Quote:
Originally Posted by fhole
Something I learned from double bass that really helped my guitar playing was to let the weight of my arm pull the strings instead of squeezing with my thumb. Try it. You can actually play without using your thumb at all.
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You can, although I wouldn't say it's a great idea
. The mix of the two forces is ideal, as the balance can vary, and of course the thumb needs to stay in contact with the back of the neck (in most situations) to guide (partially anchor) the fingers.
I mentioned the arm weight idea back in post #10, and the idea (in case anyone is suspicious of the concept, as I once was) is that you need have your elbow held at 90 degrees (as you normally do, of course). Then the arm is like an "L" suspended at the top from the shoulder. If the forearm is held horizontal, its weight will naturally cause the arm to pivot back. There's a slight downward movement of the hand too, which needs to be countered (you don't want to pull the neck down).
Maybe worth remembering too that the fret hand should not be supporting the neck in any way. I can end up doing that if the guitar is not properly braced by the other arm and body (and supported on leg if seated or strap if standing).