[FrankHS]

Mark, I recall you asking same question a few weeks ago; I was intrigued but kept my mouth closed because you received some good answers and hints. Furthermore, it seemed so strange that you claimed to be able to play the rest of the piece "pretty well," just not this part: measure 7, right? Some of those other fast runs appear to be 100% more difficult than this! So (back then) I worked on that bar and got it sounding good, to about 95% speed, in about 10 minutes. Nothing seemed unusual in the context of a Dyens arrangement, which are often high level anyhow. You claimed to have "no problem with the 3 note tremolo." But you had only had trouble with the thumb smoothness at speed. Thing is, the thumb note IS part of any conventional tremolo. Maybe find some Youtube tutorials about regular pami tremolo. Get that smooth-it may take weeks or months- then come back to measure 7. The difference there will be the downstrum of 4 strings: a,m,i, downstrum pulgar. Repeat, repeat. And no, it doesnt matter whether your thumb can bend back or not. My thumb stays a bit bent at the middle (MCP?) joint, toward my "i", to avoid arthritic pain. No problem to get a good downstrum with this bar 7. Your wrist will rock a little bit due to the strum, but it still feels like a tremolo, more or less.