Thumb Over Grip

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There are many influential artists I personally don't consider impressive, for example the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Chuck Berry, ...

Do you actually like anyone? I mean besides Eric Johnson.

[TRGuitar]

OK! I watched video of me playing and I know why I do it when I do it! I'm muting my low E string on chords that don't use it.

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That's a perfectly good reason to do it! I imagine that's why most players do what I do.

[Liontable]

Do you actually like anyone? I mean besides Eric Johnson.

Haha, good point!

Just to prove I don't simply hate music, I'll say what I do like: Van Halen (early), Aerosmith, Bryan Adams, Whitesnake, The Darkness, Daughtry, John Mayer, Michael Bublé, Editors, Bon Jovi (and Richie Sambora individually), Joe Bonamassa, Andy Timmons, various classical composers, Hans Zimmer, Johnny Lang, Dire Straits, Ben Howard, Megadeth, Santana, Iron Maiden, Zakk Wylde (Black Label Society), ...

I picked some things randomly just as proof there's actually various kinds of music I like. I can enjoy listening to a full symphony of over an hour, I can enjoy a simple pop track lasting 3:30-4:00 (fit for radio play). I can appreciate some music in most styles aside from dubstep. I don't like Led Zeppelin, which I forgot. Tastes can be such a funny thing!

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I can't even state how much I love Santana....... better in the old days though - early albums I have Abraxas and Santana III are just out of this world. They also had a second lead guitarist on III (Neal Schon) who was incredible too.

[rsadler]

That's a perfectly good reason to do it! I imagine that's why most players do what I do.

The lessons I was originally referring too "Steviesnacks.com", explains that he is basically a huge SRV fan and pretty much emulates his style. He actually uses the thumb to press down on the E string to play it. His reasoning is it frees up your pinky and ring finger more to do some other things than you can if you did a traditional E or A shape chord. I've been messing around with it some, and I guess I can see his point. I think it might be useful in some situations, but not in others. I think I'm going to try and use both techniques and see how that works out.

[fleaaaaaa]

Hey Rsadler......

Being a huge fan of SRV kind of makes you at least give a respectful nod over to Hendrix, that's the reason SRV is gripping with his thumb. What you have found is right, it is more than advisable to be able to play a barre chord with and without the thumb - if you can do both that really sets you up well.

[rsadler]

Oh Hendrix definitely gets more than just a respectful nod! I just kinda favor SRV more. Did you notice any discomfort when first learning that grip? I've been practicing it every day lately and now notice the tip of my thumb tingling. I did have a herniated disc repaired a few months ago, so I'm hoping it's from the grip and not a problem from the nerve again.

[fleaaaaaa]

Yeah it hurt and it ached....... but I don't want you to take my word then hurt yourself - so keep an eye on it. All things that we do on guitar initially hurt, you just have to keep working at it and then suddenly one day it feels normal to do the technique.

Oh but sometimes when you do something and it hurts you can end up with RSI but that's another story.

[almann1979]

The thumb over grip is a means to an end for me.

If I am simply strumming I make my barre chords the conventional way, but any riff work, that demands any sort of embellishment, then I find the thumb over grip better by a long way.

I actually utilize the thumb over grip in my lead playing quite a bit too.

But, it all depends what your trying to play. There is no absolute right or wrong, just advantages and disadvantages.

[Derek Wilkerson]

i know im a bassist so this is only semi relevant... although i have seen mark morton from lamb of god do it. does anyone, while soloing, put their thumb under the fretboard when they solo? i know i do and it helps me out a lot.. probably because the peavey t-40 i play is a bolt neck so theres that big shelf under the neck to get around..

[guitarforlife]

Having your thumb behind the neck and not wrapped around it, gives you more freedom and better reach, but there's a lot of players who play with their thumb wrapped around the neck get good results, so I can't really say it's wrong.