A Lesson on Left Hand Thumb Position

A Lesson on Left Hand Thumb Position While Playing Classical Guitar – A discussion and lesson about the left hand thumb position for classical guitar. This is a question from Paul who wanted to know about the left hand thumb position while playing scales. I’ve expanded on it to discuss the left thumb position in general and how it’s positioned during various textures.

Here’s the original question: “I would like to know how the left hand thumb performs on the back of the neck of the guitar while playing scales.  Does it traverse across the neck while fingers maintain their same curvature or is it static while the fingers curl more tightly & the wrist drops more so as to remain straight? All lessons that I can find only show the fingers in action from a front perspective. “

Here’s a summary of some of the tips:

  • The thumb moves with the hand. While maintaining the ideal hand shape and finger curvature the arm moves that hand position around the guitar while maintaining the relatively same thumb position (usually near the 2nd finger give or take).
  • In melodic single line textures the thumb can move vertically (floor to ceiling) as the fingers traverse from the low strings to high strings.
  • In more complicated textures such as counterpoint or multi-voice textures the thumb will have to be between the strings being played which is often near the center of the guitar neck.

You may also want to see my full lesson on the Left Hand Position for Classical Guitar.

Find more video lessons here, or check out pages for free sheet music or gear reviews. You can also subscribe to my weekly newsletter for pro videos, lessons, and sheet music. Here’s the Youtube Lesson Link if you want to watch it there.

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Bradford Werner
Bradford Werner

Bradford Werner is a classical guitarist and music publisher from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. He originally created this site for his students at the Victoria Conservatory of Music but now shares content worldwide. Curating guitar content helps students absorb the culture, musical ideas, and technique of the classical guitar. Bradford also has a YouTube channel with over 94,000 subscribers and 13 million views. He taught classical guitar at the Victoria Conservatory of Music for 16 years and freelanced in Greater Victoria for 20 years and now dedicates much of his time curating content online and helping connect the classical guitar community. See more at his personal website.

5 Comments

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  1. Hello Bradford
    I have just joined your news letter and have your 20 exercise book. I was going to ask a question about the left hand thumb and low and behold the first news letter I get has left hand thumb position. I agree with the questioner that there seems very little on this. Thanks again. I am 64 and only started playing 2 years ago. but it has become my passion. Really enjoy your work.
    Thanks
    David

  2. Question. I notice the tip joint of your thumb is fully extended. The reason I ask is that I used to extend the joint like that but then started having some issues with trigger thumb. Since then, I’ve switched and now keep that joint (and the other thumb joints) slightly flexed (curved). Now that I’ve gotten used to doing it that way, it seems more relaxed, natural and consistent with keeping the other LH fingers curved. (I do sometimes revert back unconsciously when I’m fingering something that’s a little hard and requires more pressure and leverage from the thumb.)

    Is there a right and wrong on this?

    • This is often more question of tension in the thumb more than anything. In general, the thumb is relaxed and not bent at the tip segment. I’ve never interacted or seen any pros that play with a bent tip. That said, everyone is different and many pros have their oddities.

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