Making thumb strum more interesting

RLM3121

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I have a medical condition that makes strumming with the index finger painful. I am looking for ways that might make the thumb strums sound better. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks-Ray
 
Might sound obvious/silly but recently i've been growing my thumbnail longer and been taking good care of it (nail strengthener/filing) and it's got to a decent strength.

Very pick like and I feel it's helped my thumb strumming.
 
Perhaps you could look at acquiring a few picks. Each type of pick make a different sound. Felt, Rubber, thin plastic are three easy to find choices. If you think you can control your strumming to keep the pick away from the wood, you can also look at thicker picks.
I use a pick all the time for long sessions. It takes a lot of stress of your fingers.

I'm a big fan of Wedgie Rubber Guitar Picks. They are very comfortable to hold, and produce a warm sound, much like the sound produced by a thumb. They are almost silent when plucking the strings (no harsh plasticky clicking sound), and are available in three levels of firmness: soft, medium, and hard. These picks are the first thing I reach for when my thumb wants a break, or I'm looking for a more pronounced sound.
Jan D.
 
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You can flick it back up after strumming down, (back of thumb nail), to get something different. :)

Also, try arpeggio picking with your fingers, hook the tips under the strings when you pluck them.
 
I have a medical condition that makes strumming with the index finger painful. I am looking for ways that might make the thumb strums sound better. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks-Ray

Any way you can switch to middle finger strumming?
 
ditto on the middle finger. I use the middle finger almost exclusively.
 
I too use the middle or ring finger exclusively. In fact, the index finger seems very unnatural to me since I have to cock my wrist to extend the index and to keep the other fingers out of the way. With my middle fingers, the wrist is neutral.
 
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