I worry that my current guitar technique is going to screw me up in the future

Lounge
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I worry that my tendency to hold thumb mostly horiziontal to neck instead of vertically behind neck is going to trip me up when I advance to the strings higher up on neck. I have a hard time adjusting to the proper position though since I play much better with horizontal thumb and my ability to hit strings properly is so much greater.

I don’t know. Hoping I haven’t been mislead in thinking that it is ok to learn this way…we will find out as I advance. May end up relearning technique…IDK

A bit worried about it.

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Talk to your teacher about it and what’s easier and whether or not it’ll hinder your progress later

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I have brought up proper technique before and he has told me to just do “what is most comfortable”. IDK though, so many things online and the book I’m currently using show it differently.

I have no issues with playing differently, I just worry I will not be able to reach strings well with current technique.

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I wouldnt worry about it so much. The thumb position is really not important. I have tiny hands and can still rock the guitar. Although right now my finger muscles are weak. The stronger your hand gets the less proper technique matters

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In fact i have to use my pinky where most people would use their ring finger

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I had to do this several times with the banjo but if you still have your guitar teacher you can ask them and save yourself some heartache.

:musical_notes:

Edit:

I saw all sorts of left hand phrasing techniques that keep the thumb horizontal to the neck for the banjo and they play super well.

Just keep having fun.

@Bowens

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Maybe you can incorporate both thumb styles into a flexible technique depending on soloing or chording.

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I always heard that the thing you need to worry about as far as bad habits go is if your guitar is a good quality, not warped or something.

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Theres alot to be said for a nice straight neck with a smooth action. Like a pool cue…

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I’m having a very similar issue. Moving up the neck, I find my hand position to be difficult and my thumb to be almost a problem. I’m just trying to deliberately play the difficult positions repeatedly to try to train my hand to a more “natural” hand position for me, rather than what might work for someone else. Step by painful step haha :wink:

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Can you play a song already ?

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Oh yeah. I’ve been playing for 46 years actually, but I never stop practicing, trying to improve things, clean up sloppy techniques etc. The other day I spent an afternoon playing Rush songs, just coz I hadn’t played them for a while. Fun stuff. :guitar:

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I practice whistling and can do some songs. The birds love it. My favourite songs are the walk of life by direstrait and suspicious minds by elvis Presley.

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