Who plays chords with their thumb?

[Khumalo]

I have been working on a lot of Hendrix stuff the past few days and I noticed that when you use your thumb to fret the low E string (like a small F chord plus the thumb in the bass instead of a full barre chord) you can use your pinkie to play a lot of chordal embellishments that really make the progression sound better.

So does anyone use this technique in their playing? It feels weird at first but I think it can enhance your playing a lot.

[AcousticShred]

In general, you should avoid it because it locks up your left hand. But it can open up a few more chord possiblities

[scott powell]

i use it some,as the song calls for it

[Etingi]

Same as scott for me. I use it if needed for the song, or sometimes when the guitar is low and I'm trying to get a chord on the lower strings kind of high up the neck. Like for the intro chords to All Along The Watchtower, I use my thumb, ring, pinky, and middle for major 3rd/index for minor 3rd.

[Vintage Picker]

It's my thumb, so I'll use it as needed.

[BMG_SKULK]

I know one chord that requires a thumb...:lol:

Melody and leadwork...my focus.

I use simple but interesting chords...lots of sus's, metal chords, dissonant chords, plus a few no one has ever used...least not that I have seen.

Treat the guitar like a violin...

I would be interested in you guys posting some tab of these thumb chords.

[Scorpaeon]

From Jimi Hendrix's Purple Haze,



E7#9 G A
--------------------------------------------------
----8-8-8-8------3--3--3-------5--5--7p5-5--------
----7-7-7-7------4--4--4-------6--6--6---6--------
----6-6-6-6------5--5--5-------7--7--7---7--------
----7-7-7-7-7\------------------------------------
-0---------------3--3--3--3----5--5--5---5--------
Purple Haze all in my brain



The easist way for me, and I'm guessing for a lot of other people, is to reach my thumb over for the bass note.

Its not something I normally do, but for those chords I do.

[Scorpaeon]

And this chord


--2------
--3------
--2------
---------
---------
--2------



F#/D ? I like to make the regular D form and use my thumb over the top.

That's about the extent of my thumb usage.

[Scorpaeon]

I just thought of one more example, I use my thumb for the bass notes when playing Tears In Heaven.



And thats all.

[BMG_SKULK]

And this chord


--2------
--3------
--2------
---------
---------
--2------



F#/D ? I like to make the regular D form and use my thumb over the top.

That's about the extent of my thumb usage.
Why not just bar that chord, (index) and use your pinky finger on the B string?

The rest of your examples were cool...thanks.

[Lazy Bee]

A teacher I had for a while used his thumb a lot to create slash chords. He could reach the E and A strings easily with it. I wish I could but mines a bit to short.

[BMG_SKULK]

A teacher I had for a while used his thumb a lot to create slash chords. He could reach the E and A strings easily with it. I wish I could but mines a bit to short.
I now know what I used to call extended or added chords are also called "slash" chords...

Gotta throw in some nasties to most chords anyway...so they don't sound like homogenized milk...

Any more all thumbs guys...post samples away...

[JonR]

Why not just bar that chord, (index) and use your pinky finger on the B string?Because you need the open strings. (That's a D/F# chord). OK, you can kick yourself now.... ;)

I sometimes use my thumb for the E-shape barre and the D/F# (as those above do).

I also sometimes (rarely) use my thumb on 6th and 5th strings, for a lydian dominant chord:
F9#11
FRETS: 7 8
---|-2-|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
---|---|-4-|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
---|---|-3-|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
---|-1-|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
---|---|-T-|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
---|---|-T-|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|

[BMG_SKULK]

Because you need the open strings. (That's a D/F# chord). OK, you can kick yourself now.... ;)

I sometimes use my thumb for the E-shape barre and the D/F# (as those above do).

I also sometimes (rarely) use my thumb on 6th and 5th strings, for a lydian dominant chord:
F9#11
FRETS: 7 8
---|-2-|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
---|---|-4-|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
---|---|-3-|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
---|-1-|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
---|---|-T-|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
---|---|-T-|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
:lol:
Kick properly executed...

I wasn't thinking...not totally anyway...

I was just looking at the fretted notes and any fingering difficulty that would force a thumb.

[Etingi]

------10----------------------------------------------------------------
------8-----------------------------------------------------------------
------9-----------------------------------------------------------------
------10----------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------
------8-----------------------------------------------------------------



From "The Wind Cries Mary". A sus2 chord. You hit the bass note and then hit the top 4 strings 2 beats later. You could barre it, I just find it easier to play this way.

[SpiritOfNorway]

I use my thumb. I guess I like the control I get by wrapping my hand around the neck rather than supporting it with my thumb on the back of it.