Are You Doing It Wrong? Correct Thumb Placement for Guitar

[@andretonelli]

Hi! I have a small favor to ask. If you enjoyed the video, could you make sure to give it a like and subscribe to the channel? These two simple things make an enormous difference! Thank you very much! Andre

[@johnphillips752]

I played for years with my thumb as described here. I've been doing this since 1970, so I'm somewhat seasoned. However, different styles may require different hand positions than you may be used to. For instance, if you are learning the percussive approach of SRV. "The correct way" depends on a lot of factors and I would encourage fluid flexibility. However, this is a good starting point to prevent injuries. Just don't get too critical when you see someone with their thumb positioned differently than a classical guitarist.

[@myobun]

“I’ve been doing this for 50 years, so I’m somewhat seasoned” give yourself more credit haha, that’s a long time

[@ev0kr754]

I've been doing the hitchhiker thumb for years before watching this and putting my thumb between my index and middle finger immediately removed the pain in my fretting hand/wrist and made me play way smoother! Tysm

[@andretonelli]

That is great to hear! Andre

[@chrispride5785]

You saved my left hand today. Just implemented the thumb position you recommended and it cleaned up my legato. Cheers!

[@andretonelli]

So glad to hear that! Andre

[@TastateurDeArch]

Thank you for your work and this video. As a "beginner", I also almost always look at the fretboard and therefore don't hold the guitar completely vertically. But this way my thumb always looks out the top. If I hold my thumb in the middle of the neck, I have a bend in my wrist instead and that puts a lot of strain on the tendons. I guess that's the danger of learning with KZbin without a teacher. Anyway, now I play in front of a mirror and focus my attention on the hand position.

[@andretonelli]

Hi Peter, yes KZbin is not ideal. But you could do worse than my videos! 😀

[@tobe1359]

Thanks for all your time and patience. I’m practicing your videos with a classic acoustic guitar.

[@andretonelli]

Thank you for taking the time to share that! Andre

[@SixEightSixty]

thanks, playing bar chords used to destroy my hand if i played them for awhile but now I can do it pretty easily 👍

[@andretonelli]

That’s great! On to the next thing!

[@worthbeattie4148]

Perfect video. Thank you so much, I felt I played very well for a long time using heavy thumb pressure on only thicker necks because I felt the pressure helped my rhythm, but now that my musculature has adapted to the lighter touch I have much greater capacity for more agile playing on thinner necks

[@Awfully_good]

Grazie fratello 🙏🏻 I’ve been having thumb issues for the longest lol

[@andretonelli]

@@Awfully_good di niente! So glad this is useful! Andre

[@alexthegreat4773]

thanks man!! this instantly upped my play.

[@danielle7760]

My thumb naturally goes so that it touches the neck on the inner side of it. I can only be on the pad of my thumb on the lower frets… but if i play for a while the lower joint on my thumb starts to get kind of sore, which definitely isn’t good. Tips? Also, I heard putting your thumb in the middle of your fingers is good so that it more evenly distributes pressure and helps with finger strength, especially finger strength. It’s what’s classically taught I think. Thoughts?

[@AshleighKan]

Thank you so much 😊

[@andretonelli]

You are very welcome! Andre

[@Tyrenexg]

I loved this video, thank u sm. I was doing the hitchhiker one; and it was hurting my thumb a lot haha.

[@andretonelli]

That’s great to hear! Andre

[@ahmetkaramazov]

holy... amazing video. no bs only the info

[@raymondlugo9960]

Yes, I'm a fan of the F major chord across all six strings.

[@woollybear3328]

Thanks so much! I was getting so worried and frustrated experiencing pain at the base of my thumb for the first time since I started playing a year ago. Now I know what I was doing wrong, my thumb was creeping over the top and the whole hand squeezing the neck for dear life😵 Is it normal for the mound at the base of the thumb on the fretting hand to be (slightly) larger than the one on the other hand?

[@andretonelli]

Slightly, yes… 👍

[@emmanuelwood8702]

This is the best video on this topic.

[@andretonelli]

Great to hear it was useful did you. Thank you! Andre

[@RedPillGrimReaper]

I've had to stop playing recently because of severe tendinitis in my pinky and ring fingers. I now realize I was trying to play scales with the Hendrix grip having my thumb over the fretboard and trying to reach the low E string with my pinky and ring. I guess the solution is to only do bends with the Hendrix grip

[@andretonelli]

@@RedPillGrimReaper that works see for bends because the forces at play are vertical. For practice and “normal” playing with little vibrato and no bends, this works great. Thanks! Andre

[@RedPillGrimReaper]

@@andretonelli thanks for the video, as well as the reply! Thanks to your advice, I'll be back rocking in no time 🎸😎 🤘

[@devin6272]

thanks man

[@andretonelli]

Any time! Andre

[@marccracchiolo4935]

I have trouble with C chord and I see a lot of videos where they play this chord with their thumb hanging over the neck of the guitar. I’ve tried this but it mutes the strings on me. Should I be ignoring the people I see play this way and try to keep my thumb behind the neck as you show in your video even with this chord? Thanks

[@andretonelli]

@@marccracchiolo4935 hi Marc, this is a great overall way to hold the thumb, but it will need to be adjusted for diverts in shapes and techniques. Down at the bottom of the fretboard it’s common for the thumb to hang over the fretboard, though I would make it a point to practice like I show in the video for a while at least to get used to “proper” technique. Best, Andre

[@marccracchiolo4935]

@ thanks much I would much rather do it the way you show because that’s what’s been working for me except transitioning to C chord. It’s the wrist I think that I need to work on to get a faster clean transition. Once again thanks for sharing your videos

[@andretonelli]

@ you bet!

[@impactQuake]

02:18 if I am able to do that my thumb or wrists hurts

[@AJNpa80]

As far as hand size is concerned, my one impossible is the 3 in a row on a fret chords. I've had to switch to barring them with different fingers smash bent in just the right spot after weeks of trying all different angles, stacking etc. . All except the nylon acoustic with the wide board. I can do them 3 in a row there. My tips just won't fit without buzzing a string somewhere, by contact or by being so far towards the next lower fret.

[@AJNpa80]

Such as A. It makes B a bit easier at least. Getting all 4 fingers used to fretting 3 strings so depending if it was 1 or 2 frets above needing index bar, I could choose. I can't do 2 strings as good.

[@captainchaos8701]

Tried the tip (pun intended) of rotating from hitchhiking to the pinching motion my Italian grandma used to swear at me with. Man what a difference! It allowed me to play way more relaxed grip and less fatigue. Thanks for all the progress you helped me gain in my journey. My wife still says I suck so I guess progress is arbitrary 😂😂😂😂

[@andretonelli]

Glad it helped! Your wife simply hasn’t realized it yet. Andre

[@gaminggreat]

Everytime, the thumb gets applied too much on the guitar, making it harder to move.

[@adonnisperalta]

How do you get your guitar neck at that angle? Mine is a lot lower than that and doing what you are saying is the right way hurts to do.

[@andretonelli]

Hi Adonis, you don’t want it to get too low or you’ll start bending your wrist too much. Andre

[@maxwellblakely7952]

I can’t put my thumb flat on the back of the guitar neck behind my index/middle finger, it rolls to the side and is very painful. So I just play with it wrapping the top, I know that it’s wrong but at least my hand doesn’t hurt.

[@andretonelli]

Hi, it doesn't have to sit flat against the fretboard. It can certainly be at a slight angle.

[@northernharrier2343]

It's not wrong, and it lets you use your thumb to hold strings. The man is talking rubbish.

[@RIPPERwBFG]

I guess flying fingers is also not a problem XD this guy is spot on you have a lot more stretch with your thumb in the correct position if it hurts try raising you guitar neck higher it worked for me

[@br1ck1e90]

For some reaosn I have a lot of problems using my pinkie it’s glued to my ring finger and in all scinarios is awkward to use was wondering if that’s normal or if there is anything I can do about it ?

[@andretonelli]

That is normal in the beginning but we want to get all of those fingers working right. This might help, as well as other videos on the channel. Good luck! kzbin.info/www/bejne/sIOyi4GXgMp3o9Esi=63_B_FAoTn5WWjqg

[@RoofsHobbyGuitar]

It sucks because I feel I just physcially can't do this. I work factory work and have stiff joints, nerve damage etc. My thumb tends to almost be horizontal with the neck often. I can't bend my thumb over enough to be in line with the index or middle finger without pain. It sucks.

[@andretonelli]

Hi, try not to worry too much about this. It’s a ”best case scenario” thing a lot of us don’t always adhere to, anyway. It is good to be able to play and practice like this, but if you need to adjust to fit your anatomy, please do without worry. Plenty of awesome guitarists out there with unorthodox grips. Andre

[@Gleb_Martynov]

how to mute the 6th string then?there's no way to put fingers like this for example in nirvana - sappy

[@uglyskratch]

you can slightly touch the low e string with one of the fingers which press down on the a string, then its muted... but for chords like the A on the 2nd fret, i use my 1st finger to fret the chord and the thumb to mute the e string

[@Gleb_Martynov]

thanks man@@uglyskratch

[@gustiraffa2540]

terimakasih

[@andretonelli]

🙏

[@SILVERCHARGEDS]

You wouldn't like my thumb position at all. It does not at all affect my playing but it is all over the place depending on what I'm playing. I never really analyzed my thumb position until now. I just realized, I have a unique technique where I barely use any thumb pressure at times. I might need make a video on my thumb position while playing 🤔

[@andretonelli]

Hi! Nothing for me to like or dislike. If it works for you, then great. By the way I agree with changing positions depending on what we play, as said in the video. And, I think you should make a video! 😀

[@اسلامدعباج-ه5و]

❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@andyglamrock]

If you don't wanna see thumbs in people playing guitar, forget about electrics

[@yavoan22]

Didn't address thumb position when playing high up on neck around 17th-24th fret..

[@anthonyjourneymusic]

No two thumbs are alike consequently no one should stress about where they are placing their thumbs if you are able to reach all the sections on the fretboard effortlessly

[@Lutemann]

Actually, the thumb is subservient to the fingers. Get the fingers in the correct position and there will be only one possible position for the thumb. Since there is no one position for the fingers, there is no one position for the thumb. However, there is a default position for the fingers which can and should be used most of the time. Also Andre, if you get that neck up to about a 45 degree angle, the left hand will work better. One should always use a stap when sitting down.

[@kazkylheku1221]

Umm, hard nope! Sorry. Look at Al Di Meola's left hand thumb and hand position: kzbin.info/www/bejne/maDTaayvos6sqrs The thumb behind the neck at all times is just your personal preference. It makes almost no difference at all. When I stretch my left hand index finger and pinky as much as possible and fret a couple of notes, I can move my thumb freely from one position to the other. The stretch is unaffected. If I sit in a certain way whereby I can push on the guitar body with my torso, I am able to play without my left hand thumb making contact with the guitar. Bending the thumb so that it is opposite to the palm just causes pointless tension.

[@northernharrier2343]

Follow this guys instructions and you'll never be able to hold a string down with your thumb. It's nonsense.

[@EnJoony]

Sorry - But what's "correct" is whatever works for the individual.

[@andretonelli]

Not if you get tendinitis or wrist pain, though.

[@EnJoony]

@andretonelli Yes - I understand that. But plenty of players (some that we all know and love) with unorthodox thumb position and no issues whatsoever. It reminds me of instructors at Berklee back in the day telling you that you're holding your pick wrong. 😂