Guitar chords are composed of groups of fretted notes that mute open strings, so as to produce a clean sounding chord.
One way your thumb can help is through its placement; ideally it should not occupying all the space between hand and fingerboard.
Finger Position
Comfort is key when fretting guitar chords. Many beginning guitarists tend to place the index finger of their left hand on the low E string (represented by “T” on most chord diagrams), which works fine for simple open chords but makes moving fingers quickly up the neck difficult for other chord shapes or string bending techniques.
The thumb should be placed at the back of the neck between index finger and middle finger. Any placement that creates too much tension in the hand must also be avoided; additionally, its location should allow strings to be easily played without touching them directly – either through muting with other fingers or picking with thumb.
At first, playing piano may feel awkward, with notes not coming out clearly enough. Over time and with practice, this should become more natural and comfortable.
Thumb Position
One area that often becomes unclear with finger positioning is the role of the thumb. Some players become fixated on placing their thumb under their neck when playing chords, which tends to put too much strain on fingertips and fingers, making fretting difficult while placing unnecessary strain on wrists.
Instead of pushing your thumb under the neck, aim to leave about the size of a golf ball between your palm and guitar neck. This may vary depending on hand and wrist size but should allow enough room to fret chords without flattening fingers or straining wrist.
Notice how the first finger has been slightly rolled to the left here, essential when playing bar chords as it helps prevent flattening of knuckle when pressing down on other strings in a chord.
Wrist Position
Dependent upon your guitar neck size, finger and hand sizes, as well as optimal wrist position adjustments may be necessary for optimal playback. Your goal should be to keep your wrist relaxed rather than bent forward in front of the neck; otherwise this may cause wrist pain when playing chords for extended periods.
Your third finger should be placed slightly behind and parallel to the fret, in order to minimize pressure while producing clear notes. Your thumb should also be kept close to the back of the neck to avoid oversqueezing when creating chords.
As you play chords, it is crucial that your hands and wrists remain in their appropriate places; otherwise, injuries could result. Take time to master this artform; better safe than sorry!
Hand Position
Positioning wrist and finger joints when playing guitar chords can be tricky. Squeezing too hard may cause pain; too far back may decrease leverage for barre chords and cause your knuckles to flatten out, losing leverage altogether.
Thumb position on a guitar neck is also extremely crucial; too low will cause fingers to kink and cause wrist strain; too high could compromise barre chord leverage, while too far back could make reaching certain strings more difficult for your index finger.
Thumb position should be higher than and in line with the index finger. Adopting this positioning takes some practice; if you need help getting used to it, try experimenting with various heights until you find what works for you.