The thumb’s job is to help keep the hand shape in tact. Not to squeeze the neck or somehow help with finger pressure. Simple alignment. So the goal is to find as many myriad ways to get the pressure down into the string without any effect on the thumb. The thumb seems to come into play when there is an imbalance on the upper end, with the finger placement. The thumb tries to balance it. It should not be needed for that, if you can achieve that balance with appropriate mechanisms up above the string.

You can also go at it from reverse. You make sure the thumb stays loose, in turn giving little option but to balance the hand and fingers exclusively. You must keep that goal in mind, though, or old habits slip in.

The thumb is really tempted to help out with the first finger. It thinks it is attached to it. But you must insist that it is a separate digit, despite its juxtaposition.

originally published on 1/3/10