E String...again

So I play the E string two different ways...Both use my pointer finger on the A string second fret, and one barre's GCE on the 4th fret with ring or pinky, and the other has me bring my thumb down to barre...

Now using my thumb, I can play the E no problem 100% of the time...That said, i'm worried about this potentially developing into a bad habit (I find since i've been doing this, I want to play a D with my thumb now), and potentially making it harder to play more difficult chords in the future...

I'm gonna keep practicing the E with my ring or pinky, but if it just doesn't work, do you see any major problems with using the thumb?

Mike

As long as you have no problems getting to other chords quickly as you like, I can't see a problem.

Everyone will say do whatever works. But I don't know about using the thumb. Let's just say it doesn't work for me.

This came up in a different thread. My response then was:

Hendrix used his thumb.

Yes, it was a guitar. And yes, a ukulele is smaller. I would guess that if you kept it up for ages, you would, like Jimi, develop some interesting and unorthodox techniques. It WOULD make certain orthodox techniques more difficult, as your hand isn't in the traditional position behind the neck. But good players tend to be able to switch from one mode to another. So long as you don't reach the point of telling other people, "Sorry, mate, you need to be using your thumb for that," I'm sure you'll be fine.

Since you're getting a B on the fourth string you can just mute the first string and bar the 4, 3 and 2 strings at the fourth fret to make an E chord.

Jude

E chord - try a barre of all four strings at the fourth fret and also fret the A string at the seventh fret....

This configuration seems the easiest for me.

mailman said:

E chord - try a barre of all four strings at the fourth fret and also fret the A string at the seventh fret....

This configuration seems the easiest for me.

Click to expand...

I like this "E" as well. The is the start of learning moveble chords, same shape down (lower) 2 fets is a D, up one is an "F"
From the "E" 4447 go 4445 and you have an "E7"