Barre chord left hand thumb position?

[meredith]

Mr. Green wrote in the "Playing Standing Up" thread:

I usually play seated. Like most, when seated I anchor the guitar between leg, chest and elbow. This allows me to use my left arm strength to help hold down bar chords.

When you stand up and your guitar is on a strap, you need to find a way to anchor the body otherwise, you may find your thumb aches a lot when you start playing bar chords.

I was quite surprised when I discovered how much I used my left arm muscles to hold down chords. I don't think I'm not the only one ;-)

When I read this i made me think, because I don't actually press with my thumb but use the heel pad at the base of my thumb on the back of the neck for general playing (which frees up the thumb for damping the 'E' string), but when it comes to barre chords suddenly I use my thumb. Which may be why I have so much trouble with barre chords. (I'm older and have carpal tunnel, etc so I do have problems with hand strength.)

I find it is possible to barre and rather than use the end pad of the thumb, I can use the second joint (my hand isn't big enough to continue to use the heel pad). To those who play barre a lot, how do you hold the neck? Seems like using that second joint pad would be less stressful than the actual thumb pad.

[JeremyG]

Hi Meredith,

I'm not certain this is exactly what you're wanting to see but maybe there's a point Larry pointed out that might help? I hope so.

Good luck with that horrible stress trouble. I've had severe elbow tendonitis that's altered my life considerably. It required "8" (yup!) separate lateral and medial operations over the past 15 yrs. I'm okay now, not good but o.k.

I sincerely wish you the best.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njexU3H3zjA

Jeremy.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by meredith

Mr. Green wrote in the "Playing Standing Up" thread:

When I read this i made me think, because I don't actually press with my thumb but use the heel pad at the base of my thumb on the back of the neck for general playing (which frees up the thumb for damping the 'E' string), but when it comes to barre chords suddenly I use my thumb. Which may be why I have so much trouble with barre chords. (I'm older and have carpal tunnel, etc so I do have problems with hand strength.)

I find it is possible to barre and rather than use the end pad of the thumb, I can use the second joint (my hand isn't big enough to continue to use the heel pad). To those who play barre a lot, how do you hold the neck? Seems like using that second joint pad would be less stressful than the actual thumb pad.

Hi meredith…
Not sure if this short video I did for students will help, but it shows what a fairly low action and lighter string combination permits with minimal pressure. I use custom light (.011-.052) on this guitar, and change the high string to a .012 for consistent tone.

I can accomplish barres on my guitars without using a thumb at all the action is so low and 'limber' (for lack of a better term). I cannot imagine putting enough pressure on the pad when barre-ing to cause pain or stress.

It is on a very responsive guitar, and I often put in 4-5 hour playing days & have without issue for the past decade (I'm 61 yrs old) or hand/wrist/arm problems.

Barre from behind and above - click

Without seeing you in person, it's tough to make strong recommendations other than 'experiment' with positioning.

The elevation of the neck of the guitar and position of the body of the guitar in relationship to your shoulders makes a big difference for keeping the whole package ergonomic so you don't stress the joints of the wrist, elbow or shoulders as we age.

I am a high neck player - the neck is elevated so the headstock is at least chin high, and I place the guitar out toward the knee and lean it back when sitting so the back of the guitar is angled and it permits me to play large bodied guitars without stressing the shoulder.

Hope this helps...

[meredith]

Larry wrote:

I am a high neck player - the neck is elevated so the headstock is at least chin high, and I place the guitar out toward the knee and lean it back when sitting so the back of the guitar is angled and it permits me to play large bodied guitars without stressing the shoulder.

Interesting, I went the opposite way, lowering the headstock so that the blood can flow freely to my hand. But then I don't have shoulder problems.... mostly... just had another round of bursitis starting in the right shoulder, a few weeks of stretches nipped it in the bud.

I'll have to check the videos when I'm on a better connection... thanks!!!!

[Goofball Jones]

I also learned after years (and I mean years) of struggling with barre chords...usually just trying to avoid them if I could....that I was trying to make my barre finger as straight and rigid as I could, when in fact I wasn't taking into account that there's a radius on the fretboard! Letting my barre finger actually arch/form over the fretboard all of a sudden helped a ton!