Where do you put your thumb?

[slowfinger]

I spent last weekend at the Port Fairy Folk Festival ( http://www.portfairyfolkfestival.com/ ) as audience, and paid attention to the bass players mostly. I saw plenty of thumbs poking around the edge of the fretboard - I thought that was supposed to be not a good thing.

 

So where does your thumb go? I think mine usually pokes around the edge.

 

 

[kenfxj]

Where do you put your thumb?

Why? What have you heard?

[theTragicRich]

Back in my early years on guitar, my thumb came over top the neck/fretboard often depending on what I was doing. Sometimes I fretted a note on the low-E string with it... but over the years, and maybe it was learning different techniques that didn't allow the thumb to be anywhere BUT behind the neck, it pretty much stays back there. Again, there are times, only on my electric guitars and my steel string acoustic, that I might fret a low note with the thumb, but on my nylon guitar, basses, and 7-string guitar, it just isn't going to happen.

[Juancarlin]

I´ve had to fight HARD for it, but nowadays my thumb TRIES to spend most of the time in the very middle (lenght-wise) of the neck. Sometimes it either forgets or gets tired or wants to "feel" a tighter grip (baseball bat-like) on the neck (specially when thumpin´) and shows a little bit over the fretboard. Then I get red-headed in shame, and remember to put it down again. :$

[Rocky McDougall]

Always on the back of the neck and applying more pressure than I should.

Rocky

[Seamy ALB]

Playing 6 string fingerstyle & mostly due to my tiny hands my Fret hand thumb is nearly always at the back of the neck ala classical guitar. I have noticed that playing pickstyle on the 4 I have been hooking my thumb ove the top to mute the E string to keep my playing clean.

[jeremy c]

Left thumb?

 

Always on the back of the neck. If the neck has a "skunk stripe" on the back, that's where my thumb is.

 

If your thumb comes over the edge of the neck, you have essentially shortened all your fingers.

[Basshappi]

I'm pretty good about keeping it on the back of the neck.

 

However, don't obsess over it. Watch Vic Wooten, Geddy Lee, Chris Squire and many others, there's plenty of thumbs a peeking over the board.

[BIGchief]

i was taught that correct technique was to keep it in the center of the back of the fret board, but i find this difficult at times. I personally dont think it makes a difference where your thumb is. what matters are the sounds comming from the instrument.

[Rocky McDougall]

If I hang my thumb over the top of the fretboard, my fingers will only reach the little string.

Rocky

[...]

Left thumb?

 

Always on the back of the neck. If the neck has a "skunk stripe" on the back, that's where my thumb is.

 

I do the same as the J-man.

[DavidMPires]

Always on the back, unless i'm rocking a two note song and in that case it may have a little pic on the edge.

[The Geoff]

When I'm playing bass, my left thumb is pretty much on the back of the neck all the time.

 

If I'm playing guitar, it comes round the top sometimes as an alternative to some forms of barre.

 

G.

[Joe Bloe]

I believe that hand size has some effect on position. Unless you're fretting the E string with it, it should be on the back of the neck. The larger your hand, the more it will tend to be closer to the E on the back. Smaller hands tend to be in the center.

 

It also depends on if you use your pinky when fretting strings. One theory says the pinky is not used. I don't subscribe to that school of thought. I use all four fingers to fret the strings. This changes my overall hand position on the neck.

[Phil W]

The 'correct' technique is for your left thumb to be in the middle of the neck, I think you're right, this does come from classical guitar.

 

I practise that but I've seen a lot of photos of me playing where my thumb's somehwere else so I had a quick scan through some BP magazines. I noticed that at least half of the bassists pictured in the magazine had their left thumb in an 'incorrect' position - and they sound just great - so it can't be a huge thing to worry about.

[Davo-London]

Actually it also depends on which part of the neck you are playing and where you strap your instrument. If you strap low then the centre position will not be possible. If the bass is above waist the you can comfortably use the centre position as described above, but even that is not possible when you get above the 15th fret. You'll note up in this stratosphere that the thumb has to climb upwards.

 

Davo

[Luke73]

About the middle of the back of the neck.

[5 string Mike]

I try to keep it in the middle, but it's not always there. Many many great players do not keep the thumb in the 'correct' position, and they have their reasons. Mine tends to creep up around the top if I am doing string bends and vibrato and some other stuff.

 

 

[BenLoy]

My thumb is all over the place, depending on what I'm doing.

 

I used to be a strict "thumb behind the neck" guy when I was learning. All the jazz guys did it, it was considered proper double bass technique, and I was impressionable, so I wanted my left hand technique to be like Jaco's:

 

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/photos/2007/jpastorius_1.jpg

 

Playing like this has its advantages when playing parts that have a lot of fast arpeggios or scalar motion, and I definitely use this hand position for playing certain passages. However, the down side is that your wrist will have the tendency to bend in a way that's generally not good for your carpal tunnel, especially if (like me) you don't have hitchhiker's thumbs:

 

http://benloy.com/images/The%20Last%20Broadcast/08.05.06_LB_Parkside%20Lounge.JPG

 

When I'm playing more "chug along" parts that can easily be played with a little shifting, I tend to go for a left hand position more like this:

 

http://benloy.com/images/tang_evan_ben.jpg

 

My wrist remains straight and my fingers stay relaxed and curved in a comfortable way that feels natural. My straight "non-hitchhikers" thumb curves comfortably over the top. If I need to play something that requires a 1-2-3-4 position I just switch back.

 

Also, make sure you're never squeezing the neck. The force of pressing down the strings should come from your shoulder and arm instead.

[yourlord]

I tend to ride it in a range from dead center of the back of the neck, all the way to using to to mute the B string if I'm on a 5 and playing something on the higher range strings. You can see the tip of my thumb poking up from the back of the neck most of the time since I put the pressure on the 1st joint in my thumb and not the pad or tip.

 

If playing a 4, it's planted somewhere on the back of the neck. If playing a 5, it's still usually planted on the back of the neck unless I'm playing something that makes it comfy to mute the B with it.

 

 

[groover]

I find that by keeping my thumb in the center of the neck my fingers will stay in position better, will stretch farther and will be more comfortable. I do find myself poking my thumb out over the board when I'm getting lazy and/or when I'm playing a bass with a very small narrow neck. This is one of the reasons why I like chunkier necks.

 

I've never had any lessons on proper bass technique, it's just something I've discovered on my own while trying to learn fast riffs.

[Michele C.]

I am impressed: all serious answers, way to go!

My left thumb is on the skunk stripe and my right thumb is on the string above the one I'm playing, but sometimes I stick it between the E and the A string trying to mute both, when I play on the G string, but this is better done with the left index barrè muting everything.

I have a lot of resonances to tame, for example when I play a B on the G string, for example, I have a strong resonance of the E string.

This is me in action, at a local pub

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cosmic53/2331605270/

[Phil W]

Talking of jazz technique, has anyone here played in thumb position on electric?

 

I must say that, since reading lots of Gary Willis on the subject, I've practised a lot without the thumb on the back of the neck at all - so as to minimise the pressure. I'm not recommending that on a gig. Except maybe in overhand position.

[Eric VB]

The 'correct' technique is for your left thumb to be in the middle of the neck, I think you're right, this does come from classical guitar.

 

I practise that but I've seen a lot of photos of me playing where my thumb's somehwere else so I had a quick scan through some BP magazines. I noticed that at least half of the bassists pictured in the magazine had their left thumb in an 'incorrect' position - and they sound just great - so it can't be a huge thing to worry about.

Phil's response and BenLoy's pretty much nail it for me. We've shot a lot of band video lately and the tape does not lie. My technique is not "perfect" 100% of the time.

 

Since I've been playing a lot of rock lately there hasn't been a lot of need for proper technique. If you enjoy, say, pounding out low F 8ths on the E string for 5 minutes straight that way, be my guest.

 

Note that your thumb needs to be centered horizontally between your 4 fingers, too, for proper technique. I don't care how much force you get out of your arm or whatever, that F requires the most effort to fret of any note on a 4 string. Can you even play it cleanly without your thumb behind the neck? Playing it for 5 minutes like I said above with proper technique is going to fatigue your hand until it cramps up and starts to burn and hurt. And if it doesn't, you're lying.

 

My hand will naturally find the most comfortable position for whatever I'm playing. If that means my thumb pokes over the top of the neck from time to time then so be it.

 

Maybe it's like running a marathon? Do people that run marathons run all the way to the event, run it, and then run all the way back home? Of course not. They save the running for when they need it, and when they don't they're giving those muscles a chance to relax.

[slap-pop-karl]

I put my thumb on the pups, either or depending what sound i want

[picker]

Thumb? You mean when it's not in my ear?

[moot]

Mine is generally all over too - depends on where on the neck I am playing and how much reaching I am doing.

The closer I get to the bridge, the farther down toward the "skunk stripe" my thumb gets. If I'm just plunking along in the first couple frets *yawn* mine is clearly visible.

 

I wanna know who came up with the "correct position"?

[Big Red 67]

Generally on the back in the middle. I think that Bunny Brunnel goes toward the bottom closer to the ground. Jeremy was at that clinic do I remember that one right J.C.

[Tom Capasso]

Also, make sure you're never squeezing the neck. The force of pressing down the strings should come from your shoulder and arm instead.

I tried that, but the neck moved, so I pivoted, and the next thing I knew there were no notes and I was dizzy.

 

OK seriously - you're going to have to explain that better or show me one of these days. As far as I can tell, I'm using shoulder, elbow and hand all to some extent.

 

Tom

(maybe this explains a lot...)

[DJR_Bos]

Ah, tricky subject. So much emotion and dogma. And weird adolescent ego. At least for me this whole thing was much more important at 17 21 than it is at, er, a bit more than that now.

 

Honestly, I remember back in high school looking at gig pics and shuddering because the ole thumb was peeking over the back of the neck.

 

What a silly, silly boy.

 

Yes, Im well aware that the thumb belongs on the back of the neck and behind the second finger. When the lines get tough thats where it is.

 

I've practised a lot without the thumb on the back of the neck at all - so as to minimise the pressure.

 

And I had at least one teacher that taught it was nothing but counter balance. Actually suggested the LH thumb could be tossed out and fed to cats. That was an odd sort of thing. For him to say that is.

 

Oh, I never use it for string muting. I play all four string basses, so, dunno Never needed it.

 

But, mostly like a few of you I like to keep things comfortable. And when the going gets tough that sterling technique gets going. I know it well and dont need to turn it on just because Im afraid some bloody dweebs will be watching instead of listening and think Im somehow deficient.

 

So it, often, looks like this..

 

http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n72/hepnurecords/hand.jpg