Thumb over - Good or bad?

[Cue Zephyr]

Hey folks,
I was just wondering what you guys think of the thumb-over technique.
As far as I know you don't use your thumb in classical guitar, although that doesn't stop me trying it on a 2" nut width neck (I can make it work ).

To me, the thumb-over tecnique is a great way to free up some fingers, especially when playing fingerstyle with melody(ish) lines.

I'm actually just wondering for new views on the technique.
CZ

[walternewton]

I don't think it's either "good" or "bad", what matters is the musical result.

If you were seriously studying classical guitar repertoire, or maybe some other kinds of music where LH finger mobility and independence is paramount, you'd probably find the classical hand positioning to be best in the long run; for the sort of country blues fingerstyle stuff I like to play fretting the 6th string with the thumb often works best for me.

[RHolmes]

Use my thumb alot for barre chords. For me it takes less effort to do so.

[Long813]

It's useful in the right setting. Thumbing bass notes, muting low E on chords, bending, vibrato, it's even more comfortable in open position. It does become a problem down the neck depending on what you are doing. I don't think anyone would be doing it in a bad way though b/c you tend to change up the thumb position with respect to comfort and reach for a given piece.

[Frosty]

Just another technique to be applied judiciously. You can't play a decent Cannonball Rag without wrapping the thumb and you can't play a Lauro Waltz with a wrapped thumb!

[Bong Twang Ping]

I have to give "thumb over" the
I pretty much always play the form 1 Major barre chord that way.

Bong.

[Cue Zephyr]

How do you guys play barre chords like that? I can't do that however much I try!
What I can do is play an Fmaj7 (133210) with the thumb over, a D/F# with the thumb over, heck, I can even play a normal D chord and mute the low E AND the A with my thumb. But a full barre like an Fm? No way...

I need to explore this a bit more. I mean, it's extra fingering power after all!

[Jhengsman]

I started doing it for that D/F#, then the F chord. Now I'm afraid its my default position and I have to think not to wrap my thumb.

[Misty44]

Ritchie Havens made a career of thumb over!

[Cue Zephyr]

That looks very useful indeed. I wouldn't know how to utilize something like that though!

[BULLSPRIG]

I don't really use my left thumb to fret anything. But I notice it hangs over the fretboard sometimes when I play. Nothing intentional, possibly poor form. I couldn't tell you. Most people tend to place their thumb along the center portion of the back of the neck while playing. Mine tends to curl over the top or be up near the 6th string. When I plant the thumb firmly against the neck like most people do, I find that my hand/palm area begins to ache. When I play, most often its the thumb heel or very base of the thumb that is planted against the neck. Not the tip of the thumb. Either that, or my palm is holding the guitar neck. Most people probably suspend their palm from the neck slightly.

[Long813]

Originally Posted by Cue Zephyr

That looks very useful indeed. I wouldn't know how to utilize something like that though!

Quick change capo

[Earthworm]

I use it for muting the low E when playing A chords. I don't care if it is right or wrong--it works.

[Mike114]

I damaged the tendon in my thumb as a child so it's useless. Luckily there are many ways to fret any given chord...

-Mike

[Herb Hunter]

For some types of music using the left thumb may even be necessary. It can be bad if someone is using that thumb to avoid learning a better way of fretting.