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Where's your left thumb?


Groove Mama

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#4 illustrates JeremyC's Can-O-Soup(Beer/Soda/Pop) technique.

 

Any chance to post pictures (or better video) of your left (fretting) hand to see whatcha are doing?

Front and back or right over top of your hand to see whats going on.

 

Brocko

Don't have a job you don't enjoy. If you're happy in what you're doing, you'll like yourself, you'll have inner peace. ~ Johnny Carson
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I'm not sure why this is, but recently I've noticed something contrary to what I would have thought. While playing rhythm guitar at my gigs, I tend to put a fair amount of pressure on the back of the neck with my thumb - to the point of some soreness by the end of the ong at times. I played my acoustic bass today and noticed my thumb was very lightly touching the neck, even though much more string pressure was needed. I'm kind of baffled as to why this is. I never had lessons on either (only piano and sax), so I would not be surprised to have improper technique, though I try to pay attention to the pros as well as advice on here.

Dan

 

Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth.

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mostly agrees w/the d. stokes thumb position post. have had several teachers (popular guitar, classical & flamenco guitar, and upright bass) tell me the same thing: start with hand @side & relaxed. notice natural curve of hand & fingers, thumb usually between index & middle fingers. bring hand up to instrument & hold neck for 1st position. thumb should be near middle of neck with fingers easily accessing 1st 4 frets on all strings (1st 4 notes of all strings in case of upright bass).

as for pressure the consensus is "as little as needed, no less, as much as necessary, no more." -which i take to mean if my fretting technique is correct, just enough pressure to keep string from buzzing...

"All music is folk music; I ain't never heard no horse sing a song."- Louis Armstrong
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Here's a video of me playing. You can't see my thumb because you can't see the back of the neck. If you are standing in front of me when I am playing, you will never be able to see my thumb.

 

I'll try to get a video taken that shows me playing from the front, back, side and above.

 

p.s. the video was made when I was selling my Carvin bass. It has been sold and I no longer have the bass. The video is unlisted on youTube, so no one else other than you guys and gals will be able to see it.

 

[video:youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cczAmc-uQSw

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You can't see my thumb because you can't see the back of the neck. If you are standing in front of me when I am playing, you will never be able to see my thumb.

Thumb? What thumb? ;)

Queen of the Quarter Note

"Think like a drummer, not like a singer, and play much less." -- Michele C.

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You can't see my thumb because you can't see the back of the neck. If you are standing in front of me when I am playing, you will never be able to see my thumb.

Saw Tower of Power last night, and you could see Rocco's left thumb sticking up behind the neck whenever he played within the first five frets but not when he played higher up the neck. Lots of wrist rotation, perhaps?

 

By the way, I'm happy to report that his liver transplant seems to be holding up nicely.

 

Queen of the Quarter Note

"Think like a drummer, not like a singer, and play much less." -- Michele C.

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:D :D

I was going to say on the pickup cover or the strings.

 

As for my right thumb, I'm pretty good at keeping it on the back of the neck, though it does occasionaly creep over the top. But hey, Geddy does the same thing so it's okay. :D

Nothing is as it seems but everything is exactly what it is - B. Banzai

 

Life is what happens while you are busy playing in bands.

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