# What do Shawn Lane, Rusty Cooley and other good players have in common



## includao (Nov 19, 2006)

Double-jointed thumbs at their fretting hands. 

double-jointed thumb is a genetic factor somehow: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbLB7iyLRNE


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTfY50lpZAk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0gPkt8Y-HI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmy3zKBRsg8

I dont have double-jointed thumbs. I think this is quite limiting, at least for me, to fly across the fretboard in a relaxed manner with you thumb placed in the the most efficient way where all fingers get the right distribution of pressure, like in the middle of the neck. Good guitar technique is now genetic restricted...

Also: _"The findings suggest that being double-jointed could actually help protect finger joints in people -- such as computer keyboardists and string instrument players -- who routinely perform repetitive movements that stress the finger joints"_

from: http://www.allaboutarthritis.com/Al...hritis/generalNews/double_joint_arthritis.htm


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## BinaryTox1n (Nov 19, 2006)

My thumbs are double jointed, but it doesn't ever really come into play when i'm playing, i don't think not being double jointed would be that much of an inhibitor.


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## includao (Nov 20, 2006)

I find it limiting for stretches in the fretting hand and stuff.


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## distressed_romeo (Nov 20, 2006)

You should be able to compensate by repositioning your hand though...


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## includao (Nov 20, 2006)

distressed_romeo said:


> You should be able to compensate by repositioning your hand though...



It's too hard :| I'm sitting exactly as Rusty Cooley in his lessons (SGM, Basic Training)


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## Metal Ken (Nov 20, 2006)

I'd imagine it'd be more beneficial if it were on your other fingers as opposed to your thumb. you don't use you thumb like a cello player on guitar, generally speaking. i consider myself having good technique and speed, my thumb is far from double jointed.


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## Ancestor (Nov 20, 2006)

Aw, I wouldn't let that thumb thing worry me. Another thing those guys have in common is that they all practiced their asses off. Just keep on doing your own thing.

Thank you very much for putting up that Shawn link, though. Those clips of him as a kid almost brings tears to my eyes. Speaking of thumbs...


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## includao (Nov 20, 2006)

Metal Ken said:


> I'd imagine it'd be more beneficial if it were on your other fingers as opposed to your thumb. you don't use you thumb like a cello player on guitar, generally speaking. i consider myself having good technique and speed, my thumb is far from double jointed.




It seems that if your thumb is double jointed, you have more possibility to maintain the stretch while ascending and descending, and you can see in the Rusty Cooley clip. 

Rusty Cooley hand technique pisses me off. 



Ancestor said:


> Aw, I wouldn't let that thumb thing worry me. Another thing those guys have in common is that they all practiced their asses off. Just keep on doing your own thing.
> 
> Thank you very much for putting up that Shawn link, though. Those clips of him as a kid almost brings tears to my eyes. Speaking of thumbs...



Sure! That Shawn Lane tribute almost made me cry either.


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## Cancer (Nov 20, 2006)

BinaryTox1n said:


> My thumbs are double jointed, but it doesn't ever really come into play when i'm playing, i don't think not being double jointed would be that much of an inhibitor.




...that and, unless your thumbs are broken somehow, eventually your thumb will PROBABLY be able to bend that far, just from use.


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## rummy (Nov 20, 2006)

Never really noticed it until you just brought it up, and it's an interesting point. My thumb isn't double-jointed, but I'm sure there is a plenty of non double jointed thumb'd guitar players that do just fine.


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## distressed_romeo (Nov 20, 2006)

That Shawn Lane tribute was great...cheers for posting that!


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## JJ Rodriguez (Nov 20, 2006)

My thumbs are double jointed, and I suck.


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## includao (Nov 20, 2006)

*I'm not just talking about "doing just fine"*

I'm talking about stretches. Some diminished stuff from Shawn Lane are pretty impossible for me. My thumb sucks.


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## Mastodon (Nov 20, 2006)

Man, as much as I respect those guy's abillities.

Those first 2 videos really sound like shit...

The tribute one was nice though.


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## includao (Nov 20, 2006)

distressed_romeo said:


> That Shawn Lane tribute was great...cheers for posting that!



Could you play all the legatos from the Rusty Cooley's Legato Workout routine from SGM ?


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## distressed_romeo (Nov 20, 2006)

Yeah, I can do most of them, although the really nasty stretches I have to move up the neck.


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## includao (Nov 20, 2006)

distressed_romeo said:


> Yeah, I can do most of them, although the really nasty stretches I have to move up the neck.



I'm starting to realize that Rusty can perform them so easily and relaxed not just because good hand position only, but because the double-jointed thumb.


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## Leon (Nov 20, 2006)

Ancestor said:


> Another thing those guys have in common is that they all practiced their asses off. Just keep on doing your own thing.



+1

why spend time trying to figure out why you can't do something, when you could be putting that energy into just playing?


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## Durero (Nov 20, 2006)

If you're saying that double-jointedness can help certain techniques, then sure, I'd agree with that.



includao said:


> Good guitar technique is now genetic restricted...


But I think this statement is nonsense my friend. Listen to Django Reinhardt and think about how spectacular his technique is with only two functioning fingers.

I think that hand position is much more important than double-jointedness. I'm not double-jointed and I can do very wide 4-note-per-string stretches. But it took many years of constant practice to slowly increase the flexibility and strength in my fingers. Just like athletics, dance, or yoga, anyone can increase their flexibility if they have an effective practice method, they are careful to relax and watch for muscle tension, and they are _patient._

I'd say keep at it


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## includao (Nov 20, 2006)

Durero said:


> If you're saying that double-jointedness can help certain techniques, then sure, I'd agree with that.
> 
> 
> But I think this statement is nonsense my friend. Listen to Django Reinhardt and think about how spectacular his technique is with only two functioning fingers.
> ...



I was being ironic. I know it's lack of reasoning to state that good guitar technique depends on genetics  

I'm playing for just one year and a half, constant practice routine. Maybe it takes a lot of time to develop good flexibility in the joints, like in the example of athletics, dance, or yoga. Anyone can increase their flexibility to a certain point. 

If one starts to practice 12 hours a day, it doesn't make any real difference right? Flexibility takes years to develop.


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## distressed_romeo (Nov 20, 2006)

includao said:


> I was being ironic. I know it's lack of reasoning to state that good guitar technique depends on genetics
> 
> I'm playing for just one year and a half, constant practice routine. Maybe it takes a lot of time to develop good flexibility in the joints, like in the example of athletics, dance, or yoga. Anyone can increase their flexibility to a certain point.
> 
> If one starts to practice 12 hours a day, it doesn't make any real difference right? Flexibility takes years to develop.



Definitely...it's more important to practice consistently from day to day than to run practice marathons like that.


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## Durero (Nov 21, 2006)

distressed_romeo said:


> Definitely...it's more important to practice consistently from day to day than to run practice marathons like that.


+1 Absolutely


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