hold the guitar neck like a Big Mac putting your thumb joint in the middle of the neck while lining that up with your middle finger. Pretend you are eating a Big Mac right now and tap your middle finger to your thumb joint. That's it. You got it. It should be said that the baseball grip can come in handy when you are fretting with your thumb but this is pretty rare. Getting too far away from the proper grip can hurt you. Proper form is worth it.
What he is saying is good , I guess . But I just wanted to tell the people that are probably reading this comment that you can also grip differently . As A beginner its important to learn what he shows but when you are more experienced you should try different grips. If you do this grip all the time , at least for me, it gets very tiering after a longer song. So the closer your hand is to the guitar , the more you can rest your hand. Sometimes there are these situations where you can put your left hand closer to the guitar , and you should at least try if it feels better for you. If it doesnt , dont do it .You should give it some time tho, because it will not work on the first day. It helped me a lot for longer sessions. You can also search on youtube : Jimi Hendrix bar chord Just to give you an example that also one of the best guitarists in the world uses different grips. ( hendix bar chord is not for beginners tho xD )
Thumb over the E is specifically done to allow for 4 more fingers to play the higher strings. 5 connection points vs 4. Typically you go there play a particular lick and then transition back to a normal position. I would say both are useful in their own way. As a beginner though? I would consider using your thumb to be advanced, so it would be something to toy with later on :) I don't know that I would say it's "Wrong" at all though.
I see so many great players grab the neck like a bat, just like he says not too. SRV is a good example of a guy who grabs the neck with the thumb over and it always baffled me how he could reach so many different positions with his fingers without muting every string besides the ones he is fretting.
Which fret is the E fret that I can use my thumb with? You mean low E string frets (probably 1-3) That I would rarely use my thumb as a transitional to hold fingerstyle chord shapes?
This isn't true. When you learn to use your fret hand you should always remember that your thumb is an anchor and it helps to hold everything together for chords or scales. Your thumb will change position naturally and erganomicly as you do different chords and scales. The thumb has no set position. But he is right about one thing, don't just grip it.
He says position the thumb in the middle of the neck and wants it to be vertical, but it you notice, the wider he goes for frets the mover horizontal his thumb is. You can physically only go so wide with how he is suggesting. You have to adjust. Best thing to remember is to stay lose and don't get a death grip on the neck. Especially if you are going for speed. Play with it some and find what works for your size and shape hand.
Do you any suggestion on placement of thumb that bends backward almost 90 degree? aka Hitchhiker's thumb. Should I let it do that or should I try to keep it straight? I'm playing for 1 year.
The more you push your thumb down, the more your wrist will bend and that can permenantly cause some damage to your wrist bones. You can fix this by pointing the head of your guitar upwards so it is more diagonal. This will make the neck closer to you, therefore stopping your wrist from bending. I know this comment is old but anyone seeing this comment please follow this advice.
I just thought of checking out videos that might help with my hitchhiker's thumb, my thumb is double-jointed. I have been playing guitar now for over 20 years and I am classicly trained. I used to be in a band when I was about 18 and when I played for over 40 minutes my left hand (I am right-handed) would swell up enormously and I was then unable to play until the inflammation went down. Now I am 37 and if I play for more than just 5 minutes my left hand swells up so much I have to stop playing. Any advice?
I play electric guitar mostly but I'm often told my thumb is too low which makes for poor grip. When I raise it even a little though, my fingers lock a shown above..
Thank you so much for this innovative and helpful video! This thumb placement trick has helped me SO much with the pentatonic scales. Before I watched this vid, I was like "how the heck do you make a clear sounding pentatonic scale?!" But thanks to your help, I found out I was not placing my thumb correctly, so after I followed your advice, Ta da!, I can finally and successfully play the pentatonic scales. If it weren't for you, learning the guitar would honestly be much more tedious.
I'm learning to play a Strandberg Boden Classic with a ERO Neck and angel Frets. Do have any lessons or know anyone who can teach how to play this type of guitar correctly? Reply ASP
I dont think thumb placement matters too much its all based on the guitarists hand size i think its best to shift the thumb position accordingly depending on what your playing its best to keep it 3/4 up the neck but i have large hands so at certain chords and positions its hard for my thumb to not over the neck. Ive guitarists get away with it lol steve vai and jb brubaker from august burns red do it lol
Im confused by this I see many guitarists playing the f chord with their thumb ? And having the thumb can help mute strings too on chords ? does it not depend on what kind of song you are trying to play ?
Christopher Redmayne While traditional thumb placement is behind the neck, there are definitely certain techniques and playing styles which call for alterations. The reasoning for this thumb position is to get the fingers and hand in a better playing position.
I have a I guess child’s guitar, so not a full sized one and these positions are impossible on the small neck of my guitar, any idea of what I should do? No tutorial I’ve found has been suitable for a small guitar
I think thumb positions should vary and 1 rule (thumb low on neck) may not be for everyone.For classical yes but for jazz, blues etc. maybe not I play with thumb up, thumb down depending and use it to fret several chords. Too many virtusos (not me) play with their thumbs all over the place on the neck.
i got the positioning of the fingers but my problem is that i use too much force on my thumb bc tapping alone on the fretboard doesnt produce clear sound so i have to exert force it hurts after a long time
Do what is comfortable and put in the hours. This stuff works if you want to strum a few chords while singing but this is not what you want if you are serious.
I am absolute beginner (bought a Strat 3 days ago) and I've spent 1 weekend, going through a dozen of videos, trying to find the correct guitar neck position, and the correct left hand position. And I couldn't find any, really. I got the point that the thumb should be at the middle of back neck .... but I doubt it is the correct way, as it is shown at 04:00 . The left hand will sour after 1 minute. Nobody in this world can sustain this position for more than 5 minutes. So, it must be a different position.
Quick Tip for Those Struggling : Pick a pen with your fretting hand and check where your thumb naturally falls, that's the correct thumb position behind the neck.
I keep it like you showed - hurts as hell after few minutes. It's because of the constant pressure on the thumb - I have to press the neck to keep pushing the strings...
my hand, fingers, wrist just does not allow me to hold a guitar "properly" but I play power chords most the time and I put my thumb over to mute the low E, so who cares. it's not hurting me and it's more comfortable for me.
Screw this...there is nothing wrong with using your thumb for fretting. Why not because somebody said so??? Look how many legends use this technique and yes it is a technique.
+VIMirrors You apparently know nothing about guitar. If you start off having your thumb on top of the guitar nothing you play will work properly. It will take forever to learn anything because it is an improper way to play, at first. You need to learn how to use your thumb properly and be able to play with your thumb behind the neck for when you actually try to create licks. If you always had your thumb on top you'll never sound right and will never be able to accomplish what you want. All guitar legends attest to this. The only reason they can use their thumb on top is because they've already practiced the proper way their whole life so now they can play relaxed with the thumb on top but if you watch them they drop that thumb when going in for a fast hard lick. You'll most likely never accomplish this if you have improper thumb technique.
Yes, I guess SRV knew nothing about guitar. Nothing worked properly when he played either. From what I've read, he has always played like that. I was big into SRV when I started playing and learned it that way myself. It's kind of like having a 5th finger to play with, at least on the E and A strings. It has it's advantages and disadvantages. I don't think it's something you can say is right or wrong. It works for some people, doesn't for others. Not everyone needs to be able to stretch their hand from the 4th to the 9th fret.
I've had lots of problems with my fingers and my thumb. My teacher says I cannot play guitar. Because my thumb will not touch the E string when I am playing in A minor chord. D chord or any other cord that I need to mute the E string. Can I play these cords without mutant E string thank you John
If your teacher says you cannot play guitar for any reason, you need a new teacher. Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath lost his fingertips on his fretting hand after playing guitar for only two years. I am glad your "teacher" was not his teacher, otherwise there would be no Black Sabbath, and my childhood would have been more of a drag. If you have to make some adjustments to how you play because of your thumb, make them. It may help you to develop a unique playing style. But never, EVER let someone tell you that you cannot play something, because there will always be someone with a much bigger handicap out there kicking ass at it because he or she want it badly enough. By the way, if you are playing arpeggios you don't need to mute the string. Also, for A minor, you can still play it without muting the E. Technically it is an inversion this way but it will still sound okay if you are strumming. It isn't like you are playing an off note.
I have been playing guitar for 10+ years on and off and always looped my thumb around, today for the first time I thought hmm is that actually the right way and low and behold it aint
I know I'm coming to this video years late but if anyone has some advice I could use it. I have hitchikers thumb, meaning it bends backwards. When I rest my thumb in this position the pressure causes it to bend, and that pulls my wrist forward and causes a sore wrist. does anyone else have this issue or just me?
I don't understand why it's so bad to wrap your thumb around the neck. Jimi Hendrix did it, Stevie Ray Vaughan did it? They were both guitar masters. So I think finding what is most comfortable for you is probably the best.
It is true that Jimi Hendrix wrapped his thumb around the neck and that SRV also did so. However, I have noticed that J.H. hardly ever used his pinkie when he played and that is because of his thumb position. Try if yourself and you will see why it is impossible. J.H. and SRV were both musical geniuses and could get what they wanted out of their guitars anyway but for us mere mortals it is probably good advise to position the thumb as in this video.
I agree with the previous responses. Another thing I wanted to add, is that "bat-grip" also lends itself very well for bending - which is probably one the main reasons, along with muting and playing notes, why blues players like to use it. Also don't forget that Jimi had pretty big hands, so he could basically pull off anything with the "bat-grip". I'd also recommend to just do what feels most comfortable to you, and adapt your position whenever necessary: "bat-grip" for blues and classical grip for notes and fast melodic pieces.
Should chords be played by the same hand position? Cuz whenever i try to play D chord with this position, my fingers slip everytime and I'm unable to press strings tightly
I kinda grab the neck like the first wrong position he showed. I've been practising Tornado of Souls solo for like 5 hours daily for the last 6 days and I'm having a very annoying pain in my left hand index finger. Guess I will have to change my grip.
What about when playing open chords?, as it stands I'm 17 and have been playing for around 6 years, the guitar I have got is a Yamaha apx500ii (it is a full sized guitar but compared to others is quite small), when playing open chords my thumb naturally goes to the top of the neck to the point where most of the pressure is put below the knuckle of the thumb, is this a bad thing?, and at the same time I am having trouble with barre chords, not in the sense of creating the shape of the barre chord but in the sense that I get really bad thumb cramps (esspecially with barre chords 3rd fret and below), is this because I have become so used to takeing the pressure of open chords with the lower part of my thumb that trying to put the full pressure of a barre chord on the top of my thumb is just too much?, is my guitar too small for me and my hands? If someone could help me out by giving me some answers I would greatly appreciate it, I feel that this is really holding me back as a musician.
What you're experiencing is normal. Open chords, power chords, bends, double stops, general soloing, thumb over top is normal and most comfortable for most people. Barre chords or even other techniques like legato licks where you have to 'bridge up' your hand, do feel uncomfortable at first. It takes time for you to develop wrist, hand, tendon strength to hold these positions. Just be patient and stick with those positions till they feel no different from thumb over the top stuff.
As someone that plays a lot of Hendrix/Frusciante, I agree. It’s important to learn proper thumb position but limiting your fretting thumb to the back of the neck is stupid. Thumbing the low E gives you so much more ability to play fills.
@LukeRobinson10 If they aren't fretting with that thumb it's a pretty noobish way to play. The other reason is some people lack the strength to bend easily (I never had a problem) and they adapt a style to accommodate that weakness. This is especially seen in blues players. One can't necessarily criticize these players due to their prowess but it's not really correct. One player that sticks out in my mind with TERRIBLE form who succeeded anyway is Marty Friedman. He doesn't even use his pinky!
You said that the number mistake is putting your thumb over the neck, what did Jimi Hendrix do? If you have big hands (Like me and many others) you can do that as long as there's enough space to play. Completely wrong.
I really wish I would've watched this 2 years ago when I started playing guitar so I wouldn't have bad habits that I now have to fix. My advice to anyone reading is just this: Learn how to play right and form good habits so you dont have to come back down the road and do what I'm doing.
Lowkey Same but I’ve been playin only 4 month
Glad read this. Started learning when the lockdown happened
Honestly if you've built up bad habits you'd be surprised how quickly it takes to break them if you just focus.
But also, even if you're not using "proper technique" it doesnt mean you cant play something that will wow someone, or that expresses yourself.
As long as you're not hurting yourself with your form, theres not much reason to worry too much about it imo
guitar is art… play with your own style.. no standaritation for this
Exactlyyyyyy!
This is the most thorough and useful explanation of thumb placement I've ever seen. It is exactly what a novice needs to know. Thanks.
I can't belive this video helped me out so much. I've been playing since 2001, and the past years haven't at all. Now that I'm back I watched this, looked to restrength my basics, started playing around with my thumb position, and one simple change has ended the usual strains I get from certain scales. Thanks!!!
''started playing around with my thumb position'' ... you where saved by the word ''position'' there... good call
A great tutorial. Short, sweet, and to the point. A lot of instructors waste so much time talking about tangential information. This gentleman is right on point. Thumb placement has been a major problem for me as a beginner. I love the way he demonstrates using the pad of your thumb and how to avoid positions that will slow down your Mastery and ultimately damage your thumb. Great job.
1:12 is the low position my last guitar teacher told me I should always have it.
I didn't realize that it didn't really need to be that way, depending on hand size or fret board type.
He always told me, thumb should align the index finger behind the fret rod of the fret position being used, yet most on youtube are saying thumb should be between the index and middle finger.
It all just feels confusing and controversial now.
The thumb position helps, but everyone who is starting out I want to add that keep the frist of your fretting hand straight (only acception are certain barre chords). Hang the guitar in an angle so that the neck points more upwards to keep your wrist straight and for easy access to the higher frets. If it's very hard and painful to play chords in the first few frets, check the distance between the first fret and the open strings with a business card. If it there is enough space to fall through, work on the nutslots or have someone do it for you. With a good string action, playing is bliss. All worth it and you can do a lot yourself, just find the videos online. Play, play, play!^^
Cool. I have average or slightly below average hands (a little over 7 inches from the bottom of my palm to the tip of my middle finger. I found that I am having difficulties when it came to chords that require stretching out to 4 frets (especially since I primarily play a nylon string guitar which has a wider fretboard than steel string and electric guitars). Lowering my thumb position for those chords really helped out quite a bit!
this is awesome bro...., even this is useful who are texting whole day, typing whole day,playing any musical instruments with hand...., this is a video which should not overlooked by anyone and also its worth liking and comenting...,thanks
Can't tell you how much this helped, thank you.
These videos are fantastic! Thank you.
Short Version: As a base position to work around hold the guitar neck like a Big Mac putting your thumb joint in the middle of the neck while lining that up with your middle finger. Pretend you are eating a Big Mac right now and tap your middle finger to your thumb joint. That's it. You got it. It should be said that the baseball grip can come in handy when you are fretting with your thumb but this is pretty rare. Getting too far away from the proper grip can hurt you. Proper form is worth it.
What he is saying is good , I guess . But I just wanted to tell the people that are probably reading this comment that you can also grip differently . As A beginner its important to learn what he shows but when you are more experienced you should try different grips. If you do this grip all the time , at least for me, it gets very tiering after a longer song. So the closer your hand is to the guitar , the more you can rest your hand. Sometimes there are these situations where you can put your left hand closer to the guitar , and you should at least try if it feels better for you. If it doesnt , dont do it .You should give it some time tho, because it will not work on the first day. It helped me a lot for longer sessions.
You can also search on youtube : Jimi Hendrix bar chord
Just to give you an example that also one of the best guitarists in the world uses different grips.
( hendix bar chord is not for beginners tho xD )
Thumb over the E is specifically done to allow for 4 more fingers to play the higher strings. 5 connection points vs 4. Typically you go there play a particular lick and then transition back to a normal position. I would say both are useful in their own way. As a beginner though? I would consider using your thumb to be advanced, so it would be something to toy with later on :) I don't know that I would say it's "Wrong" at all though.
I see so many great players grab the neck like a bat, just like he says not too. SRV is a good example of a guy who grabs the neck with the thumb over and it always baffled me how he could reach so many different positions with his fingers without muting every string besides the ones he is fretting.
Awesome video improved instantly🙏🏽
1:30 correction, sometimes you need to use your finger on E fret
Which fret is the E fret that I can use my thumb with?
You mean low E string frets (probably 1-3)
That I would rarely use my thumb as a transitional to hold fingerstyle chord shapes?
@@c0unterac342 not sure i posted this ages ago but sometimes i use my thumb on the first fret of the low E string
@@Izaak247 personally I only find it needed for second fret
Thank you dear for this beautiful technique. I’m beginner no 1.
This isn't true. When you learn to use your fret hand you should always remember that your thumb is an anchor and it helps to hold everything together for chords or scales. Your thumb will change position naturally and erganomicly as you do different chords and scales. The thumb has no set position. But he is right about one thing, don't just grip it.
That's what he said😂😂😂Baka
I was worried that I'm doing it wrong, but I'm actually doing it exactly like you! Thanks
He says position the thumb in the middle of the neck and wants it to be vertical, but it you notice, the wider he goes for frets the mover horizontal his thumb is. You can physically only go so wide with how he is suggesting. You have to adjust. Best thing to remember is to stay lose and don't get a death grip on the neck. Especially if you are going for speed. Play with it some and find what works for your size and shape hand.
hands up all who love playing
we should need to know where we should put our fingers properly
i ve learned that from him
Thanks man! I haven't been holding the neck, however I was making the thumb mistake...
Do you any suggestion on placement of thumb that bends backward almost 90 degree? aka Hitchhiker's thumb. Should I let it do that or should I try to keep it straight? I'm playing for 1 year.
thanks a lot.. i have been playing grabbing the neck with my hand.. i am gonna change now
Thanks...you're couching really helps me
this is killing my wrist somehow
The more you push your thumb down, the more your wrist will bend and that can permenantly cause some damage to your wrist bones.
You can fix this by pointing the head of your guitar upwards so it is more diagonal. This will make the neck closer to you, therefore stopping your wrist from bending.
I know this comment is old but anyone seeing this comment please follow this advice.
@@user-ru5sw3ss2u u commented after 6 years lol. Dudes probably a pro by now. This happens to me too. I feel like in my of palm vien is gonna pop lol.
@@anandhuanil7801 after some weeks it’s hood
It’s been 10 years lol but do some hand stretches
Damn I remember this but forget this suddenly and now I came on your video and made me back to my old tune 😂 am fool
I just thought of checking out videos that might help with my hitchhiker's thumb, my thumb is double-jointed. I have been playing guitar now for over 20 years and I am classicly trained. I used to be in a band when I was about 18 and when I played for over 40 minutes my left hand (I am right-handed) would swell up enormously and I was then unable to play until the inflammation went down. Now I am 37 and if I play for more than just 5 minutes my left hand swells up so much I have to stop playing. Any advice?
I play electric guitar mostly but I'm often told my thumb is too low which makes for poor grip. When I raise it even a little though, my fingers lock a shown above..
Great lesson...Thank you very much
Thank you so much for this innovative and helpful video! This thumb placement trick has helped me SO much with the pentatonic scales. Before I watched this vid, I was like "how the heck do you make a clear sounding pentatonic scale?!" But thanks to your help, I found out I was not placing my thumb correctly, so after I followed your advice, Ta da!, I can finally and successfully play the pentatonic scales. If it weren't for you, learning the guitar would honestly be much more tedious.
Why is the pressure building up on my wrists now??. Its weird, any tips??
I was already naturally placing my thumb in the positions which Peter advised, but all beginners should see this video, it's essential!
I'm learning to play a Strandberg Boden Classic with a ERO Neck and angel Frets.
Do have any lessons or know anyone who can teach how to play this type of guitar correctly? Reply ASP
I dont think thumb placement matters too much its all based on the guitarists hand size i think its best to shift the thumb position accordingly depending on what your playing its best to keep it 3/4 up the neck but i have large hands so at certain chords and positions its hard for my thumb to not over the neck. Ive guitarists get away with it lol steve vai and jb brubaker from august burns red do it lol
Thanks for the video. Tommy Emmanuel, Chet Atkins and Meryl Travis bend their thumb over some times though. Any thoughts?
This helped me so much.
Thank you!
thank you fantastic from beginner
Wow, he shows the proper postion to start with. It does not take him 15 minutes to get to the point.
God bless you my bother
Im confused by this I see many guitarists playing the f chord with their thumb ? And having the thumb can help mute strings too on chords ? does it not depend on what kind of song you are trying to play ?
Christopher Redmayne While traditional thumb placement is behind the neck, there are definitely certain techniques and playing styles which call for alterations. The reasoning for this thumb position is to get the fingers and hand in a better playing position.
ur correct dude...every guitar player have their own hand position to be comfortable
I have a I guess child’s guitar, so not a full sized one and these positions are impossible on the small neck of my guitar, any idea of what I should do? No tutorial I’ve found has been suitable for a small guitar
I think thumb positions should vary and 1 rule (thumb low on neck) may not be for everyone.For classical yes but for jazz, blues etc. maybe not I play with thumb up, thumb down depending and use it to fret several chords. Too many virtusos (not me) play with their thumbs all over the place on the neck.
i got the positioning of the fingers but my problem is that i use too much force on my thumb bc tapping alone on the fretboard doesnt produce clear sound so i have to exert force
it hurts after a long time
How about the thumb position while practicing the spider excercise.... Plsss help...
Do what is comfortable and put in the hours. This stuff works if you want to strum a few chords while singing but this is not what you want if you are serious.
I am absolute beginner (bought a Strat 3 days ago) and I've spent 1 weekend, going through a dozen of videos, trying to find the correct guitar neck position, and the correct left hand position. And I couldn't find any, really. I got the point that the thumb should be at the middle of back neck .... but I doubt it is the correct way, as it is shown at 04:00 . The left hand will sour after 1 minute. Nobody in this world can sustain this position for more than 5 minutes. So, it must be a different position.
Is there a way to develop a callus on my thumb so it will move smoothly up and down the neck? My thumb is sticky or drags with slightest of pressure.
Thank you 💖.
Quick Tip for Those Struggling : Pick a pen with your fretting hand and check where your thumb naturally falls, that's the correct thumb position behind the neck.
I keep it like you showed - hurts as hell after few minutes. It's because of the constant pressure on the thumb - I have to press the neck to keep pushing the strings...
my hand, fingers, wrist just does not allow me to hold a guitar "properly"
but I play power chords most the time and I put my thumb over to mute the low E, so who cares. it's not hurting me and it's more comfortable for me.
What I want to know how the tgumb should moveas you are playingacross the fretboard
Thanks for this
How do you position thumb on upper frets 18-24? It is tough and no place on guitar to place it?
Is normal that my thumb rolls a little to the sides or am i doing it wrong?
ooo so thats how u stretch it out more! thanks
Screw this...there is nothing wrong with using your thumb for fretting. Why not because somebody said so??? Look how many legends use this technique and yes it is a technique.
+VIMirrors You apparently know nothing about guitar. If you start off having your thumb on top of the guitar nothing you play will work properly. It will take forever to learn anything because it is an improper way to play, at first. You need to learn how to use your thumb properly and be able to play with your thumb behind the neck for when you actually try to create licks. If you always had your thumb on top you'll never sound right and will never be able to accomplish what you want. All guitar legends attest to this. The only reason they can use their thumb on top is because they've already practiced the proper way their whole life so now they can play relaxed with the thumb on top but if you watch them they drop that thumb when going in for a fast hard lick. You'll most likely never accomplish this if you have improper thumb technique.
+Bo Guest look at james hetfield and kirk hammett. they use their thumbs to grip
Fucking Hendrix was famous for fretting barring the EDA strings with his thumb man. Mopst people call him the greatest guitar player ever.
Yes, I guess SRV knew nothing about guitar. Nothing worked properly when he played either. From what I've read, he has always played like that. I was big into SRV when I started playing and learned it that way myself. It's kind of like having a 5th finger to play with, at least on the E and A strings. It has it's advantages and disadvantages. I don't think it's something you can say is right or wrong. It works for some people, doesn't for others. Not everyone needs to be able to stretch their hand from the 4th to the 9th fret.
Jarrett Trezzo best thing to do is to learn how to do both then you get the stretch and the style ;)
Thanks!
What if I just leave my thumb near the ivory lining like a hook?
I've had lots of problems with my fingers and my thumb. My teacher says I cannot play guitar. Because my thumb will not touch the E string when I am playing in A minor chord. D chord or any other cord that I need to mute the E string. Can I play these cords without mutant E string thank you John
If your teacher says you cannot play guitar for any reason, you need a new teacher.
Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath lost his fingertips on his fretting hand after playing guitar for only two years. I am glad your "teacher" was not his teacher, otherwise there would be no Black Sabbath, and my childhood would have been more of a drag.
If you have to make some adjustments to how you play because of your thumb, make them. It may help you to develop a unique playing style. But never, EVER let someone tell you that you cannot play something, because there will always be someone with a much bigger handicap out there kicking ass at it because he or she want it badly enough.
By the way, if you are playing arpeggios you don't need to mute the string. Also, for A minor, you can still play it without muting the E. Technically it is an inversion this way but it will still sound okay if you are strumming. It isn't like you are playing an off note.
THANK YOU PETER
When I hold it like this my pinky can’t reach the low E. What do I do?
I have been playing guitar for 10+ years on and off and always looped my thumb around, today for the first time I thought hmm is that actually the right way and low and behold it aint
I developed the wrong habits because of John Mayer, Hendrix and srv lol. But I agree with you more as not everyone has long fingers
I know I'm coming to this video years late but if anyone has some advice I could use it. I have hitchikers thumb, meaning it bends backwards. When I rest my thumb in this position the pressure causes it to bend, and that pulls my wrist forward and causes a sore wrist. does anyone else have this issue or just me?
I don't understand why it's so bad to wrap your thumb around the neck. Jimi Hendrix did it, Stevie Ray Vaughan did it? They were both guitar masters. So I think finding what is most comfortable for you is probably the best.
It is true that Jimi Hendrix wrapped his thumb around the neck and that SRV also did so. However, I have noticed that J.H. hardly ever used his pinkie when he played and that is because of his thumb position. Try if yourself and you will see why it is impossible. J.H. and SRV were both musical geniuses and could get what they wanted out of their guitars anyway but for us mere mortals it is probably good advise to position the thumb as in this video.
Thom Seuren thats because they played blues, it is considered okay and even needed to play the way they did when they were muting strings from the top
I agree with the previous responses. Another thing I wanted to add, is that "bat-grip" also lends itself very well for bending - which is probably one the main reasons, along with muting and playing notes, why blues players like to use it.
Also don't forget that Jimi had pretty big hands, so he could basically pull off anything with the "bat-grip".
I'd also recommend to just do what feels most comfortable to you, and adapt your position whenever necessary: "bat-grip" for blues and classical grip for notes and fast melodic pieces.
+Beraud OK, I am surprised that you can. I certainly cannot but I suppose we are all different and good luck to you and the way you play!
just practice ding both thumb on top and on the back and then when it calls for it you can switch between the 2.
wow this is awesome!!!!!!
Thank you
Thank you so freakin much
I’m told I have “hitchhiker’s thumbs. They curve back at the top, if I stretch them straight up, and tight.
I think pads of my fingers are too puffy and touching strings. Is this a thing?
Should chords be played by the same hand position? Cuz whenever i try to play D chord with this position, my fingers slip everytime and I'm unable to press strings tightly
No, actually d and some other chords work about only when using "wrong" type of grip
I kinda grab the neck like the first wrong position he showed. I've been practising Tornado of Souls solo for like 5 hours daily for the last 6 days and I'm having a very annoying pain in my left hand index finger. Guess I will have to change my grip.
This really helped ed
What about when playing open chords?, as it stands I'm 17 and have been playing for around 6 years, the guitar I have got is a Yamaha apx500ii (it is a full sized guitar but compared to others is quite small), when playing open chords my thumb naturally goes to the top of the neck to the point where most of the pressure is put below the knuckle of the thumb, is this a bad thing?, and at the same time I am having trouble with barre chords, not in the sense of creating the shape of the barre chord but in the sense that I get really bad thumb cramps (esspecially with barre chords 3rd fret and below), is this because I have become so used to takeing the pressure of open chords with the lower part of my thumb that trying to put the full pressure of a barre chord on the top of my thumb is just too much?, is my guitar too small for me and my hands? If someone could help me out by giving me some answers I would greatly appreciate it, I feel that this is really holding me back as a musician.
What you're experiencing is normal. Open chords, power chords, bends, double stops, general soloing, thumb over top is normal and most comfortable for most people. Barre chords or even other techniques like legato licks where you have to 'bridge up' your hand, do feel uncomfortable at first. It takes time for you to develop wrist, hand, tendon strength to hold these positions. Just be patient and stick with those positions till they feel no different from thumb over the top stuff.
dmdivers thank you for the advice man, much appreciated :)
Myiphone5 I'm willing to try anything to see if it helps, thanks man
thank you!!!!!!!!
Guess i have to relearn now god damnit
is my thump supposed to be holding the whole weight of the neck?
Well now I know, thanks for that I had no idea! :)
Thanks
Hendrix is Laughing in His Grave
Siamboi Hauzel Hendrix had hands the size of basketballs.
As someone that plays a lot of Hendrix/Frusciante, I agree. It’s important to learn proper thumb position but limiting your fretting thumb to the back of the neck is stupid. Thumbing the low E gives you so much more ability to play fills.
thanks a lot
how does this translate into bends?
3:11 Ooooh I can really stretch! Hehehe.
Thank U sir
Ma guitar too small and its really hard to do fingerstyle tabs 😥
And what is thumb position when playing open chords like
A major,E major etc....... Open chords
Can anyone answer my question
@@peterpraveen8483 no.
great video :)
Very Helpful :)
it gets stuck constantly?
JImi grip is better. If you can reach the notes
But what if we have sausage fingers? Literally cannot get my index on the E without bending my thumb AND then it is still hard to move around.
No ways bro, my hands will fall off if I play like you
No thumb over the top:
Hendrix and frusciante.....
Hold my beer
@LukeRobinson10
If they aren't fretting with that thumb it's a pretty noobish way to play. The other reason is some people lack the strength to bend easily (I never had a problem) and they adapt a style to accommodate that weakness. This is especially seen in blues players. One can't necessarily criticize these players due to their prowess but it's not really correct. One player that sticks out in my mind with TERRIBLE form who succeeded anyway is Marty Friedman. He doesn't even use his pinky!
This is like a rule no one follows. I see so many people playing with their thumb leaning.
I used to do viola so I’m having trouble switching to this loll
Great bid
You said that the number mistake is putting your thumb over the neck, what did Jimi Hendrix do? If you have big hands (Like me and many others) you can do that as long as there's enough space to play. Completely wrong.