Muffling my A string with my palm

When practicing chords, I frequently catch my fleshy palm pressing the side of the fretboard and muffling the open A string.

When I reach over it to fret the other strings, neck is cradled against my thumb, it seems like the base of each finger is pressed into the side of the fretboard, and the A string vibrates against it.

I'm following the grip advice in the Uke for Dummies book, which is a cradled hold. Should I adopt something more like pinching the back with the thumb and not using the palm?

Man this is hard to explain.

I guess, more simply -- how do you hold the uke so that you can reach all the way over the strings (D chord) without touching the E side of the neck?

You're right, it is hard to explain If you've got a way to take a video or what's happening, you'll probably get some very detailed answers from the real pros around here.

That being said, I would try two things:
1. Try some different ways of holding the uke - I like the thumb on the back of the neck method. However, I find that that style works best with:
2. A strap. Using a strap has increased my playing ability substantially. Try out UU-er, Lori's UkeLeash.

I think, too, that it's just a matter of time and practice. Remember, though, that an habits you form, good or bad, will be very hard to break once you practice playing using them for a few dozen hours.

I put the pad of my thumb at the back of the neck like Jamie suggests and haven't found the need for a strap with a soprano. Being very new I have lots of muting issues on some chords but never on the A string.

Jim B

If you have a very fleshy palm and/or short fingers then cradling the uke as you describe is probably not the best option for you. In practice I find that my hold changes around quite a bit depending on what I'm playing but even when I'm "cradling" the uke the neck is not deep in the pocket between my thumb and finger. That may be your problem. For me, when my thumb curls up past the top side of the neck I find that the A-string side of the neck is actually resting against the firm part of my palm just below the index finger. When you are doing barre chords the thumb should be behind the neck.

HTH,
John

Difficult to put into words......

For me, the hand/thumb position is not the same for every chord.
'G' neck is cradled in my thumb web...old (bad) habit from 35 yr guitar playing
F A E7 all barre chords my thumb is on the back of the neck (pinch?),
but not always the same angle of thumb, wrist, forearm, or elbow near/away from body.


Maybe watch a few vids of good players, you will see what I mean.
Here is one of Jake playing with equaly legendary guitarist Tommy Emmanuel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5qakFIecBU

Thanks for the tips! I've paid more attention to grip and posture in the videos, and think I'm just being too "inflexible" and uniform in my hold. All the pros and healthy amateurs move their grip around much more. The thumb moves on every chord, more or less.

That, and most people seem to keep their grip rotated more toward the thumb side than I am. I can change that. (I was trying to get maximum arch from my fingers.)

It's possible I have corpulent palms, but I suspect I'm just snugging it too deep in the cradle (between thumb and finger). I'm going to hold it more loose and see if that helps.

This video in particular was fun to watch because of the camera's focus on the fretting hand:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBFdrLu7o9w
The variety of angles, thumb position, and palm placement was very interesting.

I also have a 1:1 music lesson (all in!) registered and this will be one of my top questions.
Thanks!