Thumb chords

Hi, I am trying to learn how to do thumbs chords.

My problem is that I am having a hard time making it play nicely. First, my thumb articulation hurts a bit and after practicing this chord I feel like the tip of my thumb is a little numb (the light articulation pain only happens while I play).

Today I noticed that if I stretch my hand a bit I am able to make the chord sound nicely. I was wondering if the stretch that I do could end up hurting me and if you have any tips on this technique. What I do is the following. I make the chord but I leave the middle finger out. Then I gently push the guitar towards my wrist and the thumb towards the body of my guitar for 10 seconds. After that I gently release. Do you think I am going to hurt myself if I do this stretch every day until I can do the chord naturally? Link to picture of me doing the chord: https://ibb.co/N3RQVCw

Originally Posted by: roberto.fronteddu

My problem is that I am having a hard time making it play nicely. First, my thumb articulation hurts a bit and after practicing this chord I feel like the tip of my thumb is a little numb (the light articulation pain only happens while I play).[/quote]

You definitely want to find a way that doesn't hurt your hand or cause you any kind of discomfort.

Originally Posted by: roberto.frontedduI make the chord but I leave the middle finger out.

Exactly what chord are you attempting to play?

[quote=roberto.fronteddu]Do you think I am going to hurt myself if I do this stretch every day until I can do the chord naturally? Link to picture of me doing the chord: https://ibb.co/N3RQVCw

It looks like your thumb might be a bit too far over the top of the fretboard, your wrist is bent a little too far for comfort & your palm is pushing up against the neck.

These are difficult positions to get right. Especially since your hands are only so big & the guitar neck is a certain size.

Try to get your thumb on the low E string, just enough to make it sound. then put your index finger on the high E & B same fret. Try to be as relaxed as possible. Then add your middle and, or ring finger. I'm assuming you are working on an E major barre chord shape with your thumb on the bass note.

Hope that helps!

Thank you for your reply!

I am attempting to play the B7 as described in the Quick Change Blues guitar lesson.

The reason why I got to that position is that if my thumb is not that high I cannot mute the A string with the thumb, if the palm is not so close I don't have much strength in the other fingers nor precision with the middle finger. My thumb doesn't seem to be able to bend much over 60 degrees (not sure if it is healthy to stretch the articulation to bend more).

If I try to mute the A string with the index finger, I don't seem to be able to have the high E play nicely. I also feel a lot of pressure on the side of the thumb that touches the neck

I will let my hands rest for a day or two, then re-read very carefully your suggestions and then play around with it again trying to relax as much as possible.

Hopefully, the rest of the Blues course is not based on these chords or I am screwed Ahah.

I ended up rearranging the cords and use a barre. My hand doesn't like that shape at all and I can still get a decent sound out in this way. If I ever get to something I want to do that requires that specific shape in a way that cannot re-arranged I will work on the technique more.

You're welcome!

Originally Posted by: roberto.fronteddu

I am attempting to play the B7 as described in the Quick Change Blues guitar lesson.

Got it! Those chords are not the basis of the rest of the blues course! :) And they are not widely used compared to standard fingerings. And there is always a workaround.

I personally use them very seldomly. The most I use my thumb over the neck is to occasionally mute the low E.

Using a barre chord version as a substitute is a great solution. Well done!

Hope that helps!

Similar to D/F#, D7F# can be played with the thumb involved as well. B7/F# and Bm7/F# could be played by using the thumb over both the fifth and sixth string. Bm7/F#, by the way, could easily be play without the thumb, but the presented fingerings may serve situational purposes.

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