I am a beginner with an Ariette and working my way through Powell's tapes. Before you slap me, my Bon Cajun is being made. Question: Is getting the thumb position in the strap a rite of passage or what? I lengthened the strap on the Ariette where my thumb rests on the side and positioned it where my index finger rests on #5. However, when I play, if I have my thumb exactly resting on the side, I have trouble reaching the higher buttons and it seems too cramped to play properly, and my thumb will ache. I have a regular straight thumb, not a hitch-hikers thumb. I find it more relaxed and easier to play by resting my thumb on the edge of the back of the keyboard instead of on the side, but the edge is sharp and not that comfortable after a while. Should I round the back edge a little or am I just a whiner? I want to spend more time playing and less worrying about the thumb thing.

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