Sign in. Jimi Hendrix changed the way the guitar is played. The Economist Follow. The Economist Insight and opinion on international news, politics…. Music Lives Rock And Roll.
Written by The Economist Follow. More From Medium. A Song: An Unsolved Riddle. Yung Racks Is Up Next. Michael Whalen. George Palladev in 12edit. Jimi Hendrix and Tal Farlow had tree trunks for fingers. Stevie Ray Vaughan had Popeye forearms, and each finger was about the size of two of mine taped together.
My hands are probably larger than average, but not enormous. It was an uncomfortable moment. But think about this. A master of both rhythm and lead rock guitar, he was behind some of the most gut-kicking riffs and screaming solos of the 20th century.
Here, he discusses getting by with small hands:. He plays guitar left-handed. In an industrial accident at the age of 17 on his last day of work in a sheet metal factory, he lost the tips of the middle and ring finger of his right hand. After attempting to learn to play right-handed, Iommi instead strung his guitars with lighter strings and made thimbles to extend his fingers. SirNoseDVoid , Oct 9, Rufus McDufus , Swedgen , junk and 7 others like this.
Location: Midlands, UK. I'm by no means a guitar player, but it has indeed been commented in the past that his large finger-span gave him a technical advantage. It's not unusual, though, for a guitarist to fret with the thumb although it's frowned at in classical style and as Kevin J points out, the advantage of having large hands was as nothing in Jimi's case compared with having a good musical imagination and working at it with incredible dedication!
Sordel , Oct 9, Dave Hoos , dennis the menace and EddieT like this. Location: Missoula. I wish my fingers weren't so stubby and little. On the other hand ha! You make use of what you have. In the case of both Django and Jimi, their fingers - or lack thereof - are part of their overall sound and technique - the individual touch that makes all musician's unique, whether they are blessed with genius or not.
Location: NYC. Jimi's fingers don't look as long as Robert Johnson's:. Arnold Grove , Oct 9, RDriftwood , danielbravo , Erik B. Location: Lawrenceville, NJ. More to do with his brain than his hands. Rfreeman , Oct 9, Location: USA. It is all in his effect pedals. Erik B. Location: Europe. Rufus McDufus , danielbravo , Piiijiii and 2 others like this. Location: Palo Alto, California. Wasn't there other factors, such as his playing an upside down right handed Strat vs. Anthology , Oct 9, Rufus McDufus , Purple Jim and dino77 like this.
Location: Sweden. I would say that the way he uses his thumb play a very little part in his style, as far as what we see in that picture is concerned. The way he is holding his thumb there has nothing to do with what is playing in that case, he is not fretting any stings, he is just using his thumb as a "counter force" sorry, don't know what proper word to use while doing a bend.
As has been suggested, holding your thumb like that is frowned upon in traditional guitar teaching, but it is standard in blues playing since it adds strenght when doing bends. Also the way he plays a bass line in the Woodstock "Vilanova Junction" is more of a novelty thing. But having long and also thin fingers and large hands is definetely an advantage, especially when doing large bends and unusual stretches, such as he employed.
It also gives greater flexibility as far as fretting certain things. Myself, I have relatively shorter fingers and rather thick fingertips, which makes some things other guitar players can do impossible for me.
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