bending and palm
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Firebird211
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Ow, my thumb! LMAO 
I have got a lot to work on, breaking my thumb to bend backwards like that, and all. :laughing7: Seriously, that is a help and I will have to work on that.
I have got a lot to work on, breaking my thumb to bend backwards like that, and all. :laughing7: Seriously, that is a help and I will have to work on that.
B3Guy
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I've had classical guitar training, and yes, the thumb goes on the back of the neck. it does not stay in the "middle" of the neck, however. if you're playing riffs on the high e string or strings around it, yes the thumb is near the thickest part of the neck. However, if you start playing on the lower pitched strings, your thumb moves "up" the back of the neck (in the direction of wrapping around the top, but NOT doing so).
As a side note, though, I totally play Clapton style with my thumb over the top (when riffing, not when chording, obviously). And I too find that middle finger less than useful. It often ends up in that unfortunate position, out of the way of the other fingers.
As a side note, though, I totally play Clapton style with my thumb over the top (when riffing, not when chording, obviously). And I too find that middle finger less than useful. It often ends up in that unfortunate position, out of the way of the other fingers.
sorry if i was not clear about the issue.
i observed closer - my thumb is in the right position. but it looks like i am using that part of the palm directly under the thumb for support wherever i need to exert pressure - for a bend or for vibrato or even a pull off or a hammer on.
as noted before that kind of cramps up my playing fingers from free movement thus affecting both reach and speed.
maybe it is because i have small fingers that this has somehow naturally happened. i am working on it to use more of my fingers by themselves now.
i observed closer - my thumb is in the right position. but it looks like i am using that part of the palm directly under the thumb for support wherever i need to exert pressure - for a bend or for vibrato or even a pull off or a hammer on.
as noted before that kind of cramps up my playing fingers from free movement thus affecting both reach and speed.
maybe it is because i have small fingers that this has somehow naturally happened. i am working on it to use more of my fingers by themselves now.
ok, on further closer observation i found that i am pushing the hand curve between the thumb and the forefinger (the outer edge of the palm) to closely circle the neck - probably for support.
now i guess while playing i have to conciously center the thumb and leave some space between the curve and the neck for better playability.
well it is back to the drawing board for me i guess - atleast for a while till i am able to play fluently from that position.
now i guess while playing i have to conciously center the thumb and leave some space between the curve and the neck for better playability.
well it is back to the drawing board for me i guess - atleast for a while till i am able to play fluently from that position.
Jusatele
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I put mine roughly on the upper half of the curve of the neck, like I was pinching with my thumb and middle fingers, when chording my hand slips to the c style position, but like Jimi I am using my thumb to mute the e string half the time.
I was taught by classical teachers my first years learning guitar, so that is why I got the thumb thing correct, It actually allows more of the fingers in front of the fretboard and speeds up your playing, plus gets rid of those cramps.
when chording, if you do the typical barre chords then you will keep the thumb on the neck, but once you advance past the barre chords and start to use inversions then you will start needing to grip it a bit different to get some of the reach. Barre chords are great way to learn chords besides open chords, but to many people stop with the e and a forms, those are just the beginning ones. Most chords I play do not use the low E or the A string, I figure I have a bass player to hit those so I like inversions built of the F, D, and higher A forms.
I was taught by classical teachers my first years learning guitar, so that is why I got the thumb thing correct, It actually allows more of the fingers in front of the fretboard and speeds up your playing, plus gets rid of those cramps.
when chording, if you do the typical barre chords then you will keep the thumb on the neck, but once you advance past the barre chords and start to use inversions then you will start needing to grip it a bit different to get some of the reach. Barre chords are great way to learn chords besides open chords, but to many people stop with the e and a forms, those are just the beginning ones. Most chords I play do not use the low E or the A string, I figure I have a bass player to hit those so I like inversions built of the F, D, and higher A forms.
Hey OP, we've moved on. this is our thread now. JK :toothy10:
Everyone here is correct, we all know what we're supposed to do, and know when to bend or break the rules.
As Far as it's never to late to break a bad habit. i agree, I didn't learn to put my thumb on the back of the neck till just a couple years ago. And once i did, I was able to take my playing to the next level. For me that next level was like 3rd grade, but I improoved.
You ever notice how you tend to plateau, and not get better, then you take a break or work hard through a spot and suddenly get way better than you were before? I can't wait for that time to come.
Everyone here is correct, we all know what we're supposed to do, and know when to bend or break the rules.
As Far as it's never to late to break a bad habit. i agree, I didn't learn to put my thumb on the back of the neck till just a couple years ago. And once i did, I was able to take my playing to the next level. For me that next level was like 3rd grade, but I improoved.
You ever notice how you tend to plateau, and not get better, then you take a break or work hard through a spot and suddenly get way better than you were before? I can't wait for that time to come.
I have only one piece of advice: If you're trying to break a bad habit, just make sure you learn all new material. I had to break myself of a couple of habits in the last 2 years, and I found it was much faster and easier to learn new songs the right way rather than trying to play stuff I had learned incorrectly a different way. After my new habits were firmly in place, I could go back and play those older songs the right way and it was much easier.
Firebird211
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Alfang said:
Yeah, and you are almost getting bored and sick of your level, but you press on and then BAM, you are doing things you couldn't do before. It seems like I break through a plateau when I push the duration of my practice. Some times, I have even played better when I didn't pick up the guitar for a while too, just like you said.
i am practicing in the 'right' position now.
but looking back i remember that quite a few guitarists i have seen who (imo) lacked the feel/tone (while playing blues as that is my primary area of interest) because they were playing more with their fingers than the whole hand. atleast that was my gut instinct when i watched them.
so probably the palm grip has a greater effect on bending/vibrato etc than the thumb/fingers grip.
guess i have to experiment a bit more and find a middle road between the palm and the thumb/fingers grip.
but looking back i remember that quite a few guitarists i have seen who (imo) lacked the feel/tone (while playing blues as that is my primary area of interest) because they were playing more with their fingers than the whole hand. atleast that was my gut instinct when i watched them.
so probably the palm grip has a greater effect on bending/vibrato etc than the thumb/fingers grip.
guess i have to experiment a bit more and find a middle road between the palm and the thumb/fingers grip.
Jusatele
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you will find you hand cramps less, your fingers are more in front of the fretboard, and you can solidly hold that axe with your thumb.vtpcnk said:
Plus when doing chords, switch back, If you look at a lot of the guys with all that soul, they are using both techniques, it is just when you are playing lead, your technique is so much more important so you can move faster than dragging your hand, you are just moving the thumb and your fingers are out front.
Like I said, I find my thumb on the top section of the back of the neck, all of our hands are different. Give it a chance, it is new to you. Look at how far you can rock your hand off the thumb, and compare that to the palm.
If you want to switch back go ahead, I must admit with a slide in my hand I palm, and when I am squeezing out a slow bluesy lead, I hunker down, but then I usually am playing chords and lead at the same time trying to get a fat sound around the lead.
Jusatele
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exercise time, pentatonic minor in A
day 1 pay each forward nd backward continously for 5 minutes
G 0 2
D 0 2
A 0 3
E 5
B 5 8
G 5 7
D 7
B 8 10 B 10
G 7 9 G 9 12
D 7 10 D 7 10 12
day 2. review each of day ones, and study these
E 3 5 E 12 15 17
B 3 5 B 13 15
G 2 5 G 14
B 10 12 15 17
E 10 13
Day 3 review all and study
E 5 8 10 12 15 17
Day 4 practice and do not be afraid to link them together working a string of 7 or 8 notes
Day 5 decide which method is easier to run from the A string 0 position to the E string 17 position, using different courses up and down, thumb or palm.
congrats, you just broke out of the box and learn 1/2 the neck in a week, next week do it in B etc, and when finished lay the natural minor over it and start over soon you will have to wonder why no one ever showed you this and confused you with a boxed scale. Now when soloing in a pentatonic minor, no mater where you start you hands are trained to go up and down the neck with ease
day 1 pay each forward nd backward continously for 5 minutes
G 0 2
D 0 2
A 0 3
E 5
B 5 8
G 5 7
D 7
B 8 10 B 10
G 7 9 G 9 12
D 7 10 D 7 10 12
day 2. review each of day ones, and study these
E 3 5 E 12 15 17
B 3 5 B 13 15
G 2 5 G 14
B 10 12 15 17
E 10 13
Day 3 review all and study
E 5 8 10 12 15 17
Day 4 practice and do not be afraid to link them together working a string of 7 or 8 notes
Day 5 decide which method is easier to run from the A string 0 position to the E string 17 position, using different courses up and down, thumb or palm.
congrats, you just broke out of the box and learn 1/2 the neck in a week, next week do it in B etc, and when finished lay the natural minor over it and start over soon you will have to wonder why no one ever showed you this and confused you with a boxed scale. Now when soloing in a pentatonic minor, no mater where you start you hands are trained to go up and down the neck with ease
The Norwegian Guy
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that, my friend - is a tabulature :laughing7:Alfang said:
Jusatele
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that as stated is tab,Alfang said:
the letters are the string names, the numbers are the frst you finger behind
If I would have done it in notation I wold have had to put down positioning anyway to get the scales run the way I wanted them run
what the exercise does is gets you playing the scale in 9 different ways and if you tie them together you use up over half the fret board,
the benefit is now you do not have to learn the box and 7 extensions, you just learn a scale and practice it from positions ans blamo, you can take the week to learn how to play all up and down the neck. Once you have learned to play as such you will realize why you use the thumb on back, you are no longer just playing the 5th through 8 frets, you are going all over the place and using the thumb you have greater range.
