The Thumb Over

This position is commonly used in most styles aside from classical and flamenco. It is useful when bending strings especially, but can be helpful as well in some chord formations.

•Try to use as little of your thumb as possible when you reach over to press the string down. This reduces the torquing of the wrist.
• Try to reach with your thumb as opposed to pushing your wrist up to reach the string.
• Take note of the position of the wrist. Try to keep it as aligned as possible.

The Vice Grip

Ease up there buddy. This is one you want to avoid. I’ve mentioned this in previous lessons but this photo shows you what the thumb looks like when you’re squeezing too hard.
• Note the fleshy part of the thumb. Try to make this part of your thumb as soft as possible, the more the tension the harder this muscle is.
• Notice the shape of the thumb. When your pressing it arches backwards, concave-like.

The Hitch-hiker

I find myself slipping into this position more than any of the others. For me it doesn’t cause any detriment to my technique because I keep my fingers and wrist in proper alignment. At least I try to be aware enough to keep them that way. The drawback is that it takes longer to move to move your thumb if need be to the thumb over or for barre chords. So it is better to try to stay in the next position as much as possible.

• Hand is still relaxed, and reach is still maximum if needing to stretch the pinky and/or index.
• Wrist is not hyper-extended. It should stay slightly bent as shown.

The soft touch or the bottle

This is the position to shoot for as the reference point while you play.

• Hand is still relaxed, and reach is still maximum if needing to
stretch the pinky and/or index.
• Wrist is not hyper-extended. It should stay slightly bent as shown.
• Thumb, with the inside pad of it, is lightly touching the center of the back of the neck.
• Thumb is relaxed and not concave as previously shown in the vice grip. No unnecessary tension.
• Without the guitar, your hand should look as if it were holding a bottle.