Shaky thumb

[linas]

Hello I did not find a proper place to post my topic so I'll as here.

I've been playing guitar for about 1,5 year now, just picked the guitar and tried to learn songs from tabs and youtube videos.

When I try to play fingerstyle songs like Blackbird or Dust in the wind often my right hand feels shaky, especially the thumb, which makes it hard to play steady fingerstyle patterns. I don't think that my position is very wrong, I've taken advice from many videos (from Neil too). Has anybody else had such a problem? Is there a way (exercises) to overcome such problem?

[willem]

Hello,i think i hear you,,i think you must slow down your practice speed,,i think your shaky thumb comes when you try the full tempo,,just try a speed were your comfort with to control your thumb,speed devolops in time and when you can dream the transitions...

[Lavallee]

Hi Linas, what do you mean by shaky thumb? Do you mean trembling, not stable, have to move your hnad to change chords, etc..?

Marc

[linas]

willem, Lavallee, thank you for replies. I appreciate it!

I will try to explain what I mean by "shaky thumb". Say the thumb is playing alternating base notes. Just after I hit a string with my thumb it feels as if I would not have control over it, and it looks a bit trembling for a moment. It feels like other fingers know what to do and this one doesn't. For some reason I think it should feel relaxed and confident.

Maybe willem is right, practice makes perfect. Although I've been practicing it slowly for quite a time. Even when I am playing it slowly, that "moment of uncertainty" exists, just that I can still keep the base notes steady when it's slow.

How do you feel your fingers when you play? Relaxed?

[willem]

linas wrote:

willem, Lavallee, thank you for replies. I appreciate it!

I will try to explain what I mean by "shaky thumb". Say the thumb is playing alternating base notes. Just after I hit a string with my thumb it feels as if I would not have control over it, and it looks a bit trembling for a moment. It feels like other fingers know what to do and this one doesn't. For some reason I think it should feel relaxed and confident.

Maybe willem is right, practice makes perfect. Although I've been practicing it slowly for quite a time. Even when I am playing it slowly, that "moment of uncertainty" exists, just that I can still keep the base notes steady when it's slow.

How do you feel your fingers when you play? Relaxed?

In a way they are relaxed but we have the move them,we must make music is'nt it,,maybe i have a idea!!
Practice the ''house of the rising sun'', when you play the bass note of the chord let your thumb rest on the bass string below the one you hit,,for example on the Am chord,,play the open A(5 string)and rest your thumb on the 4string,,i realise that you can't do that on the D and F chord,,but i think you get my drift,,

[ffsooo3]

linas wrote:

I will try to explain what I mean by "shaky thumb". Say the thumb is playing alternating base notes. Just after I hit a string with my thumb it feels as if I would not have control over it, and it looks a bit trembling for a moment. It feels like other fingers know what to do and this one doesn't. For some reason I think it should feel relaxed and confident.

Do you get the "shakes" if you ONLY play alternating bass notes? If you finger a G chord and alternate playing the 6th and 5th strings do you shake?

How about if you play the 6th, 4th, 5th, 4th strings?

[AndyT]

It sounds like you have two issues.

1. Confidence
2. Strength

The only way to fix the first one is to play more and more often.
The second one can cause the thumb to become weak and shaky while playing. Many people do not realize how much hand strength it takes to play guitar well. Keep at it, you will get there. You might want to do some finger exercises with a grip trainer.

[wiley]

linas,

There is a series of practice exercises/studies recently put up here by Hector Garcia, called "Giuliani's Right Hand Studies" which have been around for many years, it's a classical guitar exercise/study that has a total of 120 different 'movements'. It's also available as part of the book "Pumping Nylon". There are also several "Left Hand Studies" by Giuliani. Google is your friend here.

One of the main keys to getting the thumb, which tends to have it's own mind, to do what you want is of course, practice. Slow, steady practice. With practice comes experience, with experience comes confidence.

One of the things Hector (our classical teacher here) talks about is 'resting' the thumb whenever possible. Getting the thumb to push down and not 'pluck' isn't all that easy to do. So, as you play say the 6th string (E) you push down with the thumb, play the 6th string, and allow the thumb to 'rest' (stop) on top of the 5th string, as long as the next note or several notes in the progression do not play on that string. Pretty common practice for bass players to have their thumb resting on the 4th string, muting it. It also allows you to have a better feel for where you are at with your right hand and, keeps your thumb doing something, seems it always wants to be doing something when it's buddies are doing something.

[linas]

Hey, thanks for all the replies! This forum really seems to be working!

Answering ffsooo3 question:
Yes, I do get the "shakes" as well when I play ONLY the bass notes.
Maybe that would be a good exercise! (Do I rest my other fingers on the bottom free strings then?)

I will also try to learn the thumb resting technique that some of you mentioned.

I've looked at "Giuliani's Right Hand Studies" (yep, they're freely available online), but I think one should work professionally on that kind of stuff. I mean with a teacher who could watch for any mistakes in your playing, otherwise one may end up practicing the wrong thing.

[willem]

linas wrote:
I've looked at "Giuliani's Right Hand Studies" (yep, they're freely available online), but I think one should work professionally on that kind of stuff. I mean with a teacher who could watch for any mistakes in your playing, otherwise one may end up practicing the wrong thing.[/quote]

We as TARGET members can upload video that get responses from our teacher Neil,,maybe you can film your practise and show your shaky thumb,,i bet you get responses, atleast from TG members!!!