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[Peter_T]

Okay, I know I shouldn't, but I keep my thumb behind the keyboard. 

I had a medical consultation in Paris (see below) a  few weeks ago : ...  They told me the position with thumb behind keyboard was far much better for the right hand than the position on the groove ...

Ah, interesting. Wonder why. Must see what I actually do. No groove, trying  to avoid the 'Morris Player's Hook', so I think thumb's loosely against outer, narrow edge of keyboard.

This  gathering of four medical people - any melodeon or accordion players?

A bit of Princess Royal in G later. Yes, pad of thumb on long corner where outer and lower edges meet. I try to keep fingers relaxed and straight-ish, on the advice of Pete Coe at his workshop in Swanage a couple of years back. Saves going down the PokerWorkenHolen apart from anything else.

[Thrupenny Bit]

" That would be on the strict orders of Ed Rennie, then!...."
Yes Malcolm absolutely correct!
I might even have been in the room for the first bit of the workshop, just to make sure my daughter was ok.... I remember he very quietly informed us that in UK we tend to use shoulder straps, so have no need for the thumb strap " so just leave it tucked away....."
.....but you were there so you must recall 

I do remember having a mess about after we got back and my daughter being really precise about what you should or shouldn't do, so his advice obviously hit the mark.
It was later that I succombed to the drug..... 
Q

[malcolmbebb]

I do remember having a mess about after we got back and my daughter being really precise about what you should or shouldn't do...

That's the trouble with kids. Don't let you get away with anything.

It was later that I succombed to the drug..... 
Q

I will be stewarding again at Chippenham, but not sure whether I will look in on his lessons again. Although I believe that he is doing the childrens' sessions again.

[oggiesnr]

In G on my Black Pearl I use the thumb strap, in D I don't.  My loffet doesn't have on eso I lay my thumb alongside the keyborad.

Steve

[Lester]

In G on my Black Pearl I use the thumb strap, in D I don't.  My loffet doesn't have on eso I lay my thumb alongside the keyborad.

Must make it a bugger to play the likes of Jenny Lind 

[ACE]

Depends on how heavy your box is. On my big soprani it had to have two good shoulder straps and when properly adjusted the right hand side stayed in place and you played it like a PA, hand loose and unrestricted. On my little excelsior it is so light I have to use the thumb strap.

[Peter_T]

Depends on how heavy your box is. On my big soprani it had to have two good shoulder straps and when properly adjusted the right hand side stayed in place and you played it like a PA, hand loose and unrestricted. On my little excelsior it is so light I have to use the thumb strap.

Bit like having a guitar stabilised by strap and perhaps knee so that right hand is not keeping instrument in position?

Just tried putting thumb through strap on Pokerwork. Felt horribly cramped, so withdrew it.

[j_huddle]

I suppose it's probably in the tunes that demand more digital dexterity that I use the thumb-groove.  I'm a great believer in economy of movement in the right hand.

I almost always play with my thumb on the rail, for exactly the same reason: I can easily reach any button on the keyboard from where my hand floats above it. I did think about lifting my thumb off entirely, as one might with a CBA, but missed having the physical reference point that my thumb provides... I finger-pick guitar with my little finger on the scratchplate as well!

[Noodle]

I set mine behind the keyboard against the side of the box. I've got no thumbstrap on my Double Ray and I've only got one strap so it's impossible for me to put my thumb on the side of the keyboard and keep the thing still.

[squeezebox63]

Most all of the norwegian torader players place the thumb behind the keyboard. they also mostly use both shoulder straps.
and they play some really fast runs very well.
cliff.

[gmatkin]

The thumbstrap is the only strap use - I don't bother with shoulder straps and find this arrangement 'stabilising' in the sense that I know where which button is which in relation to where my thumb is. Also with fairly large hands I don't have too much difficulty reaching the rest of the keyboard, although it was sometimes awkward until I got used to it. I sit down, obviously, and angle the box left hand to make use of gravity on the pull, which may be relevant.

One of my reasons for trying this approach was that old one- and two-row boxes don't generally come with shoulder strap fittings, so I guessed first that playing without a shoulder strap was possible (once one is used to it); another reason was that I thought it possible that playing with a thumbstrap only might be part of an old-fashioned melodeon sound we don't hear now. I don't know whether that's correct or not - perhaps someone else can tell me; and another is that as a concertina player, in taking up another fairly small instrument (melodeon), I wasn't immediately sure that the straight-jacket straps that accordion players use are entirely required for a one- or two-row box.

Gimme a couple of decades and I come to a useful conclusion. In the meantime, it's fun to find other players are quite often amazed that I don't seem to need the shoulder straps they find necessary.

Gavin

[Thrupenny Bit]

' as a concertina player, in taking up another fairly small instrument (melodeon), I wasn't immediately sure that the straight-jacket straps that accordion players use are entirely required for a one- or two-row box. '

Whereas I find, coming form concertina, to take the weight all on the straps is brilliant. I can play sitting, standing, walking and it all feels the same and doesn't interrupt my playing. My English tenor treble needs the support of my leg to take the weight. If I play it by holding it using wrist straps too, I'll be struggling half way through a tune.
It only goes to show we are all different!
Q

[Chris Ryall]

Just noticed myself using the right thumb to press buttons this weekend.  The fingers have been busy and the hand was out of position. I wanted a low F (they were in C)
 - thumb was sat there idle.   Then again next day for a Bb (same button on end of my C# row). Odd thing was that I gave no thought to this - it just happened! 

Is my thumb developing a will of its own?  Is that what that little strap (long taken off) was actually for?

[Thrupenny Bit]

Chris, have you ever watched Dr. Stranglelove? 
.....best of luck 
Q

[BruceHenderson]

Does anyone use a thumbstrap ? (snip)

That depends.  I use a thumbstrap on my one-rows, but I put my thumb on the side of the fingerboard on my "Hascy" and when I had a three-row, I put my thumb behind the fingerboard.  Just seems that that's the way that fits the best.