Importance of the Pinky Anchor ?

[MIDNIGHT]

ok so i'm really trying to iron out the bad habits i've developed and develop good habits

can ya'll tell me if you think that the pinky anchor is important?

if ya'll don't know what the pinky anchor is, it's when you anchor your pinky the body of the guitar below the sound hole (of an acoustic guitar in this case) and below the strings when you practice your scales and arpeggios..

ya'll think this is a good habit to develop?

[HolyGrail]

Here's my opinion on it;

Some people need it some don't.
I don't like my hand anchored that way. I hold my hand like a fist
and the pick parallel to the strings. I also at times rest my palm on
the strings or bridge for muting and other effects.

As long as you can play cleanly and have the pick parallel to the strings
what ever works best for you is fine.

[tiedstick]

Originally Posted by HolyGrail

As long as you can play cleanly and have the pick parallel to the strings what ever works best for you is fine.

+1. Good advice.

I do it exactly like HolyGrail does, like resting on the strings/bridge (palm muting). However I do sometimes do the pinky thing only when playing acoustic...maybe on slow arpeggiated chords or something like that.

[ArchEtech]

Most reading says its a bad habbit, but I've noticed plenty of pro's that do it so....

If you sound good who cares. I try not to put weight on the pinky, and rest my palm on the bridge instead. Sometimes I drag the pinky a little to mute, or to just help me keep my position in check when double picking really fast.

[johnreardon]

Originally Posted by HolyGrail

Here's my opinion on it;

Some people need it some don't.
I don't like my hand anchored that way. I hold my hand like a fist
and the pick parallel to the strings. I also at times rest my palm on
the strings or bridge for muting and other effects.

As long as you can play cleanly and have the pick parallel to the strings
what ever works best for you is fine.

Fully agree.

I went to one of those guitar weekend breaks a couple of years ago, and the 'instructor' there told me my strumming hand was all wrong and showed me how to do 'correctly'. I tried, just for his benefit and it was awful for me, so I immediately went back to my 'incorrect' style.

Do whatever is natural for you

I agree with Grail and Reardon. Unless you are having some specific problem, do whatever works for YOU!

[MIDNIGHT]

thanks guys

it's nice to know i don't have to force myself into changing habits..

thanks ya'll

[coldsteal2]

Originally Posted by johnreardon

Fully agree.

I went to one of those guitar weekend breaks a couple of years ago, and the 'instructor' there told me my strumming hand was all wrong and showed me how to do 'correctly'. I tried, just for his benefit and it was awful for me, so I immediately went back to my 'incorrect' style.

Do whatever is natural for you

Yes,

Start looking at photos of all your favorite guitarists
and see how many of them do this.

[coldsteal2]

Originally Posted by slash

+1. Good advice.

I do it exactly like HolyGrail does, like resting on the strings/bridge (palm muting). However I do sometimes do the pinky thing only when playing acoustic...maybe on slow arpeggiated chords or something like that.

Yes, got to use the strings/bridge for palm muting
if you are holding your pick like a pencil you loose
alot of rock technique.
A freind of my was a GIT instructor and he does it also.

[lexluthier]

I used to play with my right hand pretty much glued to the bridge due to my fascination with Al Di Meola when I was starting out, but over the last few years I've been changing it up. I still do the hand to the bridge thing, but also I can pick with my hand floating, which opens up a lot of different options. Also been playing a lot lately without a pick at all. I think it is cool to fingerpick chords without strumming to give certain chords a more piano type quality.

[lp59aholicDon]

Originally Posted by lexluthier

I used to play with my right hand pretty much glued to the bridge due to my fascination with Al Di Meola when I was starting out, but over the last few years I've been changing it up. I still do the hand to the bridge thing, but also I can pick with my hand floating, which opens up a lot of different options. Also been playing a lot lately without a pick at all. I think it is cool to fingerpick chords without strumming to give certain chords a more piano type quality.

for years I played with my hands and fingers over the front pickup, thats where I strum the most too , I agree pickin with fingers, either lead or chords or what ever has a whole different range of tonal aspects, LOL my first guitar teacher might even be a lil bit proud, if shes still alive, but I do play alot over the bridge now too. another reason I was somewhat dissatisfied with earlier Strat models, those allen screws could eat up your plam Any Strat or PRS like guitar I get is gonna have the newer style block bridge pieces like American Std's have When I do play strats I find my pinky anchored on the volume knob,

[coldsteal2]

Old strats used to had a bridge cover, they should bring
those back

[lp59aholicDon]

Originally Posted by coldsteal2

Old strats used to had a bridge cover, they should bring
those back

Damn, I thought those and the tele metal were my courtesty ashtrays !
you mean I was sposed to put that on my guitar?

[MIDNIGHT]

Originally Posted by lexluthier

I used to play with my right hand pretty much glued to the bridge due to my fascination with Al Di Meola when I was starting out, but over the last few years I've been changing it up. I still do the hand to the bridge thing, but also I can pick with my hand floating, which opens up a lot of different options. Also been playing a lot lately without a pick at all. I think it is cool to fingerpick chords without strumming to give certain chords a more piano type quality.

hmm..

i've been trying out the pinky anchor recently and honestly, i do feel my hand is a bit more in control than when it is floating..

but yes.. eventually, i do want to be able to play with my right hand floating.. my time will come

[HolyGrail]

Originally Posted by midnightdreamer

hmm..

i've been trying out the pinky anchor recently and honestly, i do feel my hand is a bit more in control than when it is floating..

but yes.. eventually, i do want to be able to play with my right hand floating.. my time will come

Floating takes a while, but I like it.
Again either way you decide, " Always " make sure you hold your
pick parallel to the strings. Don't attack the strings with your pick angled,
it creates a lot of problems. ( extra noise, sloppy playing )
You want your notes to sound crisp.

Side note ~
There will be times that you'll want different effects, and varying
the pick angle attack will add color and different effects to your playing.
But most of the time what I've suggested above is the best.

[MIDNIGHT]

Originally Posted by HolyGrail

Floating takes a while, but I like it.
Again either way you decide, " Always " make sure you hold your
pick parallel to the strings. Don't attack the strings with your pick angled,
it creates a lot of problems. ( extra noise, sloppy playing )
You want your notes to sound crisp.

Side note ~
There will be times that you'll want different effects, and varying
the pick angle attack will add color and different effects to your playing.
But most of the time what I've suggested above is the best.

i get what you mean HG thanks

another question though

i was practicing my scales today then when i took a break i was youtubing a bit and stubled upon a lesson on pinch harmonics.. the way to hold a pick when doin' squealies is different from how i hold my pick.. before i move on any more, should i change it already and get used to this way of holding a pick..?

YouTube - Randy Ciak - Beginning Pinch Harmonic Lesson - Shred Academy

[lexluthier]

There are times you do want to palm mute, like doing chunky metal style chords, Di Meola style fast muted runs, and controlling open string ringing with loud amps. The right hand does control a lot of the tone, so it is cool to experiment with different right hand picking techniques. Vary your attack, change picking locations, downstrokes, alternate picking, how you hold the pick, etc. You can control so many dynamics just by your right hand attack.

[lp59aholicDon]

Originally Posted by midnightdreamer

i get what you mean HG thanks

another question though

i was practicing my scales today then when i took a break i was youtubing a bit and stubled upon a lesson on pinch harmonics.. the way to hold a pick when doin' squealies is different from how i hold my pick.. before i move on any more, should i change it already and get used to this way of holding a pick..?

YouTube - Randy Ciak - Beginning Pinch Harmonic Lesson - Shred Academy

Pinch harmonics can be obtained from many picking postions something you have to experiement with ,first trick getting the pick and other contact point in harmony of the touch, Check this lesson by one of the pioneers of pinch harmonics, Da Reverend William F Gibbons, also find Danny Gatton's Telemaster, another Pinch harmonic master> Danny called pinch harmonics, " whistlers "
YouTube - Billy Gibbons - Guitar Lesson

YouTube - Danny Gatton - Telemaster!

[lexluthier]

Originally Posted by midnightdreamer

i get what you mean HG thanks

another question though

i was practicing my scales today then when i took a break i was youtubing a bit and stubled upon a lesson on pinch harmonics.. the way to hold a pick when doin' squealies is different from how i hold my pick.. before i move on any more, should i change it already and get used to this way of holding a pick..?

YouTube - Randy Ciak - Beginning Pinch Harmonic Lesson - Shred Academy

I didn't watch the video, but I guess if I want to do squeals, I usually choke up on the pick so the fleshy part of my thmb is closer to the tip. I usually do it instinctively without really thinking about it I guess.

Oh yea, another cool trick is to do a pinch harmonics 12 frets above the notes you are playing. A great example of this is during the solo of the Eric Johnson tune East Wes, where it sounds like an octavia. You can get some octavia style sounds without an octavia. Takes a lot of practice to get down. Also tapping the harmonic Lenny Breau style is something that a lot of players do.

[MIDNIGHT]

Originally Posted by lexluthier

I didn't watch the video, but I guess if I want to do squeals, I usually choke up on the pick so the fleshy part of my thmb is closer to the tip. I usually do it instinctively without really thinking about it I guess.

so right in the middle of playing, you quickly change the way you hold your pick when you want a harmonic?

also by the way guys.. there's this other way i get squealies and it's not with the thumb.. i get a squeal with my middle finger just on the part just above above the nail.. hard to explain but do ya'll get what i mean? i'll try to look for a video.. what can you say about that method?

[HolyGrail]

Originally Posted by lexluthier

I didn't watch the video, but I guess if I want to do squeals, I usually choke up on the pick so the fleshy part of my thmb is closer to the tip. I usually do it instinctively without really thinking about it I guess.

Oh yea, another cool trick is to do a pinch harmonics 12 frets above the notes you are playing. A great example of this is during the solo of the Eric Johnson tune East Wes, where it sounds like an octavia. You can get some octavia style sounds without an octavia. Takes a lot of practice to get down. Also tapping the harmonic Lenny Breau style is something that a lot of players do.

I do it the same as Lex.
I choke up on the pick and do it instinctively.
It's still the same hand position and technique as I've described before.

All the guys are giving you great advice.

When we tried to learn all of this , sometimes we had
to beg people for these so called secrets.
Suck all of this advice in ! maybe even copy and paste it and save it
for future reference. Even print it if that will help.

Lenny Breau ?
Lex you and I need to talk. He's a magician. If i can ever play half
as well as he did, I'll be smiling.

[lp59aholicDon]

Originally Posted by HolyGrail

I do it the same as Lex.
I choke up on the pick and do it instinctively.
It's still the same hand position and technique as I've described before.

All the guys are giving you great advice.

When we tried to learn all of this , sometimes we had
to beg people for these so called secrets.
Suck all of this advice in ! maybe even copy and paste it and save it
for future reference. Even print it if that will help.

Lenny Breau ?
Lex you and I need to talk. He's a magician. If i can ever play half
as well as he did, I'll be smiling.

Pete Kennedy, who was a very close friend of Danny Gatton, and an oustanding guitarist in his own right , tought me pinch harmonics with a pick and the meat of my finger or thumb, and also by using my index finger nail and meat of my thumb, I recently saw Pete for the first time in over 30 years, he was only using an acoustic guitar was grabbing harmincs all over the neck, via tapping the harmonic at the twelth and other intervals of the neck, if you are getting or do get it before the actual pick octive point, this what Pete and a few others way back called a distorted harmonic . harder to achieve but damn cool tones . This is just the way I learned it
I think watchin the Billy version of this to see it, no matter how long you been playin, might benefit you . After all he was one of Jimi's favorite guitarists

[ReverendJWblues]

Originally Posted by HolyGrail

Floating takes a while, but I like it.
Again either way you decide, " Always " make sure you hold your
pick parallel to the strings. Don't attack the strings with your pick angled,
it creates a lot of problems. ( extra noise, sloppy playing )
You want your notes to sound crisp.

Side note ~
There will be times that you'll want different effects, and varying
the pick angle attack will add color and different effects to your playing.
But most of the time what I've suggested above is the best.

I myself suffer from the angled pick attack but I live with it. It does create noise I hate but since I seldom play clean Ive learned to deal with the scratching Ive tried to develop it into a kind of color for me. I just cant seem to get the pick flat. Just another of my limitations I live with.

[MIDNIGHT]

Originally Posted by HolyGrail

I do it the same as Lex.
I choke up on the pick and do it instinctively.
It's still the same hand position and technique as I've described before.

All the guys are giving you great advice.

When we tried to learn all of this , sometimes we had
to beg people for these so called secrets.
Suck all of this advice in ! maybe even copy and paste it and save it
for future reference. Even print it if that will help.

Lenny Breau ?
Lex you and I need to talk. He's a magician. If i can ever play half
as well as he did, I'll be smiling.

thank you thank you thank you





really appreciate it fellas..

[HolyGrail]

Originally Posted by lp59aholicDon

Pete Kennedy, who was a very close friend of Danny Gatton, and an oustanding guitarist in his own right , tought me pinch harmonics with a pick and the meat of my finger or thumb, and also by using my index finger nail and meat of my thumb, I recently saw Pete for the first time in over 30 years, he was only using an acoustic guitar was grabbing harmincs all over the neck, via tapping the harmonic at the twelth and other intervals of the neck, if you are getting or do get it before the actual pick octive point, this what Pete and a few others way back called a distorted harmonic . harder to achieve but damn cool tones . This is just the way I learned it
I think watchin the Billy version of this to see it, no matter how long you been playin, might benefit you . After all he was one of Jimi's favorite guitarists

Don ~
Yep that's another nice effect. I haven't mastered it, but it's something to have handy and learn. See there's another one of my weakness.

[HolyGrail]

Originally Posted by midnightdreamer

thank you thank you thank you





really appreciate it fellas..

You're welcome. I'm sure the other guys feel the same .

[lp59aholicDon]

Originally Posted by HolyGrail

Don ~
Yep that's another nice effect. I haven't mastered it, but it's something to have handy and learn. See there's another one of my weakness.

It aint a weakness, its just a small diffenciantcy you have yet to correct HG , and ya know how to cure that, Psssssssssssst No better time than the present either brotherman ! and sometimes I think as you know, it will just fall into place naturally without you tryin that much
I was jammin out with my brother, and he sorta made mention, asking me if I had quit doing pinch harmonics. I told em , Hell no, they just didnt fit in those past particular songs . sometimes when I get a tude on when playing, theya re flyin all over the place

[lexluthier]

Originally Posted by midnightdreamer

so right in the middle of playing, you quickly change the way you hold your pick when you want a harmonic?

I guess now that I start analyzing it, I kind of roll the thumb down the pick and angle the pick a bit. I don't think I ever really thought about how I did it before. Also, you need to find the harmonic sweet spots where to pick the squealies. Within a small area, you can change the pitch of the squeal.

Billy G on Tush (I think, memory is cloudy) would start closer to the bridge and pick the squeals progressively closer to the neck, changing the pitch of the squeals, which is a cool effect.

Zakk Wylde does them all the time on the low E string, that's kind of his trademark.

[coldsteal2]

I do all that stuff without even thinking,


I also noticed, hand and pinky anchers in all those
videos at least at one point, especialy billy g

[HolyGrail]

Originally Posted by lp59aholicDon

Pinch harmonics can be obtained from many picking postions something you have to experiement with ,first trick getting the pick and other contact point in harmony of the touch, Check this lesson by one of the pioneers of pinch harmonics, Da Reverend William F Gibbons, also find Danny Gatton's Telemaster, another Pinch harmonic master> Danny called pinch harmonics, " whistlers "
YouTube - Billy Gibbons - Guitar Lesson

YouTube - Danny Gatton - Telemaster!

Great Videos !
Da Reverend William F Gibbons, great example.

Gatton ~The Chick'n Pick'n master. He can Flat out burn that figerboard up !
His right hand is a great example of how IMPORTANT your picking hand is.

I'm sure you've heard of~
Steve Morse from The Dixie Dregs !
YouTube - Dixie Dregs - Holiday

and Bela Fleck, Electric Banjo master.

Now listening to the Dregs just brought me to another Part of musical theory.
It's called Counter Point . ( 2 Different melodies being played against each other in beautiful Harmony )

Listen to this Video of the Dregs and you'll hear it.

I know what a lot my Brahs here are thinking. That it can be done without using theory.
They would be correct when Heavy Players get that magic moment when they become one.
You guys know what I mean and how it feels. It's the moment we all pray for. It happens
rarely ! But when it does. NO Drug or Sex in the world can make you or life more perfect.

Other than what I've describes above, you'll need to learn Counter point to create it.