Cheeky Fingers Piano Chord Dictionary App

Wanna solve a host of guitar playing issues in one shot?

Learn to place your thumb properly.

It’s really that easy. And yet I see so many guitarists place their thumbs in positions that actually hurt their technique more than help it.

I’ve learned a few things in my 30+ years of playing this fine instrument, but few concepts have become more profound to me than this: If you place your thumb properly OFF the fingerboard, your technique ON the fingerboard will instantly improve.

For better or for worse, few things have as much direct impact on your playing as thumb placement!

Be Flexible

First of all, let’s be clear about one thing: The thumb cannot and should not sit in one spot while you play.

Since you are trying to accomplish a bunch of things on the fingerboard – various open and barre chords, single-note lines on low, middle and high strings, bending like a maniac, muting notes, etc. – you have to be willing to move your thumb to wherever it needs to be at any given time.

A flexible approach to thumb placement will enhance the techniques you’re using on top of the fretboard. Those same techniques will suffer greatly if your thumb is not supporting it properly.

There are three places where your thumb should be at any given time:

1 – At the “default” position 2 – Wedged behind the neck 3 – Wrapped over the fretboard

These are rough estimates, but in my experience, the “default” position is where you should be about 50% of the time. The spots behind the neck and over the edge of the fretboard can each receive about 25% of your attention. Let’s explore each one.

The “Default” Position

I teach my students that they can locate the “default” thumb position – where they should spend the majority of their time – at the spot on the neck where the colors change.

By this I mean where the fretboard color (usually darker) meets the neck color (usually lighter) on the side of the neck, just below the edge of the fretboard. If you anchor the pad of your thumb at that spot, you should be in generally good position to accomplish a lot of guitar playing!

Most open chords can be played effectively with this thumb placement, as can single notes, riffs and chord shapes that occupy strings 4, 3, 2 and 1. In default position, you are supporting your fingers when they are, for the most part, up on the fingertips.

One general note about thumb placement: Your knuckle should be relatively straight. If you actively bend your thumb at the first knuckle, you diminish its ability to support and provide leverage. Don’t do that.

Since the default position is for general use, a solid 50% or more of your time should be spent here. If you are not at the default position, you should have a very good reason. Some of those reasons will be explained in 3…2…1…

The Behind-the-Neck Position

This seems to be the fave spot for anyone taught by an instructor whose forte is classical. Unfortunately, those students are being ill-advised (again, IMHO), since this thumb placement should fall only in about the 25% range for anyone playing pop guitar styles. Let’s first explore when this position is best.