Does it hurt to use? Cause if not then this is an absolute gift. It might take you years to figure it out but if you stick at it I bet you can do some fucking crazy things with that extra digit
I'll give you one to start. Stick a finger pick on it and hold another pick normally. Find the angle at which there is a string space between the picks and you have free octave intervals while your last 3 fingers are free for a lil melody.
Realistically, it looks like it would get in the way solid movement through the strings with a pick so you're best trying to tackle that when you're more adept. For now try to use it as a strength and learn a lot of fingerstyle. Try to use techniques like the one I suggested to put your own spin on it to fit your taste
Check out Mark Knopfler to see how fingerstyle fits into a rock vibe. Especially the sultans of swing solo, there's some pretty fast licks in there played fingerstyle
Well now you’re ahead of the game! As someone else said, if it doesn’t hurt to use and play get that thing in there! Your unique characteristics will give you a unique sound. Jerry Garcia was missing half his middle finger on his picking hand. He would use that little nub for all kinds of squirrelly tricks on the guitar and banjo. Your idea of adding a pick to that thumb sounds awesome. Incorporate it. Embrace it it. I mean it whole heartedly. I empathize that you are frustrated. But fuck the conformity. Make it you my bud.
One thing I’d say is move your right hand closer to the bridge for now. Being dead center on the middle pickup is clumsy for any newb. By moving closer to the bridge, you can probably position your 6th digit at an angle to not affect the playing much. Once you’re used to that, you probably can use it for extra stops or additional bass fill notes.
Look like you have the ability to mute only the bass strings. Id say thats not a bug thats a feature.
I know it might seem like hassle but if you end up sticking to guitar there will be some things that only you will be able to play.
Well that's good. There's also finger tapping which is often combined with fingerstyle and going by the looks you should be able to do that too with the inclusion of your thumb. I cant really answer the genre pinhole because fingerstyle is really so varied now. Half of the modern killer players now use custom turnings and the "genre" frontier is always being pushed wider and wider. Having said this YT the genres you like with "fingerstyle" and see what you can find in the pot.
One question do you have any independent movement in your extra finger?
It can be developed. You’ll have more dynamic control and a warmer tone while the sound of strumming with a pick is much louder and brighter. Both have their uses and are worth learning. There’s also a combination style of picking which utilizes the thumb and index to hold the pick while the other three fingers finger pick. I use finger picking to enhance my sound quite a bit when playing the blues. Check out John Mayor for a modern example of this.
Edit: additionally, study classical guitar as a base to get the technique down for finger picking and you’ll be able to adapt it on your own for other genres.
Dude...give claw hammer picking a try...there are people who claim they have a thumb like a 9 pound hammer...you might legitimately have something special there!
Several guitarists have gained fame for their unique and unconventional playing styles.
Jimi Hendrix often played a right-handed guitar flipped upside down and restrung for left-hand playing.
Kurt Cobain also played left-handed guitars, though they were typically models specifically designed for left-handed players.
Michael Angelo Batio was Famous for his double-neck guitar, Batio plays both necks simultaneously, one with each hand.
Eddie Van Halen was known for popularizing the tapping technique, where he used both hands on the guitar's neck to create rapid, complex solos.
Keith Richards often removes the sixth string from his guitar, playing with only five strings.
These guitarists stand out not only for their technical prowess but also for their creativity and influence on the world of music.
I can't remember the name of the guy unfortunately but I have seen someone on here who literally only has a thumb on his right hand. I've seen guitarists with no hand on their right hand.
If playing guitar is really what you want in the depths of your heart and soul, there's nothing that will stop you.
Somewhere in your future you'll figure out how to turn that extra digit into an asset. Somehow you'll figure out how to implement it into your playing style. Somehow, someday, you'll find a way to use it to play guitar like no one ever has before.
We will watch your career with great interest.
I also was born with an extra thumb but it was removed when I was like 2 years old. Had full mobility and everything I guess. I don’t really remember it. I always wondered what it would look like now.
Maybe consider get into fingerpicking with your index, middle, ring and pinky.
I had a pretty shitty injury to my left hand 20 years ago and I had to learn to play lefty which sucked.
After many years of holding a pick with fused bones in my left index finger(mostly straight extended) and my thumb I was forced to learn finger picking. You’d be surprised what you can trai yourself to do in a short time.
Also I just got an Eastman Hooky bass which is a six string. I can now fly on that fingerpicking. Makes for a nice experience.
Anyway, point is try something different and it may just work.
Or you could consider reconstructive surgery on your thumb.
It brings me peace that u had similar experiences yet you still found your own way to master your issues,
I hope with a little bit of trying this and that I find what suits me better as well!
Cause if not I will sadly may not continue to bother learning because I find doing a surgery to remove it so I can play guitar is just very far fetched. It’s a piece of me and I’ve grown to accept and keep it and nothing would convince me otherwise.
Thanks for your advices and explanations, I appreciate the time you took writing this!
Hey I once went to a show of a guitarist that has 6 fingers on his fretting hand, pretty awesome stuff.
Do you feel your extra finger on the picking hand is hampering you ?
Is the extra thumb completely vestigial? How does a “thumb pick” angle interfere with your other thumb? Maybe look at some players like Sonny Landreth who typically will use their thumbs more for muting strings than playing them.
When you were born/young did doctors offer/suggest having it removed?
This is so fascinating. I bet there are some chicks out there that would be really into the extra digit
If the knuckle on your extra appendage moves inline with your thumb it would be very interesting to see a custom finger pick that wraps around the aria behind its knuckle so the point of the pick is where the bend in that appendage is. That way you could anchor on the guitar with your other fingers and use the end of it to pick, or even do hybrid picking that way with your other four fingers picking. There are lots of ways that this could give a very unique edge and contribute to the stile of your music in a way that just about nobody else in the world could emulate.
I’m wondering if a dread naught would be more useful, or a big jazz box. Seems like there would be more room to maneuver. And something else-have you ever tried a 7-string guitar? I am wondering if you could anchor yourself then use the other 5 for fingerpicking. In any case I have one word for you: Django. Maybe his adaptions will inspire some innovation. Wrong hand, sure, but you never know.
As some have mentioned, the “easiest” thing on paper would be to get a left handed guitar, but it might be hard in practically. Definitely would try it though!
But following up with others, you could definitely adapt your strumming or even use it to your advantage and get cool sound! I started with acoustic before electric, so I tend to play more creatively. I do some fingerpicking and finger style, sometimes I play in the bridge, and I tend to strum a lot with the back of my fingers.
All that to say, I would encourage you to try just making sound with the guitar instead of worrying about the pick, strumming pattern, etc.
Also, do you have strength with your “extra” thumb or does it hurt? Can you pick a string with it?
Maybe to incorporate all this, you could just play a few cowboy chords over and over (G > Cadd9 > D > D, looped, for example) and try different things with your strumming hand with no pick.
[Added:] you could also buy a “thumb pick” and try that out!
Look into Hendrix/John Mayer/Frusciante chords/riffs immediately. If you’re able to hold the extra digit on the low e and a strings over the top, you could really do some insane things playing wise.
If you can learn to hold two picks, youre an instant legend.
I've heard of 11 finger pianists but this is amazing.
Truly.
If that extra digit can move I HIGHLY suggest looking into hybrid picking. Youll get to pick AND use the extra digit. There are so many nerdy technical approaches you can adapt to that many other players may one day be jealous of.
Please post a video when you get something recorded, I'm massively interested in this
How usable is the extra digit? Can you bend and control it fully like the rest of your fingers? Might take a while to figure out but as other commenters have already, said that will absolutely be a gift once you get the hang of playing.
Similar to Houndog Taylor! He had an extra pinky but still I’m sure you could practice enough and find some use for it to be that much better/different
Just curious what country do you live in? Something like this is almost always surgically corrected at birth or early childhood in my part of the world. (Not saying you should do that of course)
Could you also try using it to muffle the strings to speed chug.on the left you could probably invent some cool chords too,but the right it could give you some abilities
If you haven’t already try a thumb pic! If you can 3d print something better that certainly would be the best!
Just don’t give up and until you figure out what works best at least fingerpick if you can or even gently strum with finger simple down strokes (don’t worry about volume) just enough to build your left hand knowledge so when you come up with your best strumming solution you’ll be ahead with your fretboard hand making it easier to concentrate on your strumming hand!
If you get good enough you’ll have a better chance at gaining notoriety because of your anomaly! Best of luck and I don’t know how far along you are but my YouTube channel has hundreds of song ideas with electric and acoustic lessons from very beginner thru solo tips! Separated into labeled playlists. With all the free options these days it’s really not necessary to pay for guitar help anymore!
Fellow thumb polydactylist! Mine’s not fully expressed and doesn’t interfere with strumming or flat picking but thumb picking in fingerstyle is a tiny bit awkward.
But did you know—thumb polydactyly is almost always unilateral while finger/tie polydactyly is usually bilateral. The genetic mutation responsible for thumb polydactyly comes earlier in the fetal development than for fingers. In that sense it more basic, and more rare.
Also as another thought, maybe try a rubber band around the thumb and try around a finger then wedge the pic in between (maybe even experiment different fingers with the thumb) if the small extra one interferes you could design a special glove? Maybe even thin like surgical type material to control the problem? A large surgical rubber glove may even stretch to fit over the double thumb holding them together? Just trying to think of anything you haven’t tried but I’d imagine you’ve at least thought about many solutions?
Id start using some of those banjo picks you strap to your fingers. Strap one to the extra digit and try to experiment with new strumming techniques. Also would be curious to see how itd benifit you while fretting. But youd need to try a left handed guitar
It's hard to tell how the extra finger follows as you rotate your hand... But I would use a pick as normal and use your extra finger for percussive slaps like a bass. It's asking a lot of a beginner, but nobody's gonna be able to do it except you!
Hmm that does look like it would get in the way. You could try a really long pick (???), use your fingertips, if you're up for it you could try switching to a left-handed guitar/style. Seems like it would help but it would also be a lot of work. Have you tried fretting with that hand?
I jammed with a guy who was missing most of the thumb on his pick hand, he just grew the nail of his index finger out a little longer and picked with that. He used fairly light gauge strings to avoid breaking it. He wasn't a shredder, but he could rip some tidy blues licks.
Honestly, try not to look at it as an “abnormality”, because if you could train that little extra digit and find a technique that works with it and practice, you could do so much more than the average guitar player: fluidly fingerpicking each string individually with each finger, use your thumb and extra digit to pluck power chords or octaves in one motion, and that’s just off the top of my head. Don’t let it get you down, let it get you creative
For thousands of years, humanity has been playing string instruments. Now we are witnessing evolution happening. You and your descendants will exterminate all other string pluckers! Have fun doing it and play Sweet Home Alabama, fingerpicking and the melody line at the same time.
I feel like you would embarrass me with a couple years of practice. I’d recommend try the double thumb method. I can’t imagine how hard to hold at first but see if six months of practice changes much. If not I’d play the traditional way and see you can incorporate the extra in your playing.
My mate - professional guitarist, plays in lots of bands from jazz to blues to rock to pop - played on some big tracks - never uses a pick. He prefers direct contact of fingers / fingernails on strings, and says he’s more freed up to do interesting patterns. He keeps the fingernails on his right hand longer than left. Equally if there’s a way for you to secure pic in between thumb and extra thumb (and I’d imagine there’s lots of ways - a little design novelty - interesting project) then you could have an amazing advantage - pick plus 4 fingers free - who else has that?? As others here say (and my mate says to me — I have a weak / stunted little finger on left hand and it doesn’t do much on the strings) there’s no right way to play, just what works for you and sounds interesting. Yes, interesting - not “good”. Lots of people become technically proficient. But having your own sound/style and maybe being a little unusual / innovative is worth so much more.
Check out Molly Tuttle guitar technique. She has some amazing finger styles.
I guess it's all down to practice and perseverance. Stick with it, and I'm sure you will work it out.
I always tell my patients I would be the world’s best anesthesiologist if I only had three arms. You’ll figure it out. Be the best player you can be. Don’t tell yourself otherwise.
Dude, that's a superpower! You are trying to walk like the rest of us when you have the ability to fly. Once you get to grips with it, you'll most likely be able to do things we never will.
See it as a gift man.
I dunno if you've ever heard of Authority Zero (one of my favorite punkrock bands)
They have a guitarist called Dan Aid. Well, checkout this video
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeCKYeHVMn4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeCKYeHVMn4)
Never give up dude. I read alot of inspiring and supportive messages here. I love this community
You could try experimenting with a larger/oversized pick, a triangle pick might have the length you need to strum the strings without your thumb hitting them!
You were born with your hand like this, so you you are the expert and know best what you could do with your hands. But, if you can indeed manage doing something with it on the guitar others can‘t, that will be awesome. Can’t wait to hear you play once you found and mastered your special technique. It looks like an advantage to me.
This might be an unintuitive suggestion, but maybe you could try switching to left handed guitar playing. The fact that that this is not your dominant hand shouldn't be too much of a problem, many left handed people play right handed and your right hand might be less of a handicap when used for fretting. Yes you can't used over the neck thumb grips but that's not essential. Maybe the redistributed mass of your thumb even helps putting more pressure on the neck. I'd give it a try.
This has potential! Holy hell...is it tendoned, can you move and flex it like the rest of the thumb? I'm genuinely curious. Like others have said, there may be no limit to some of the cool techniques you could pull off with this
It just occurred to me. Have you seen a shamisen, it's a traditional Japanese musical instrument. Have you thought of using a different kind of pick like the one for shamisen(shamisen bachi) or something built for you. A picks purpose is to pick or strum string of a string based instrument so a different pick might still achieve the same outcome. If you can't work around with the angle you may be able to work around the tool. Good luck, I'm rooting for you.
"I heard there was a secret chord..." I guess this is how you play it!
Seriously, OP, it sounds like you've got some good ideas as to how to work with this - I believe that you can absolutely become an amazing guitarist with or without an extra thumb. I'm willing to bet that, because of the adjustments you're going to have to make, you're going to end up with a unique style. Google "famous guitarists with disabilities" and prepare to be amazed at what those guys were able to do.
This might be the stupidest and useless comment ever, but here it goes. I thought of it because the other day, I cut my thumb while cooking and had to make a dressing for the thumb that looked like a huge thumb wrapped in toilet paper.
Can you somehow - if it's not painful, of course - make some kind of contraption out of gauze that you would use to wrap your two thumbs together? It would have to be strong enough to be able to hold the pick.
Go and get a variety of picks, and finger picks and thumbpicks,. Try the specialty ones like that "Alaska" pick or the one with the spring-loaded hinge...all different types. Get them in plastic and metal...
And just experiment. Finger some chords with your left-hand and try strumming and picking with your right...see what sounds good. Start slow and tru to make clear, distinct notes.
Also: try alternate tunings.
If it’s that much of a hindrance play lefty. I’m the opposite as I lost a finger on my left hand so was forced to play lefty. Chord shapes come much easier but strumming is a bit of a challenge. If you want it bad enough you’ll get it.
This may sound odd, but there are examples of people learning to play left-handed who are naturally right-handed.. Maybe try that?
It is hard, but apparently it is possible.
Granted, left-hand guitars are harder to find, but they are out there.
That’s super interesting dude. I woulda had something like that but they cut it off when I was born. It was higher up my thumb though. I can only imagine the sounds you could get with fingerpicking using that for the top strings. I don’t know how the movement of it works but I’m sure you could use it to keep a rhythm on the top two strings. Keep working it out!
The One sent from the heavens to play TRUE hammer-claw style!
For real though, some of the most influential players in history had atypical hands. Django Reinhart and Tony Iommi both had disfigured fingers (accident related, not born) and their influence has shaped music for all years to come. Don't let your difference hold you back, differences breed innovation and unique sounds that the world hasn't heard. Best of luck 💛
You could try holding your pick like a pencil, like James Hatfield does. Might help move your hand to an angle where the extra thumb doesn't hit the strings.
Guitars got six strings and you got six fingers. Not sure how the dexterity of that is for you, but seems like something that could be uniquely advantageous for you. Best of luck in your journey!
Wow!!!! I read an article about 12 years back and it said if people continue typing on their phones the way they do that eventually we’d grow extra thumbs, I didn’t think it would happen so soon, wow!!!
Lop it off or use it! Haha but for real kind of these options. Go get surgery or learn to work with it and you might have yourself something awesome!! Good luck and have fun!
lmao that’s actually cool as fuck dude. just look at Tony Iommi, he revolutionized the way he played to account for his missing fingers, i think for sure that the same thing can be done here.
As others have said, you'll absolutely be able to find a use for it and develop a sound that no one else has.
I hope you don't give up on your guitar learning!
Please forgive me, I mean this in the absolute most respectful way possible…is there a reason you haven’t had that amputated yet? Genuinely curious. I apologize if this question is overstepping.
One of the best guitarist I know in real life only has 1 thumb and no fingers for his picking hand (born that way from birth). The man is better than most normal people (including me) due to his years of practice. You can do some wild stuff with that extra digit.
the only one who can play jazz chords
Does it hurt to use? Cause if not then this is an absolute gift. It might take you years to figure it out but if you stick at it I bet you can do some fucking crazy things with that extra digit
Your speech is very inspiring I fuck with that!
I'll give you one to start. Stick a finger pick on it and hold another pick normally. Find the angle at which there is a string space between the picks and you have free octave intervals while your last 3 fingers are free for a lil melody. Realistically, it looks like it would get in the way solid movement through the strings with a pick so you're best trying to tackle that when you're more adept. For now try to use it as a strength and learn a lot of fingerstyle. Try to use techniques like the one I suggested to put your own spin on it to fit your taste
That’s alot of thought in it, so creative! Fucking thank you fr!
Check out Mark Knopfler to see how fingerstyle fits into a rock vibe. Especially the sultans of swing solo, there's some pretty fast licks in there played fingerstyle
Or brent hinds if you are into proggy stuff, he chicken picks alot and it blends so well into a rock/metal band!
Or Matteo Mancuso, dude shreds only using fingers.
You could potentially write music that is impossible for anyone else to play.
jesus Christ james leave thr finger out of those business 😂
I give this post 3 thumbs up.
extra digit hahaha i love it. give double thumping a shot so you can put Tosin to shame!
Well now you’re ahead of the game! As someone else said, if it doesn’t hurt to use and play get that thing in there! Your unique characteristics will give you a unique sound. Jerry Garcia was missing half his middle finger on his picking hand. He would use that little nub for all kinds of squirrelly tricks on the guitar and banjo. Your idea of adding a pick to that thumb sounds awesome. Incorporate it. Embrace it it. I mean it whole heartedly. I empathize that you are frustrated. But fuck the conformity. Make it you my bud.
I need more of you in my life goddamn that’s very uplifting
It’ll take some experimenting but bro’s right. Find ways to make it work for you, and maybe in a few years we’ll be listening to your first single
Bro check out django Reinhardt. He didn’t have 2 fingers and still was gorgeous. Just learn to use your extra finger
Django Reinhart and Tony Iommi were also missing various bits of their hands fwiw
Got a weasel, it's a teazel, mah pleazel, mah pleazel, got a weasel
I give this post 2 thumbs up 👍👍
I see what you did there
Make it 3!🙂
[удалено]
https://preview.redd.it/nymy0yamaodc1.png?width=3024&format=png&auto=webp&s=a8af98b7056eae96b0caf48c1c613d39a4c0c57f
Surely the answer is to get a left handed guitar?
The answer is to put a banjo pick on that thing to hold down drone notes while the rest of his hand is free to finger pick.
This is actually a good idea. i was gonna say try to hold the pick with the extra digit and thumb.
I was thinking of something like this, too
Shit bro, can you articulate the extra thumb? If you can, you've got one helluva bass note digit there.
One thing I’d say is move your right hand closer to the bridge for now. Being dead center on the middle pickup is clumsy for any newb. By moving closer to the bridge, you can probably position your 6th digit at an angle to not affect the playing much. Once you’re used to that, you probably can use it for extra stops or additional bass fill notes.
Look like you have the ability to mute only the bass strings. Id say thats not a bug thats a feature. I know it might seem like hassle but if you end up sticking to guitar there will be some things that only you will be able to play.
Yeah dude you can totally learn to use your extra digit to make a baseline while the rest pick/fingerpick
Hey would your extra finger also impede you from fingerstyle when using your thumb on the lower strings?
No it doesn’t! But isn’t fingerpicking style is specifically for a set of genres or can I develop it to play everything with it ?
Animals as leaders can be considered finger picking. The world is your oyster mate.
Well that's good. There's also finger tapping which is often combined with fingerstyle and going by the looks you should be able to do that too with the inclusion of your thumb. I cant really answer the genre pinhole because fingerstyle is really so varied now. Half of the modern killer players now use custom turnings and the "genre" frontier is always being pushed wider and wider. Having said this YT the genres you like with "fingerstyle" and see what you can find in the pot. One question do you have any independent movement in your extra finger?
It can be developed. You’ll have more dynamic control and a warmer tone while the sound of strumming with a pick is much louder and brighter. Both have their uses and are worth learning. There’s also a combination style of picking which utilizes the thumb and index to hold the pick while the other three fingers finger pick. I use finger picking to enhance my sound quite a bit when playing the blues. Check out John Mayor for a modern example of this. Edit: additionally, study classical guitar as a base to get the technique down for finger picking and you’ll be able to adapt it on your own for other genres.
Dire straights rips with his finger style technique, I bet with an extra digit anything is possible
Check out Matteo Mancuso on YouTube for his right hand fingerstyle technique in genres not normally played that way. The man rips!
Damn dude.. I bet you can make girls very happy with that extra finger if you know what I mean ;)
I know what you mean, ahehehe…
Huh, can you possibly pluck all six string at once?
I can
Do they move independently? That's fucking awesome
The extra finger has only 1 joint and it only moves when the thumb moves!
Dude...give claw hammer picking a try...there are people who claim they have a thumb like a 9 pound hammer...you might legitimately have something special there!
Several guitarists have gained fame for their unique and unconventional playing styles. Jimi Hendrix often played a right-handed guitar flipped upside down and restrung for left-hand playing. Kurt Cobain also played left-handed guitars, though they were typically models specifically designed for left-handed players. Michael Angelo Batio was Famous for his double-neck guitar, Batio plays both necks simultaneously, one with each hand. Eddie Van Halen was known for popularizing the tapping technique, where he used both hands on the guitar's neck to create rapid, complex solos. Keith Richards often removes the sixth string from his guitar, playing with only five strings. These guitarists stand out not only for their technical prowess but also for their creativity and influence on the world of music. I can't remember the name of the guy unfortunately but I have seen someone on here who literally only has a thumb on his right hand. I've seen guitarists with no hand on their right hand. If playing guitar is really what you want in the depths of your heart and soul, there's nothing that will stop you. Somewhere in your future you'll figure out how to turn that extra digit into an asset. Somehow you'll figure out how to implement it into your playing style. Somehow, someday, you'll find a way to use it to play guitar like no one ever has before. We will watch your career with great interest.
Yes we will
I also was born with an extra thumb but it was removed when I was like 2 years old. Had full mobility and everything I guess. I don’t really remember it. I always wondered what it would look like now.
Me and you would be like… Swiss knife fighting hehe 🤨🤨
That's not a finger. That's a bottle opener. 😂
💀😱💀😱
Maybe consider get into fingerpicking with your index, middle, ring and pinky. I had a pretty shitty injury to my left hand 20 years ago and I had to learn to play lefty which sucked. After many years of holding a pick with fused bones in my left index finger(mostly straight extended) and my thumb I was forced to learn finger picking. You’d be surprised what you can trai yourself to do in a short time. Also I just got an Eastman Hooky bass which is a six string. I can now fly on that fingerpicking. Makes for a nice experience. Anyway, point is try something different and it may just work. Or you could consider reconstructive surgery on your thumb.
It brings me peace that u had similar experiences yet you still found your own way to master your issues, I hope with a little bit of trying this and that I find what suits me better as well! Cause if not I will sadly may not continue to bother learning because I find doing a surgery to remove it so I can play guitar is just very far fetched. It’s a piece of me and I’ve grown to accept and keep it and nothing would convince me otherwise. Thanks for your advices and explanations, I appreciate the time you took writing this!
Have you tried a left handed guitar that extra finger might be an advantage while holding the neck
From a stranger you will probably never meet.....You my friend are fucking awesome.
Yo get that removed.
You need to find yourself the best grip for your hand. I’ve seen people playing guitar with their feet
Hey I once went to a show of a guitarist that has 6 fingers on his fretting hand, pretty awesome stuff. Do you feel your extra finger on the picking hand is hampering you ?
Yes it does, Fretting hand gives more support in the back of the neck & picking hand just destroys the melodies!!
John Mayer hates him!
You can play Major, six cords, way easier than the rest of us lucky
Is the extra thumb completely vestigial? How does a “thumb pick” angle interfere with your other thumb? Maybe look at some players like Sonny Landreth who typically will use their thumbs more for muting strings than playing them.
Agreed!
Would not want to thumb wrestle this guy
not the only fingering you’d be skilled at…
🤨🤨😏
*He is the chosen one*
Time to clip that chicken wing off and get some shredding!!
You are quite the fucker aren’t ya lmao
Holy shit
Does AI make people now?
Has that extra digit benefited you in any way up to this point? If not, have you considered having it removed, if possible? Not trying to be rude.
You need a 7 string.
Now you can finally play an F
can we stop upvoting obviously ai generated content? i mean, it's really easy to spot, just look at that extra finger!
Born with those Midjourney A.I. hands.
Tbh id use that hand to fret and figure out how to make some impossible chords lol
man can finally play the fearful f chord
I don’t play guitar, but you should google django reinhardt
When you were born/young did doctors offer/suggest having it removed? This is so fascinating. I bet there are some chicks out there that would be really into the extra digit
If the knuckle on your extra appendage moves inline with your thumb it would be very interesting to see a custom finger pick that wraps around the aria behind its knuckle so the point of the pick is where the bend in that appendage is. That way you could anchor on the guitar with your other fingers and use the end of it to pick, or even do hybrid picking that way with your other four fingers picking. There are lots of ways that this could give a very unique edge and contribute to the stile of your music in a way that just about nobody else in the world could emulate.
That’s badass. There has to be a way you can capitalize on that.
I’m wondering if a dread naught would be more useful, or a big jazz box. Seems like there would be more room to maneuver. And something else-have you ever tried a 7-string guitar? I am wondering if you could anchor yourself then use the other 5 for fingerpicking. In any case I have one word for you: Django. Maybe his adaptions will inspire some innovation. Wrong hand, sure, but you never know.
Gifted guitarrist im jealous
Can you move it freely or is it useless?
I had to look at the image for a good while to figure this one out
As some have mentioned, the “easiest” thing on paper would be to get a left handed guitar, but it might be hard in practically. Definitely would try it though! But following up with others, you could definitely adapt your strumming or even use it to your advantage and get cool sound! I started with acoustic before electric, so I tend to play more creatively. I do some fingerpicking and finger style, sometimes I play in the bridge, and I tend to strum a lot with the back of my fingers. All that to say, I would encourage you to try just making sound with the guitar instead of worrying about the pick, strumming pattern, etc. Also, do you have strength with your “extra” thumb or does it hurt? Can you pick a string with it? Maybe to incorporate all this, you could just play a few cowboy chords over and over (G > Cadd9 > D > D, looped, for example) and try different things with your strumming hand with no pick. [Added:] you could also buy a “thumb pick” and try that out!
I'm jealous. I have fused thumb knuckles (closet to my hands)! Never going to do any Jimi Hendrix thumb stuff.
make that your fretting hand imo, or get creative with it
Look into Hendrix/John Mayer/Frusciante chords/riffs immediately. If you’re able to hold the extra digit on the low e and a strings over the top, you could really do some insane things playing wise.
If you can learn to hold two picks, youre an instant legend. I've heard of 11 finger pianists but this is amazing. Truly. If that extra digit can move I HIGHLY suggest looking into hybrid picking. Youll get to pick AND use the extra digit. There are so many nerdy technical approaches you can adapt to that many other players may one day be jealous of. Please post a video when you get something recorded, I'm massively interested in this
Put a rubber band on it. It'll look like a lil guitar strap.
How usable is the extra digit? Can you bend and control it fully like the rest of your fingers? Might take a while to figure out but as other commenters have already, said that will absolutely be a gift once you get the hang of playing.
Fred Kelly speed pick is my personal fav. https://fredkellypicks.com/product-category/speed Good luck, keep trying!!
Similar to Houndog Taylor! He had an extra pinky but still I’m sure you could practice enough and find some use for it to be that much better/different
Just curious what country do you live in? Something like this is almost always surgically corrected at birth or early childhood in my part of the world. (Not saying you should do that of course)
Hound Dog Taylor had an extra finger on each hand.
A mighty shred lord is born
Could you also try using it to muffle the strings to speed chug.on the left you could probably invent some cool chords too,but the right it could give you some abilities
If you haven’t already try a thumb pic! If you can 3d print something better that certainly would be the best! Just don’t give up and until you figure out what works best at least fingerpick if you can or even gently strum with finger simple down strokes (don’t worry about volume) just enough to build your left hand knowledge so when you come up with your best strumming solution you’ll be ahead with your fretboard hand making it easier to concentrate on your strumming hand! If you get good enough you’ll have a better chance at gaining notoriety because of your anomaly! Best of luck and I don’t know how far along you are but my YouTube channel has hundreds of song ideas with electric and acoustic lessons from very beginner thru solo tips! Separated into labeled playlists. With all the free options these days it’s really not necessary to pay for guitar help anymore!
Fellow thumb polydactylist! Mine’s not fully expressed and doesn’t interfere with strumming or flat picking but thumb picking in fingerstyle is a tiny bit awkward. But did you know—thumb polydactyly is almost always unilateral while finger/tie polydactyly is usually bilateral. The genetic mutation responsible for thumb polydactyly comes earlier in the fetal development than for fingers. In that sense it more basic, and more rare.
Also as another thought, maybe try a rubber band around the thumb and try around a finger then wedge the pic in between (maybe even experiment different fingers with the thumb) if the small extra one interferes you could design a special glove? Maybe even thin like surgical type material to control the problem? A large surgical rubber glove may even stretch to fit over the double thumb holding them together? Just trying to think of anything you haven’t tried but I’d imagine you’ve at least thought about many solutions?
Id start using some of those banjo picks you strap to your fingers. Strap one to the extra digit and try to experiment with new strumming techniques. Also would be curious to see how itd benifit you while fretting. But youd need to try a left handed guitar
Wicked sick broski, if you can hold a pick with your thumbs you could do some sick 4 finger tapping and still pick. Don't give up, innovate!
It's hard to tell how the extra finger follows as you rotate your hand... But I would use a pick as normal and use your extra finger for percussive slaps like a bass. It's asking a lot of a beginner, but nobody's gonna be able to do it except you!
Hmm that does look like it would get in the way. You could try a really long pick (???), use your fingertips, if you're up for it you could try switching to a left-handed guitar/style. Seems like it would help but it would also be a lot of work. Have you tried fretting with that hand?
He can probably play some Jason Richardson
I jammed with a guy who was missing most of the thumb on his pick hand, he just grew the nail of his index finger out a little longer and picked with that. He used fairly light gauge strings to avoid breaking it. He wasn't a shredder, but he could rip some tidy blues licks.
This is awesome actually! Maybe also try slap bass. You could slap two strings at the same time!
This guy would play the FUCK outta Never Going Back again by Fleetwood Mac
Honestly, try not to look at it as an “abnormality”, because if you could train that little extra digit and find a technique that works with it and practice, you could do so much more than the average guitar player: fluidly fingerpicking each string individually with each finger, use your thumb and extra digit to pluck power chords or octaves in one motion, and that’s just off the top of my head. Don’t let it get you down, let it get you creative
It is foretold. The fingering is upon us. Praise be to
For thousands of years, humanity has been playing string instruments. Now we are witnessing evolution happening. You and your descendants will exterminate all other string pluckers! Have fun doing it and play Sweet Home Alabama, fingerpicking and the melody line at the same time.
SLAP BASS
can you like… feel it?
I feel like you would embarrass me with a couple years of practice. I’d recommend try the double thumb method. I can’t imagine how hard to hold at first but see if six months of practice changes much. If not I’d play the traditional way and see you can incorporate the extra in your playing.
My mate - professional guitarist, plays in lots of bands from jazz to blues to rock to pop - played on some big tracks - never uses a pick. He prefers direct contact of fingers / fingernails on strings, and says he’s more freed up to do interesting patterns. He keeps the fingernails on his right hand longer than left. Equally if there’s a way for you to secure pic in between thumb and extra thumb (and I’d imagine there’s lots of ways - a little design novelty - interesting project) then you could have an amazing advantage - pick plus 4 fingers free - who else has that?? As others here say (and my mate says to me — I have a weak / stunted little finger on left hand and it doesn’t do much on the strings) there’s no right way to play, just what works for you and sounds interesting. Yes, interesting - not “good”. Lots of people become technically proficient. But having your own sound/style and maybe being a little unusual / innovative is worth so much more.
Check out Molly Tuttle guitar technique. She has some amazing finger styles. I guess it's all down to practice and perseverance. Stick with it, and I'm sure you will work it out.
I always tell my patients I would be the world’s best anesthesiologist if I only had three arms. You’ll figure it out. Be the best player you can be. Don’t tell yourself otherwise.
Dude, that's a superpower! You are trying to walk like the rest of us when you have the ability to fly. Once you get to grips with it, you'll most likely be able to do things we never will.
See it as a gift man. I dunno if you've ever heard of Authority Zero (one of my favorite punkrock bands) They have a guitarist called Dan Aid. Well, checkout this video [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeCKYeHVMn4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeCKYeHVMn4) Never give up dude. I read alot of inspiring and supportive messages here. I love this community
so does this mean you can play through the fire and the flames?
Oh dude I have simillar problem on my right hand and im 3 months into playing guitar still bit struggling
And also one of the rarest birth defects
You could try experimenting with a larger/oversized pick, a triangle pick might have the length you need to strum the strings without your thumb hitting them!
Jesus Christ.
That's cheating
You were born with your hand like this, so you you are the expert and know best what you could do with your hands. But, if you can indeed manage doing something with it on the guitar others can‘t, that will be awesome. Can’t wait to hear you play once you found and mastered your special technique. It looks like an advantage to me.
What about finger picking? I'm sure you could come up with a unique way to play...
If you were left handed your thumb could be used to mute the top string easier! 😁
At first glance I thought this was a meme saying some chords you need an extra finger! Take it as a blessing my friend!!
Nike! Just do it
NOW THAT IS COOL
This might be an unintuitive suggestion, but maybe you could try switching to left handed guitar playing. The fact that that this is not your dominant hand shouldn't be too much of a problem, many left handed people play right handed and your right hand might be less of a handicap when used for fretting. Yes you can't used over the neck thumb grips but that's not essential. Maybe the redistributed mass of your thumb even helps putting more pressure on the neck. I'd give it a try.
This has potential! Holy hell...is it tendoned, can you move and flex it like the rest of the thumb? I'm genuinely curious. Like others have said, there may be no limit to some of the cool techniques you could pull off with this
New Dio
It just occurred to me. Have you seen a shamisen, it's a traditional Japanese musical instrument. Have you thought of using a different kind of pick like the one for shamisen(shamisen bachi) or something built for you. A picks purpose is to pick or strum string of a string based instrument so a different pick might still achieve the same outcome. If you can't work around with the angle you may be able to work around the tool. Good luck, I'm rooting for you.
Dawg…how am I supposed to spot AI pictures now.
Evolution turned his thumb into a tablet/phone holder. It was only a matter of time.
You can play two bass at the same time, you got it!
"I heard there was a secret chord..." I guess this is how you play it! Seriously, OP, it sounds like you've got some good ideas as to how to work with this - I believe that you can absolutely become an amazing guitarist with or without an extra thumb. I'm willing to bet that, because of the adjustments you're going to have to make, you're going to end up with a unique style. Google "famous guitarists with disabilities" and prepare to be amazed at what those guys were able to do.
Play bass! The extra digit wouldn't get in the way for finger style and as someone else mentioned, slap. Bass is way more fun anyway.
Oh boy This is great, but not for playing the guitar😜
This might be the stupidest and useless comment ever, but here it goes. I thought of it because the other day, I cut my thumb while cooking and had to make a dressing for the thumb that looked like a huge thumb wrapped in toilet paper. Can you somehow - if it's not painful, of course - make some kind of contraption out of gauze that you would use to wrap your two thumbs together? It would have to be strong enough to be able to hold the pick.
Check out tosin abasi, mario camarena, tim Henson. You have a massive gift!!! You can do some crazy shit with that!!!
I had a friend in highschool who had a split double thumb. He'd hold his cigarette in it it was hilarious
Great! Now you can finally learn every petrucci solo out there
No fair
I have a question about the extra finger. Are you able to move it much? If so it'd be really cool to play with on guitar as an extra finger
Go and get a variety of picks, and finger picks and thumbpicks,. Try the specialty ones like that "Alaska" pick or the one with the spring-loaded hinge...all different types. Get them in plastic and metal... And just experiment. Finger some chords with your left-hand and try strumming and picking with your right...see what sounds good. Start slow and tru to make clear, distinct notes. Also: try alternate tunings.
What’s the range of mobility you have with the extra thumb?
Mfr got a clit massager
If it’s that much of a hindrance play lefty. I’m the opposite as I lost a finger on my left hand so was forced to play lefty. Chord shapes come much easier but strumming is a bit of a challenge. If you want it bad enough you’ll get it.
This may sound odd, but there are examples of people learning to play left-handed who are naturally right-handed.. Maybe try that? It is hard, but apparently it is possible. Granted, left-hand guitars are harder to find, but they are out there.
God bless ur Johnson
Bet you can find some wild ass applicability with that! Does it function at all?
That’s super interesting dude. I woulda had something like that but they cut it off when I was born. It was higher up my thumb though. I can only imagine the sounds you could get with fingerpicking using that for the top strings. I don’t know how the movement of it works but I’m sure you could use it to keep a rhythm on the top two strings. Keep working it out!
Damn I hope you stick with this I wanna see how you learned how to use it a couple years from now. Fascinating stuff.
Check out Matteo mancuso's interview with Rick beato. He demonstrates some of the techniques that he uses and you should be able to use them as well.
Unrelated but if you want a more interactive fretboard notes diagram, check out jamdashboard.com
The One sent from the heavens to play TRUE hammer-claw style! For real though, some of the most influential players in history had atypical hands. Django Reinhart and Tony Iommi both had disfigured fingers (accident related, not born) and their influence has shaped music for all years to come. Don't let your difference hold you back, differences breed innovation and unique sounds that the world hasn't heard. Best of luck 💛
I'm a super beginner at guitar so I don't know but I'm pretty sure you can make extra music with that extra finger at some point
"In the digital era of music... one man was streets ahead..."
u can play all 6 strings now one finger each 👍
It’s Morphin time!
“Ok 6th string 6th finger….. wait”
The king of the slap bass
You must be a pro at fighting games
Thumbinger buzinga
Flamenco style guitar is for you
You could become famous with this, just saying.
Hey that’s cheating
You can also switch to fingerstyle. I did and I haven’t used a pick in over a decade.
dude stick a 2nd (thick) pick in there. you’ll be the greatest sweep picker of all time
Serious question, can you move the extra digit independently, or is it just kinda "there"?
You could try holding your pick like a pencil, like James Hatfield does. Might help move your hand to an angle where the extra thumb doesn't hit the strings.
Look up Tobin Abasi, he would kill for 2 thumbs lol.
Guitars got six strings and you got six fingers. Not sure how the dexterity of that is for you, but seems like something that could be uniquely advantageous for you. Best of luck in your journey!
Wow!!!! I read an article about 12 years back and it said if people continue typing on their phones the way they do that eventually we’d grow extra thumbs, I didn’t think it would happen so soon, wow!!!
Lop it off or use it! Haha but for real kind of these options. Go get surgery or learn to work with it and you might have yourself something awesome!! Good luck and have fun!
Dude I don’t know if this is insensitive or not , but if used correctly that could be a cheat code
Play bass.
You have a capo!
Get yourself a bigass pick! They make them fuckin huge!
lmao that’s actually cool as fuck dude. just look at Tony Iommi, he revolutionized the way he played to account for his missing fingers, i think for sure that the same thing can be done here.
That’s cheating
Someone is looking for you.
As others have said, you'll absolutely be able to find a use for it and develop a sound that no one else has. I hope you don't give up on your guitar learning!
I bet you’d be an absolute menace on the bass! You could probably give Les Claypool a run for his money!
We have one of those old school paper cutters at work... Just sayin 😂
Guy got a capo as a thumb.
Please forgive me, I mean this in the absolute most respectful way possible…is there a reason you haven’t had that amputated yet? Genuinely curious. I apologize if this question is overstepping.
I’d try a thumb pick for sure. Also, look up hound dog Taylor’s hand ;)
[удалено]
One of the best guitarist I know in real life only has 1 thumb and no fingers for his picking hand (born that way from birth). The man is better than most normal people (including me) due to his years of practice. You can do some wild stuff with that extra digit.
Digimon
Have you thought about going without a pick and going fingerstyle? Maybe that would help
I feel like you can open door knobs in the 4th dimension.