Does your right hand graze the strings?

[joegrant413]

I just bought the Guitar Principles book by J. Andreas.

 

The one thing that's really jumping out and bugging me about it so far is this: When picking, your right hand is not supposed to touch the strings... just the pick. (except, of course, when muting).

 

So your right hand is just supposed to float above the strings??? (I know that the book covers the posture in detail... but I'm just reacting here..)

 

Now, I don't put a lot of pressure from the bottom of my right hand to the stings, but there is often some part of my hand touching while I play.

 

Anyway, are there any folks out there who don't agree that the right hand is supposed to stay completely off the strings? (except, of course, for the pick!)

 

-- Joe

[Auggie Doggie]

My right hand is constantly grazing the strings; of course, I'm constantly either muting something or am about to shortly, so it's almost a moot point. I rest my hand lightly on the bridge, but it's always relaxed and free to move. So, I neither practice nor recommend a floating pick hand, even though many teachers and authors obviously disagree.

[joegrant413]

Hey Auggie,

 

Thanks for the post. 'Lightly' on the bridge and the strings there is about how I'd describe what I'm doing.

 

I go through this self-examination of the most fundamental mechanics every now and then. Apparently there are few absolutes that everyone would agree on.

 

To be honest, sometimes I just play a lot better when I forget everything about what I'm supposed to do for awhile

 

But I am going to give the Guitar Principles book an honest effort. Even if I end up still putting my right hand on the strings....

 

 

-- Joe

[soc_monki]

ive heard about the floating hand approach...watch Esteban on TV, youll see what Jamie means i think, considering i think Jamie Andreas mostly plays classical guitar, that approach would work for him.

 

but for someone like me that plays mostly metal, when playing with distortion usually you MUST mute with the right hand, unless you have a noise gate set on full so you dont have to. but when playing my right hand is usually resting lightly on the bridge so it slightly mutes the strings to keep the ones im not using ringing, and i just move it forward to palm mute or to keep strings that im not playing while soloing silent. i also use a lot of my fingers on my left hand to mute strings (like if im playing a D5 power chord i use part of my index to mute the low E).

 

so, his technique is correct, just for a different style of playing. his Classical style wouldnt work for metal at all. youd have a big mess if you tried to play that way with a lot of gain IMO. but the rest of the stuff in the book i think is worth working on, from what i hear. since im poor i cant afford books or whatever...besides thats what Auggies here for if i have a question i can just ask him what i want to know LOL

[Auggie Doggie]

Originally posted by soc_monki but for someone like me that plays mostly metal, when playing with distortion usually you MUST mute with the right hand, unless you have a noise gate set on full so you dont have to. There's not a noise gate in the world that can accomplish that. They just don't work that way, even though I know lots of guys who spent $$ on one hoping it would. since im poor i cant afford books or whatever...besides thats what Auggies here for if i have a question i can just ask him what i want to know LOL

 

LOL!

 

I'm poor too...that's one of the reasons why I write & sell books.

[MrSteed]

Thusfar I haven't found one damn thing untrue in the Guitar Principles stuff.

 

Really really practice without resting your hand on the guitar.

It takes some work but the results are well worth it.

 

I tended to always rest my hand on the bridge and it took me

at least 3 months or so of constant picking practice to get

the hang of it. Once you're freed of the crutch of anchoring

your hand, you'll find your playing is a LOT more fluid.

 

The key for me was to be aware of my entire arm in the picking

process. Jamie recommends picking from the elbow. That's

good advice, but also try just picking from the shoulder. Get

aware of that whole arm!

[Auggie Doggie]

 

Originally posted by MrSteed . I tended to always rest my hand on the bridge and it took me at least 3 months or so of constant picking practice to get the hang of it. Once you're freed of the crutch of anchoring your hand, you'll find your playing is a LOT more fluid. There's a difference between light contact and 'anchoring'. One of the problems with completely floating the hand is that muting has gone out the window, and muting is an absolute must for most players. For fingerstyle playing it's a different story, but plectrum users have a completely different set of technical needs, especially those using any kind of overdrive. The key for me was to be aware of my entire arm in the picking process. Jamie recommends picking from the elbow. That's good advice, but also try just picking from the shoulder. Get aware of that whole arm!

 

 

Here's where I ADAMANTLY disagree with Jamie; picking from the elbow isn't good. The picking motion should come from the wrist--picking from the elbow uses large muscle groups with far less fine motor control. Picking from the shoulder is even worse. Being aware of the whole arm is good; using the whole arm is not.

[MrSteed]

I meant PRACTICE with the hand floating. Of course, muting

is a valid thing to do -- you pretty much have to with any amount

of distortion set, but you SHOULD have the ability to control

your hand when floating freely.

 

Again, I think you totally misunderstand what Jamie (and I)

am getting at. It's the difference between PRACTICE and

PLAY. The idea of PRACTICING with the elbow (or shoulder)

is to become aware of it's use in the picking motion. I think

the BIG mistake a lot of people make is focusing entirely on

1 area -- commonly the wrist -- to the exclusion of the rest of

the arm. This tends to cause the elbow and shoulder to lock

with tension. The point of the exercise is to gain awareness that

the entire arm is playing a role in picking.

 

When I became more aware of my elbow and shoulder involvement, particularly in getting the wrist in position when

moving string to string, my playing got a LOT more fluid and

powerful. And, without having to anchor my hand I find I

can comfortably pick anywhere from the end of the fretboard

to the bridge.

[joegrant413]

Great replies so far, thanks!

 

Let me ask you this...

 

I think one fear lurking in the back of my mind is that applying new technique to very fundamental mechanics is going to set me back for a long time. That is, right now I can play a decent rendition of solos from Stairway, Money, and even Heartbreaker. It took me a looooooooooooonnnnnnggggg time to do this! So, for this closet amateur, the thought of stepping back from recent gains for a long time is discouraging.

 

Thoughts??

 

-- Joe

 

 

BTW, the last fundamental change I made was about three years ago. I had the bad habit of only picking with one stroke -- just UP, not DOWN and UP -- on single notes. Needless to say, correcting that habit made a BIG difference in speed

[Auggie Doggie]

Originally posted by joegrant413 ! Let me ask you this... I think one fear lurking in the back of my mind is that applying new technique to very fundamental mechanics is going to set me back for a long time. That is, right now I can play a decent rendition of solos from Stairway, Money, and even Heartbreaker. It took me a looooooooooooonnnnnnggggg time to do this! So, for this closet amateur, the thought of stepping back from recent gains for a long time is discouraging. Thoughts?? -- Joe

 

After I had been playing for about 7 years, one day I just up and decided to completely start over from a technical perspective. I worked from the ground up, and it only took me a few months to get the hang of it.

 

Then, about 6 years after that, I got VERY ill and couldn't play the guitar for about an entire year. I mean that literally---I couldn't play a single note. When my health started to improve, and I got back to playing again, my technique was completely shot, AND my muscles and nerves had been nearly obliterated. So, once again, I started over, and built from the ground up.

 

The physical stuff had to be learned or relearned, but the mental & auditory stuff never went away.

 

So, in short, don't worry about it. Taking a step or two back is often just what is needed to take some major leaps forward.

[MrSteed]

Well, sometiimes you have to break an egg to make an omelette

 

I know how you feel.

 

I had to make 2 major changes to how I was picking. First

I changed my grip. That took about a month or two. Then I

made a concerted effort to fix my picking motion and not anchor

my hand at all. That took a few months.

 

However, it was all worth it. My speed, accuracy, power, and

fluidity of picking has improved tremendously. Really dramatically.

 

I guess you really have to ask yourself how satisfied you are

with your current picking.

 

I know it will seem very awkward and uncomfortable at first,

but I'm finding that the harder and more uncomfortable it is

a first, the greater the rewards when you break through it.

 

Also, I found that this training pick called the Stylus Pick helped

me a lot as well. It really forces you to be very aware of the

tip of the pick. You can actually make your own pretty easily

out of scrap acrylic. I'll post pics of my home made ones if you're

interested.

[d0zerz]

 

Originally posted by Auggie Doggie My right hand is constantly grazing the strings; of course, I'm constantly either muting something or am about to shortly, so it's almost a moot point. I rest my hand lightly on the bridge, but it's always relaxed and free to move. So, I neither practice nor recommend a floating pick hand, even though many teachers and authors obviously disagree.

 

 

I do that too...but I find it's most comfortable with an acoustic guitar or an LP style bridge. A strat bridge I find very awkward to rest on and sometimes I like picking/strumming further away from the bridge to get that creamier, waterdrop tone. I don't know how to do this without a floating hand.

 

I also use a floating hand for fingerstyle because I use all 5 fingers for picking...resting your hand is bloody impossible.

[soc_monki]

Originally posted by Auggie Doggie There's not a noise gate in the world that can accomplish that. They just don't work that way, even though I know lots of guys who spent $$ on one hoping it would. LOL! I'm poor too...that's one of the reasons why I write & sell books.

 

yea, i know a gate wont do that...its just some people say Michael Angelo Batio uses one and thats how he can float his hand above the strings and not have noise...actually, i dont know HOW he does it, because he plays so weird...but i cant deny his speed...it works for him...personally, i hate them because IMO they seem to choke off the tone of the guitar/amp relationship. ive never used one...dont ever intend to either!

 

and Auggie, believe me, im poorer than you because if i had money, i would buy your book(s)! LOL maybe when i finally get a job...being unemployed SUCKS!! i need to get a job and teach on the side...extra cash!

 

but i do have to say, even though you have books that people can buy, you also give out some of your expertise here for free...and for that i am thankful!

[Paragraph51]

I use Jazz IIIs and I have to be aware of being too noisy with my fingers brushing the strings as I pick....I sometimes have to practice holding my free fingers straight, so they clear the strings, or tucking them up a little higher into my palm.