Keeping thumb going while playing other strings…..

[MattTX_24]

It is tough. I have seen other tutorials (outside of TAC) that will break down a thumb picking sequence at a very detailed level (for instance, teaching 2-3 notes at a time, very slowly). This has been one of the only ways I’ve been able to learn. I feel like it just takes a lot of practice.

I also notice that my thumb doesn’t immediately go back to the bass note string when I am playing other strings at the same time. It is almost like my thumb waits until the other note I play finishes playing… or it waits until I pluck another string to go back to play the bass note. Whereas when I’m solely just using the thumb on the bass note, I can pick it and quickly go back and rest it on the bass note string until I play it again… But this doesn’t happen when I’m going to play other treble notes.

Tough to explain, but I’m sure I’ll get better as I practice.

[Marc R]

Thx Matt. It is indeed a process. I’ll keep at it.

[Calli R]

The only thing I can do is the thumb part. Once I try to add the high strings my fingers won’t even work that way. I can do one chord with the high strings separated from the base. Good to know others are challenged in the same way

[jumpinjeff]

Okay @mdrichman62gmail-com here is my secret: go slow, even slower, nope still too fast, go more slowly. I had to litteraly imagine myself moving in slow motion while making my hand and fingers do the same. I am talking comically slow. Exaggerate the finger motions off of the guitar (air guitar style) before putting them on the guitar. At that speed I found I could will myself to do it and then my brain clicks and up to speed we go. The other thing is to mute the strings while learning new rhythmic patterns. Not sure why, but this helped me a ton.

[Marc R]

Ty Jeff

[jorgemac]

The metronome helped me, more that any other tool, plus the foot tape,That I perfected using the metronome, to learn how to keep thumb time.

I also found it easier to thumb alternate strings the E, 1st beat and D, 2nd beat on the 2nd fret, 3 back to the3rd beat Bass E string and the 4 beat, back to the D 2nd fret strings. string. or Alternate A and D strings, than using the dead thumb like we are practicing now with the L Hopkins lesson.

[jorgemac]

Just thought of something else I used to do the make my thumb seperate from my finger movement.

In the mornign while reding the news or some other article and dring a beverage. i used to have my right hand laying flat on the table surface and think 1, 2, 3 and 4 while reading the paper or an article and twitching my thumb on the 1, 2. 3, 4 beats that my mind is running through my brain. After i did this for a few days and added in the finger twitch on any “and” beat my mind had added to the exercise.

If you are doing this while doing another chore, like reading the news your thumb begins to separate from other tasks and becomes more independent. Kind of like how teenage children stop listening to you….

[Marc R]

Love it. Thx