Yahoo Answers is shutting down on May 4th, 2021 (Eastern Time) and the Yahoo Answers website is now in read-only mode. There will be no changes to other Yahoo properties or services, or your Yahoo account. You can find more information about the Yahoo Answers shutdown and how to download your data on this help page.

Anonymous
Anonymous asked in Arts & HumanitiesPerforming Arts · 2 months ago

why is it so hard to up strum with your thumb on guitar?

5 Answers

Relevance
  • Adele
    Lv 5
    1 month ago

    It's hard to strum with the thumb. Typically in fingerpicking, the thumb is the bass player. In the realm of fingerstyle, the thumb is used quite a bit more. 

  • 2 months ago

    Restricting hand movement. 

  • 2 months ago

    because of fear

  • Tony B
    Lv 4
    2 months ago

    Probably because you're not used to doing it, or you're doing it wrong.

    I think usually it's not just the thumb that's doing the strumming, it's the thumb and the first finger that are in the same position as they'd  if a pick was being used. The nail of the finger strums going down, and the nail of the thumb strums going up - that's how a ukulele is played. It's not a comfortable thing to do until you get used to it.

  • Anonymous
    2 months ago

    Thumbs are made for gripping and clenching, which in guitar orientation is a downward motion. 

Still have questions? Get your answers by asking now.