The thumb

[Koyan]

Hi, here's my second post in about three month's. I'm making progress

The question is about the thumb, i.p. the pulgar apoyando playing. I have been practicing like crazy on this technique. Think my tumb is free of tension and in the right position, however, i still get stuck in the strings. I've cut the nail as short as possible and now i'm making some progress. Will see how it goes when i keep practicing this while the nail is slowly growing.

The essence of my question:

Does a flamenco player need to have a right hand thumb thats bending outward on the little joint? In all the vids i have seen on uTube the guitarists seem to have a thumb that's almost like a hook, it's even pictured on Juan Serrano's Flamenco cover. In one uTube vid this guys thumb was bending almost like 90' outward, scary

Like i mentioned in my first post, i have big hands and to add to that: My thumb is as straight as can be, maybe a 5' bending.

I have overcome other problems with my hands, like disordered nail and therefore extremely thick fingertip on left hand 3 finger. So i guess i will overcome this thumb problem also, in time. Just curious about this bending. So, hows your Pulgar?

Regards, Gerrit

[Glamenco]

Hi Koyan,

I also find it rather striking that quite a lot of the real good Flamenco's have these bendy thumbs. I myself have a very straight thumb too but I don't find using the pulgar difficult at all. Actually, I think it is one of the most easy techniques for me. I just have a long thumbnail instead of a short one, that does the trick for me.

So I guess it's just about practicing and nails, and you'll be allright.

Hope that helps,

Glamenco

[Koyan]

Thanks for the heads-up, Glamenco. Generally i haven't probs with the thumb either. Must have been too long period, too much practicing. Then suddenly coming to a point of what wasn't practiced much before. A Solea exercise with sensitive thumb arpeggio on GBE with golpe, followed by i on E string. The thumb is not to blame, got stuck in coördination. Still think though that people with bended thumbs have slight advantage here

Regards, Gerrit