Do you 'anchor' your picking hand?

[bluesway]

to everyone who asked, i sent the book.

[Belva]

I anchor sometimes. It was taught as the "correct" way to do things when I was coming up. But I have a serious problem when someone says a certain technique is right or wrong. If the sound is coming out of the instrument, and I do mean ANY instrument, you're doing it right. I remember a trumpet player in high school who could blow the rest of us away with his range. "He's doing it all wrong." I say HORSESHIT!!!!! Look at my sig!

[scolfax]

I lightly press my pinky fingernail against the body. Since I'm using the fingernail the finger is free to move around, so I wouldn't call it anchoring.

 

I would only call it a crutch in the event that I lost my pinky finger.

[headless]

 

Is that one of those new PS/2 tremolo units that I've heard so much about?

[Jasco]

When I used a pick, I anchored my pinky and lightly touched the edge of my hand on the bridge for muting purposes.

 

Now when I play fingerstyle I don't anchor anything for acoustic, and for electric I'll rest the edge of my hand lightly on the bridge. About 25% of the time I'll hold the whammy bar while playing - I guess that kind of counts as an anchor although that's not the purpose.

 

I've seen lots of folks play great with both anchor and non-anchor picking techniques, so I'm a believer that either way is fine.

[=JL=]

Do what you want, depending on your style, your mood, the song etc. If you ever meet anyone who tells you there is a right or wrong way to play the electric guitar just tell 'em to fuck off.

[kit_strong]

Do what you want, depending on your style, your mood, the song etc. If you ever meet anyone who tells you there is a right or wrong way to play the electric guitar just tell 'em to fuck off.

 

I would never tell someone there technique is wrong as there really is no right vs. wrong in this case. But some techniques are definitely less optimal than others.

[RDub_]

for solos and fast strumming or long periods of finger strumming I anchor it with the edge of my palm just on the other side of the bridge

 

but for strumming, unless its palm muted, I'm all over the place.

[gasolinefight]

I always anchor my pinky when i'm picking anything with a pick. strumming no, fingerpicking definitely no.

 

Bad technique or not, that's where my hands go automatically. I'm a fan of the outlook that nothing is sacred about playing music, there are no rights or wrongs, simply what works and what doesn't. and even then that is up to the listeners ear to decide.

[Belva]

Hey, Loco I dig your sig!

[peavey_impact]

Is that one of those new PS/2 tremolo units that I've heard so much about?

 

Yep, you can plug it in to a PC for extra toanz

 

Also note that you don't even need strings

[hellion_213]

Sometimes I anchor my palm on the top of the Floyd at the saddle, sometimes I anchor my pinky on the very side of my pickup. Just depends on what I'm playing

[noisebloom]

In general, no. I find it too restrictive. I move my pick hand around a lot while I play.

 

I stabilize my hand position by how my forearm rests on the corner of the body, but I wouldn't call it anchoring, necessarily.

 

Palm muting is as close as I get to anchoring my hand.

[dattebayo1]

Noperooo

['s mel gibson]

It depends on the guitar I'm playing. An LP with a carved top and that TOM bridge sitting so high up off of the body and the outer edge of the LP being lower than the center of the carved arch sort of forces me to anchor my palm on the strings just behind the bridge and I'm also ready to palm mute.

 

On an SG with it's flatter top, it's my fore arm resting on the beveled edge of the upper body which allows my hand to float.

 

I really like Explorers, V's and Firebirds for this because their upper wings provide a good resting place for my fore arm.

 

As for any one who criticizes my technique, I go out of my way to blow them out of the water with my incorrect technique.

 

Then there are people like Django Rheinhardt with missing fingers. What do you say to them as they're playing some amazing stuff with their disabilities?

 

My motto is, "Just play the guitar and be good. And quit the fucking whining!"

 

*end of rant.*

[cngracin]

To answer your question about what do you do when changing between guitars when you pinky plant

[hellion_213]

[pixelchemist]

i do sometimes but always end up with a sore knuckle in on my pinky so I usually don't