Difficulty Using Left Thumb

[ark]

I'm an old guy, but a new fingerstyle guitar student with an OM-05. I'm finding it difficult to use my left thumb on the low E string -- such as when trying to finger a D/F# chord. Does it typically take awhile (weeks, months?) to develop the "reach" to do this, or am I just more "left thumb challenged" than most?
Thanks,
Al

[unclrob]

Al it take's time to get use to throwing your thumb over the top.Keep tryinit will hurt for a while then you wont be able to stop yourself.

[dberch]

Hi Ark,

I've seen people do this different ways, but what works for me on Larrivee necks it to just grab that sucker like a baseball bat and see where your thumb hits.  It's ok if its the flesh between the first and second knuckles that acually frets the note.  You don't have to bend your thumb over double to get the tip down just let it stick up in the air.

Don't know if this makes any sense or not - let me know if it helps.

David

[ark]

Unclrob, David --thanks for the hints. I'm pretty much tryin it the way you suggest -- there's no way short of surgery I could use the TIP of my thumb. I've managed to play the D/F# chord a few times, but when I try to play the 1st string open at the same time ( melody note), I find that the base of my index finger has deadened the string. But if I move the base of my index finger off the 1st string, my thumb doesn't quite get it done anymore!! One of life's little stress tests, I guess.  
I'll give it a try for a few weeks before I give up and switch to bag pipes! :D
Thx,
Al

[naboz]

Ark,
I have been playing 30 yrs. and I very rarely use my thumb--for bass notes, and I think I get along just fine.  :D

naboz

[GIGGLER]

ARK.....just for kicks, try this chord...using your thumb on low e string.

10221X   Kick this in where an F goes every now and then for a jazzy sound....and it will help your thumb. It's easier than playing the full F, as you'll see....you can move it up and down the neck as needed.  

[Randy_R]

10221X   Kick this in where an F goes every now and then for a jazzy sound....and it will help your thumb. It's easier than playing the full F, as you'll see....you can move it up and down the neck as needed.

sounds strange to me!

[GIGGLER]

It's an Am/F....not a chord I let ring, but just use to transition.

I think I remember using it in "Till There Was You", and in "While my Guitar Gently Weeps".

[Randy_R]

I was reading the tab upside down. Once you said Am/F I realized the error of my ways. sounds much better. I'll have to find a place to try this.

[GIGGLER]

Randy....Ha! I know what you mean. I was trying to figure a tab I got off the internet recently.....and after 5 minutes or so I discovered it was upside down....it was for left handers, and didn't say so!  :(  

[Randy_R]

I've not paid much attention to tabs.

I just use the old standard of the words with chord written above. How I actually play the chord, hammers, slides, augments, etc, is something in my mind, but not on paper.

I've noticed there's lots to be learned about new fretting techniques by learning to read tabs, but haven't put any time into it. I will have to practice over the next 3 weeks, as the guitar camp I'm going to wants me to be able to read and play to tabs as a pre-req for some of the sessions I've signed up for.... :)  

[MH3]

I'm an old guy, but a new fingerstyle guitar student with an OM-05. I'm finding it difficult to use my left thumb on the low E string -- such as when trying to finger a D/F# chord. Does it typically take awhile (weeks, months?) to develop the "reach" to do this, or am I just more "left thumb challenged" than most?
Thanks,
Al

I think alot of it has to do with hand size in relation to neck size.  I'm blessed with big hands (though they're relatively slow and dumb), so I have no problem grabbing the F# note in D/F# even on my Guild 12, which has a fairly meaty neck.  However, I have tried alternative ways of grabbing this chord:

string (fret) finger
6       (2)       1
5       (X)       -
4       (O)       -
3       (2)       2
2       (3)       3
1       (X)       -

Then again, that wouldn't work if you needed an F or F# on the high E for the melody.  But open high E or a G should be no problem!

[guitaradoptions]

And what does someone like me do whe you have 2 left thumbs? :lol:  

[D4ve]

Proper Hand Posture....


Remember to keep your left hand thumb straight, pointing towards the ceiling and in the middle of the back of the neck. Resist the temptation to hang your thumb over the top of the guitar neck. Your left wrist should be slightly arched and directly underneath the guitar neck itself. Play on the tips of your fingers, close to the fingernails, being sure that the right side of the palm of your left hand is the same distance from the fretboard as the left side of the palm of your left hand. This will balance and center your left hand so that all of your fingers have an equal and fair reach advantage. Never lift a left hand finger more than 1/2 inch away from the strings. This alone will improve your accuracy because now you have less chance of missing the next note, since you won't be traveling a great distance to find it.


...so they say anyway

[MH3]

And what does someone like me do whe you have 2 left thumbs? :lol:

Then you can grab two bass notes! :D  

[Malachi Irl]

I'm with naboz on this one.

I use a quasi-classical approach with my right hand. No anchoring the pinky. T+3 usually, floating, so that I can easily shift between close to the bridge or more towards the fretboard as the timbre requires.

Left hand. Though on rare occassions I will thumb the bass F# in the D chord, I usually take the jazz approach to fingering, even if I'm not playing jazz. Comping with a different chord form every two beats or so is a great exercise.

Having the thumb pad lightly resting on the back of the neck pointing towards the headstock is good form. We could take a hint form those classical pickers, they've had several hundred years to perfect their craft.

Good form leads to fluid execution, whatever your style.

Irl

[MH3]

I'm with naboz on this one.

I use a quasi-classical approach with my right hand. No anchoring the pinky. T+3 usually, floating, so that I can easily shift between close to the bridge or more towards the fretboard as the timbre requires.

Left hand. Though on rare occassions I will thumb the bass F# in the D chord, I usually take the jazz approach to fingering, even if I'm not playing jazz. Comping with a different chord form every two beats or so is a great exercise.

Having the thumb pad lightly resting on the back of the neck pointing towards the headstock is good form. We could take a hint form those classical pickers, they've had several hundred years to perfect their craft.

Good form leads to fluid execution, whatever your style.

Irl

You mean there are classical guitarists several hundred years old?  Amazing!

[dbirchett]

It's an Am/F....not a chord I let ring, but just use to transition.

I think I remember using it in "Till There Was You", and in "While my Guitar Gently Weeps".

Technically, if you are substituting it for an "F" chord, you should probably call it an Fmaj7. A major 7 chord differs from a 7 chord by the 7th being a half-step down from the root rather than a full.

Therefore, in an Fmaj7 chord, you add an E while in an F7 you would have an E flat.

You can also let the first string ring if you want.

It could also be called a C6.

All right, I'll shut up now. Music theory 101 is adjourned for the day.  :blink:  

[Malachi Irl]

MH3,

Touche! Grammar Cop.

I can appreciate that, being in law enforcement.

Irl

[MH3]

MH3,

Touche! Grammar Cop.

I can appreciate that, being in law enforcement.

Irl

I resemble that comment! ;)  

Thanks for having a good sense of humor.

And thanks for the theory, dB!