reaching the lower strings

I'm having difficulty reaching the low (number 6 string) on the low end of the neck with the thumb vertical on the back. I've tried it with the thumb in hte middle of the neck, down the bottom of the neck and I just end up with a LOT of wrist pain.. what am I doing wrong ?

Originally Posted by: cheaviag

I'm having difficulty reaching the low (number 6 string) on the low end of the neck with the thumb vertical on the back. I've tried it with the thumb in hte middle of the neck, down the bottom of the neck and I just end up with a LOT of wrist pain.. what am I doing wrong ?

It sounds like you've got the right idea.

The function of your fretting hand thumb is to provide pressure opposing the force of your fingers fretting notes. So, depending on which strings & frets you are currently fretting your thumb needs to move around in order to maintain that opposing pressure. I call it an axis of power. It essentially means to move your thumb around to best oppose your fretting fingers for maximum efficiency.

So, the default, or starting position, for beginners is on the back of the neck. That's to teach beginners not to palm the neck & to learn to position their thumb for leverage & opposing force. From there you can move it around as necessary depending on which notes you are playing.

I explain in depth here.

https://www.guitartricks.com/lesson.php?input=12188&s_id=605

But there a few other things that might help.

1. Reach more of your fingers around to the strings.

2. Stay a relaxed as possible in your posture. Your entire body!

3. Tilt the neck up & away from you a little bit in order to make a more natural arc for your arm, wrist & hand to form.

I cover some of this in these lessons.

https://www.guitartricks.com/lesson.php?input=13958&s_id=1141

Hope that helps!

Thanks Christopher,

I'll check out your suggestions now and apply it, averaging about an hour a day at the moment and trying very hard to get the technique down pat before i move on in the lessons.

still having difficulty getting the pinky finger onto the 6th string while holding the othert three fingers down, no where near perfect with the other three once I start getting into the lower 5th and 6th (E and A) strings but no matter how I twist my wrist, thumb, guitar or hold my tongue I simply can't get it into postion while doing the spider legs excercise.

Help is needed because I'm spending an hour EVERY day trying to get that to work before I move on with my lessons.. and after three weeks, it's damned depressing

Originally Posted by: cheaviag

still having difficulty getting the pinky finger onto the 6th string while holding the othert three fingers down, no where near perfect with the other three once I start getting into the lower 5th and 6th (E and A) strings but no matter how I twist my wrist, thumb, guitar or hold my tongue I simply can't get it into postion while doing the spider legs excercise.

You don't need to hold the notes behind the highest note.

Use just enough pressure to hold down any note. Once you've played the note, release the pressure. You can still make contact the string in order to make your motion efficient, especially if you are going back to that note any time soon. But you don't need to waste effort holding it down. The next note on the higher fret is going to create the sound you need & make the lower fretted note irrelevant.

You can even slide your hand up a bit and move away from positioning your finger over the lower notes in order to reach higher notes. When you move back down to another another fret, just slide your hand back to that position. Try to use minimal motion, but move as necessary to reach the notes comfortably.

The entire point behind the spider legs exercise is to use each one of your fingers to fret notes to build some dexterity. But it's not necessary to hold all of them in place. In fact it is often counterproductive because it is a waste of effort & makes you hand less agile.

Hope that helps!

Originally Posted by: ChristopherSchlegel

Originally Posted by: cheaviag

still having difficulty getting the pinky finger onto the 6th string while holding the othert three fingers down, no where near perfect with the other three once I start getting into the lower 5th and 6th (E and A) strings but no matter how I twist my wrist, thumb, guitar or hold my tongue I simply can't get it into postion while doing the spider legs excercise.

You don't need to hold the notes behind the highest note.

Use just enough pressure to hold down any note. Once you've played the note, release the pressure. You can still make contact the string in order to make your motion efficient, especially if you are going back to that note any time soon. But you don't need to waste effort holding it down. The next note on the higher fret is going to create the sound you need & make the lower fretted note irrelevant.

You can even slide your hand up a bit and move away from positioning your finger over the lower notes in order to reach higher notes. When you move back down to another another fret, just slide your hand back to that position. Try to use minimal motion, but move as necessary to reach the notes comfortably.

The entire point behind the spider legs exercise is to use each one of your fingers to fret notes to build some dexterity. But it's not necessary to hold all of them in place. In fact it is often counterproductive because it is a waste of effort & makes you hand less agile.

Hope that helps!

That helps a LOT ! I was always trying to maintain pressure on the lower notes on the same string and trying to keep my hand and thumb in the one spot.. which wasn't working terribly well with my 61 year old paws and was getting very very despondant.

Yeah it's a big problem for short fingers, specially when you are just learning.

You can try to hold the fret in the middle of your palate, at first it may cause you disturbance and pain to the wrist but once you get used to it, you can touch 6th string and move your fingers around 22/24/27 frets easily, best of luck

Originally Posted by: cheaviag

That helps a LOT ! I was always trying to maintain pressure on the lower notes on the same string and trying to keep my hand and thumb in the one spot..

Good deal! Keep practicing. :)