Fretting with your thumb

saryu

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I'm not sure if you are supposed to do it, but I make judicious use of my thumb for fretting on the g string when playing.

I find it useful when transitioning from A to F#m, F to Dm, and playing Dsus2 or Dsus4. You can also use it to play the G and G7 shape all the way up the neck. The following diagram shows some of the ways I use my thumb to finger my chords: Chord shapes with thumb.jpg

Happy strumming!
 
So far I've avoided it, mostly because it doesn't feel comfortable to me. Except for the E-Chord ;)

But if it feels right for you and you don't feel a weird pain in any part of your hand playing like that, go for it.
 
(a) you cannot change chords fast enough once you get proficient (you will never, ever see a high end player doing it b/c they need speed on the fretboard--it's all about finger efficiency).

(b) you'll get carpal tunnel syndrome from the awkward wrist position.
 
I say if it works do it...

Lots of guitarists do it and thats on a bigger neck...

What it may hamper in someways may open up avenues in another...

This man used his thumb and reinvented the popular music wheel, wrote some beautiful music and wan't technically hindered ... There are 2 sides to every coin.

jimi-hendrix-thumb.jpg
 
The guitarists, like Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughn, are typically muting just the upper string.

The ukulele player who is doing it, conversely, is trying to hold down 3 out of four strings with the thumb over top of the fretboard (e.g for a D chord).

That'd be like a guitarist trying to come over the top and hold down 4-5 strings at a time.

There's a big difference.
 
Ditch the thumb for fretting. I also believe that it will really slow you down.

You can say that there are no rules in uke playing just like there are no rules for french horn, piano, sitar, drums or the clarinet. You can do whatever you want with any instrument but some rules have developed over ages to help players sound better, faster and more musical on their instrument.

Right and left hand technique are important in the playing of any instrument and if you want to improve, and in my opinion, have more fun with the ukulele, find out what to do with your hands. (sacrilege to say anything about rules here I know).
 
Disagree with the fact that Hendrix only muted notes with his thumb...

Do agree with the fact if you're fretting 3 strings like a D chord then it's a no no...

But if you're rocking a low G then I'm sure there could be loads of good things you could do with basslines using your thumb leaving your fingers free to play melodies and interesting harmony...
 
I think that Jimi Hendrix is one of those folks who seemed to play the guitar like it was a part of him, not quite like us mortals.
 
Thumb fretting is pretty common with Delta Blues guitarists, but with six strings and only four fingers, it is sometimes needed. With only four strings on the uke, it should not be necessary.

I am a "do what you want" kind of guy, but the few thumb-fretters I have seen at uke related get togethers just appear so inefficient and awkward that it pains me to watch them.
 
I have a lot of trouble (darn near impossible) barring then reaching a finger onto a higher string, as in B7. So I often use my thumb for the G string. For technically correct form, the four-finger/four-string theory is best. But heck, I'm already strumming too hard, singing in the key of Ringo, and moving away from that chord (and anything that looks like it) pretty fast anyway.
 
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