A QUESTION TO CAPTAIN KIRK - Playing with the thumb

nagukush · #1 January 27th, 2006

Dear Sir

I'm learning your song arrangement "UNCHAINED MELODY" and i really am loving it !!!

I'm at the 13th measure of this song, where i have to hold the F-chord, and the tab says to pick the 1st fret of the low "E" string. In the video you fret it with the thumb, and i feel that is would be a good technique to learn. how does one do that sir ????
(An alternative to this , ie playing a barre chord is possible, as my friends over here have already suggested)

No matter how hard i try , my thumb cant reach and fret the first fret, will it take time to become flexible ??? (i can fret the 2nd fret on this string with the thumb easily though)

Please reply sir

...

kind regds

kush

Kirk Lorange · #2 January 27th, 2006

It's not that good a thing to learn as it can become very painful if you do it a long time like I did. One day, I couldn't anymore ... it felt like a someone hammering a nail into the joint of my thumb. So, I had to re-learn the right way, which was good. Now, I do it from time to time, like (unfortunately) in this lesson.

Look at the tab, figure out your own way to do it. There never any need to copy everything exactly ... find what's comfortable for you.

Hint: use your index finger for the bass note.

nagukush · #3 January 27th, 2006

tHANK YOU SIR, I'LL DO IT WITH MY INDEX FINGER THEN