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Old 04-10-2021, 10:18 AM
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Default Brad Werner's right thumb

I just realized that he can bend his right thumb backwards to align with the strings! Yikes. Hurts just to look at it,

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Old 04-10-2021, 10:26 AM
NormanKliman NormanKliman is offline
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That’s standard operating practice. What’s surprising? Do you curve your thumb the other way or not as much?
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Old 04-10-2021, 10:30 AM
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That’s standard operating practice. What’s surprising? Do you curve your thumb the other way or not as much?
My thumb joint can't do that It can be straight and bend forward, not back.
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Old 04-10-2021, 10:57 AM
NormanKliman NormanKliman is offline
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My thumb joint can't do that It can be straight and bend forward, not back.
Hi Barry. I’ve heard some people can’t do that but I’ve never had the chance to ask. How’s that work then? Won’t it bend back under pressure? Of course, I don't mean enough pressure to be painful.
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Old 04-10-2021, 11:21 AM
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Originally Posted by NormanKliman View Post
Hi Barry. I’ve heard some people can’t do that but I’ve never had the chance to ask. How’s that work then? Won’t it bend back under pressure? Of course, I don't mean enough pressure to be painful.
Norman, it just straightens out and that's it.

I'm 66 so maybe 40 years ago it bent back,
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Old 04-10-2021, 11:23 AM
NormanKliman NormanKliman is offline
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Well, I had a listen to your playing during this exchange, and your thumb sounds fine to me! Thanks for answering my nosy questions. I've seen players not bend their thumbs back and I've always thought they never learned or weren't trying to do it right. Now I know that's not true.
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Old 04-10-2021, 11:26 AM
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Well, I had a listen to your playing during this exchange, and your thumb sounds fine to me!
Thanks Norman.

If I could do my guitar playing "career" over again from childhood, I would have learned to play classical for a while at least. I feel as though I missed out on a lot.
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Old 04-10-2021, 03:56 PM
charles Tauber charles Tauber is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NormanKliman View Post
That’s standard operating practice.
Ditto.

After decades of practice, my right thumb bends as his does. My left thumb goes only until straight. The difference in range of motion is considerable.

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I feel as though I missed out on a lot.
There is still time. Take a shortcut and take formal lessons.
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Old 04-12-2021, 03:14 AM
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I just realized that he can bend his right thumb backwards to align with the strings! Yikes. Hurts just to look at it,

Mine does that Barry!
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Old 04-12-2021, 09:13 PM
ssynhorst ssynhorst is offline
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Humans vary a lot, including thumbs. That banana shape is not something they do, it is something that is, or is not. The Maestro Segovia had one like that only more so. He had to tilt his hand down almost at right angles to the strings to get his thumb and nail to strike the strings properly. That can cause a harsh tone on the treble strings from the fingers.

Some have straight thumbs or ones that angle down at the first joint, which means the hand and fingers must be more nearly horizontal, which can cause problems. My thumb is straight but the tip and nail angle back a bit, so I can place my hand with the wrist straight and the fingers will brush the strings at about a 45 degree angle, which seems to be ideal.

So do not choose a wrist angle that suits your eye or your fingers, choose the one that suits your thumb and work from there.

But wait! I saw an instructional video from a fine woman guitarist whose said that her natural thumb shape was the banana kind but that she was able with long practice to learn to hold it straighter and achieve good wrist and hand position. - Steve
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