Thumb Position?

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kierannestor

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Hi all!
Just wondering if thumb position is a big deal with the ukulele as i try to keep it below the fretboard but it keeps progressively moving out as i play, should i be trying to keep the thumb under the fretboard or is thumb position relative to the chord you are playing or does it matter at all?
Cheers,
Kieran
 
You get lots of opinions on this one.

Personally, I put my thumb where ever it needs to be so that I can A) play the chord and B) keep from dropping the uke. :D

JJ
 
great thanks for clearing that up me i actually nearly dropped my uke trying to adjust my thumb today so i reckoned it was time to ask the question :D
 
I really wish I could keep my thumb on the back of the neck like "real" musicians do. I've been trying to do that for decades on guitars, mandolins and now ukes. I an't get the hang of it, so I guess I'll always be crap. :D

Seriously, try as I might, the neck just nestles in there between my thumb and finger and goes to sleep. It looks so comfortable that I don't have the heart to keep disturbing it.
 
Last edited:
I must be a "real" musician as my thumb is almost always planted in the middle of the neck. My chords get real sloppy when my thumb is sticking up above the neck.
 
I try to keep my thumb on the back of the neck. It does facilitate getting to things higher up more easily (I try to play a lot in second positions for the Uke Orchestra to fill out the sound). But I've also got a lot of sloppy ingrained guitar habits. There's still a lot of conscious effort that needs to go into playing correctly and keeping the instrument balanced so I'm no constantly dropping the neck.

It's definitely something to work towards.
 
Lanark said:
I try to keep my thumb on the back of the neck. It does facilitate getting to things higher up more easily (I try to play a lot in second positions for the Uke Orchestra to fill out the sound). But I've also got a lot of sloppy ingrained guitar habits. There's still a lot of conscious effort that needs to go into playing correctly and keeping the instrument balanced so I'm no constantly dropping the neck.

It's definitely something to work towards.
Click to expand...

cool ya im going to keep trying to keep it there then i think im in the same boat as you alot of sloppy guitar techniques creeping into my uke playing
thanks for the advice and thanks to everyone elses advice too i'll try and take it all on board :D
 
You evolved through a couple of million years from rudimentary primate to Homo Sapiens just to have the fabled "opposable thumb."

Use it as it was meant to be used. Which of course is however it feels best for you, the tool user at the pinnacle of your species.

I sometimes use my thumb to stabilze my grip so my chording fingers are pressed firmly into the fretboard. Other times I cradle the neck between thumb and forefinger so my hand can move up and down the neck with little fear of dropping the instrument. Yet other times it wraps around the neck and plunks down on the C string to help me form a chord while the fingers flex in search of other strings to ply.

All of that thanks to the wonders of evolution. So in honour of that, I will name a ukulele Darwin.
 
ichadwick said:
You evolved through a couple of million years from rudimentary primate to Homo Sapiens just to have the fabled "opposable thumb."

Use it as it was meant to be used. Which of course is however it feels best for you, the tool user at the pinnacle of your species.

I sometimes use my thumb to stabilze my grip so my chording fingers are pressed firmly into the fretboard. Other times I cradle the neck between thumb and forefinger so my hand can move up and down the neck with little fear of dropping the instrument. Yet other times it wraps around the neck and plunks down on the C string to help me form a chord while the fingers flex in search of other strings to ply.

All of that thanks to the wonders of evolution. So in honour of that, I will name a ukulele Darwin.
Click to expand...

and make a song called the origin of ukulele on it :D

cheers for the advice again peoples its helping me out alot! :shaka:
 
I started out learning from a Mel Bay book back in August, and it said to keep your thumb at the back of the neck, so you can press the strings properly.

Lately, it seems I've been curving/curling my wrist more to maintain that position and still reach some strings, arching the fingers. And I'm starting to get pain. Also, for some reason, I make some chords (G and G7) pointing my fingers more towards the bridge-end of the uke, not straight up-and-down.

I see a lot of people with the thumb way up high, behind the neck, with the neck seeming to rest in the crook of the thumb and pointer finger. How in the world do you do that and still reach the strings and arch your fingers?

I am really struggling with this right now--I've been playing for 2 months, and at first I seemed to be doing okay. But since I've been trying harder (to me) chords, I've been having to curve my wrist more to reach things.

There must be a better way. Are there any photos or videos online to show me how to do this?

Thanks!

CountryMouse
 
Hi Kieran. I tend to keep my thumb on the back of the neck, as per my guitar lessons many years ago. Sometimes it moves but I seem to automatically move it back.
 
My thumb goes where ever it needs to at the moment. I know my technique isn't quite right but I find I have a very hard time with some chords with my thumb in one position which become much easier if I just move it around a little. For a Bb my thumb is behind the neck, for a G7 it's sorta' behind the neck but for an Em I drop the neck into the fold between my thumb and index finger. Not "right" but works for me (so far).
 
wheelgunner said:
My thumb goes where ever it needs to at the moment. I know my technique isn't quite right but I find I have a very hard time with some chords with my thumb in one position which become much easier if I just move it around a little. For a Bb my thumb is behind the neck, for a G7 it's sorta' behind the neck but for an Em I drop the neck into the fold between my thumb and index finger. Not "right" but works for me (so far).
Click to expand...

I guess I just need to experiment more. Thanks for explaining what works for you. :)

CountryMouse
 
I try and keep my thumb on the back of the neck. When playing along, and I realize my thumb is sticking up, I remind myself and bring it back. That seems to help.
 
It's up to you. If you think the way that your playing is the best, then you can play it that way.
 
rreffner said:
I try and keep my thumb on the back of the neck. When playing along, and I realize my thumb is sticking up, I remind myself and bring it back. That seems to help.
Click to expand...

That's what I need to do, only more with thumb pressure I'm using and is-my-wrist-straight? :p

CountryMouse
 
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