daveinspain Posted October 24, 2015 Share Posted October 24, 2015 Yes I finally did it. I thought it was helping me but it was hindering me… It gave me security and a sense of balance and it was good at first but I was relying on it too much. Funny thing was after all these years I didn't even realize it. This morning I tried practicing without it. At first it was awkward but i continued without it. As I practiced I realized i could actually play faster. In fact, it was the thing that was holding me back, that wall that I thought I could never get over. It was so frustrating seeing and hearing everyone able to play much faster than me. Now I don't want to be a shredder mind you but I was lacking the speed needed to pull of some tasty licks and bring me up a notch in my playing abilities. So today is just the first day without my crutch but what I have gained in the past couple of hours shows me a very bright future… Oh, I still may use the crutch on occasion in certain circumstances because there is a time and place for it but I love the prospect of being able to run when I want to. What is this crutch I speak of you may ask… It's my pinky finger. I anchored my strumming hand with it all the time so I knew where I was. it's a heavy anchor that will keep you steady for sure but slow you down more than its worth… I'm free at last, great God all mighty, I'm free at last! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted October 24, 2015 Share Posted October 24, 2015 Very good decision. Anchoring the pinky finger acts like a stop block. A freely moving hand is best. Perhaps this is why I don't need a pickguard and same time ain't bothered by it while playing - but still while looking Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saturn Posted October 24, 2015 Share Posted October 24, 2015 You'll probably find your playing to be a little more loose, if that makes sense. I went through a phase of anchoring my pinky back when I mostly played a Strat. It didn't last very long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fromnabulax Posted October 24, 2015 Share Posted October 24, 2015 Grandpa he got rhythm, he threw his crutches down, The old boy got rhythm and blues, and threw those crutches down, Now Grandma she ain't trifling, she says the old boy is rhythm bound And all my friends are boppin' the blues, it must be goin' 'round.,. So that's what Carl Perkins was writing about, his pinky! Since I am completely self taught I never learned about resting my pinky until I saw a Chet Atkins instructional interview describing the technique, and after trying it for a while I gave it up completely. Though not too often, I use the pinky for picking. I had a bass playing buddy if mine who was also self taught. He would use all 5 fingers as he played his bass, I figured I could do the same on guitar. Float baby, float! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted October 24, 2015 Share Posted October 24, 2015 I've never understood why people do that. rct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted October 24, 2015 Share Posted October 24, 2015 I still anchor my pinky. I started doing it over 50 years ago when I started fingerpicking both guitar and banjo. Never did it while strumming a flattop or electric, or playing classical guitar music. Even now with left hand ability at maybe 20-30 percent on the guitar, I'm still doing the pinky anchor. I think it works best for fingerpicking where the picking fingers are doing a lot of complex things one doesn't even do in most classical playing. Then again... using thumb and fingerpicks for a Carter Family scratch, or flattop flatpicking... no, I don't. I think a lot is how you play. It fit my comfort zone for most of my picking. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 I still anchor my pinky.... I think it works best for fingerpicking where the picking fingers are doing a lot of complex things.... Me too, and I'm not really doing a lot of complex things. I'm working on fingerpicking a piece on a 12-string though, and I need accuracy. I tried letting the hand float... what, are you kidding? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveinspain Posted October 25, 2015 Author Share Posted October 25, 2015 Me too, and I'm not really doing a lot of complex things. I'm working on fingerpicking a piece on a 12-string though, and I need accuracy. I tried letting the hand float... what, are you kidding? Don't forget I did say there is a time and place to anchor my hand when needed, like when fingerpicking. My problem is I was doing it all the time… Think I just always did it naturally, I don't remember anyone ever teaching me or telling me to do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Autumn Light&Shade Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 Hi all, when I play fingerstyle, classical and strumming my little finger floats. But when I play electric and the solo kicks in my little finger becomes an anchor. My SG has a vintage satin (no pickguard) finish and due to the placement of my little finger I now have a very glossy patch. The lesson has been learnt, the hard way grrrrrr. kind regards, Emma :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 I now have a very glossy patch. Mojo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Autumn Light&Shade Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 Mojo! Hi Cougar, you just put a smile on my face You've made me see this 'blemish' from a different perspective. At least it shows I play my SG. I'm kind of liking it now. Yeah, my baby has mojo :) kind regards, Emma :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zigzag Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 I'd always anchored my pinky, and like you, I recently stopped. It has taken me longer than I thought it would for that to feel natural, but I'm finally there. Since I've changed, I've tried to watch how guitarists play, and there are a good many great and fast players that use the pinky anchor. I used my pinky anchor for stability and to give me a better sense of where each string is, but I found that using the heel of my palm as a mute helps to do the things that anchoring my pinky did. And btw, very few good players don't mute with their right hand when playing single notes. We could start a different thread on the best way to hold a pick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 ... And btw, very few good players don't mute with their right hand when playing single notes. ... Lots of lines and licks call for both hands sharing in muting. String muting can be more challenging than string attack, in particular on bass guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retired Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 Well you learn something new everyday! Never heard of the pinky anchor before, didn't think I did that. When I play electric I use the pick and strum. But to see if I did the anchor job, I picked up my acoustic and picked out a few bars of Stairway to Heaven, and sure enough, I noticed my pinky finger anchoring on the pick guard. So is that bad? I tried it without, and can do it just as good. One thing though, I could never get used to using all 4 fingers to pick like I'm supposed to on my guitar lessons. I use my thumb and index finger and it's much easier. I guess it's ok since I just play for my own entertainment at home. Mostly to keep my mind sharp in learning new songs and hopefully not get that dreaded disease, Alzheimer's, that seems to run in my mothers family of her brothers and sisters. And now there's a proper way to hold a pick you say? I use two fingers and a thumb! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 ... Mostly to keep my mind sharp in learning new songs and hopefully not get that dreaded disease, Alzheimer's, that seems to run in my mothers family of her brothers and sisters. ... Finger crossed it may work for you. Avoiding processed/soft cheese can also be helpful. It may contain aluminum which promotes Alzheimer's disease. ... And now there's a proper way to hold a pick you say? I use two fingers and a thumb! I don't think there's a reason for worrying. Everything that works for you is fine I believe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zigzag Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 I think that everyone would agree that Guthrie Govan is one of the technically great players and shredders. Notice from this video that he uses several right hand techniques and often anchors his pinky, as well as using right and left hand string muting. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tELIgr96WcM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dub-T-123 Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 I'd always anchored my pinky, and like you, I recently stopped. It has taken me longer than I thought it would for that to feel natural, but I'm finally there. Since I've changed, I've tried to watch how guitarists play, and there are a good many great and fast players that use the pinky anchor. I used my pinky anchor for stability and to give me a better sense of where each string is, but I found that using the heel of my palm as a mute helps to do the things that anchoring my pinky did. And btw, very few good players don't mute with their right hand when playing single notes. We could start a different thread on the best way to hold a pick. I think sometimes it's ok to use the pinky anchor and sometimes it's not. I've watched the way my friend works his right hand doing some of the fastest, most precise strumming/picking I've ever seen.. Usually his middle, ring, and pinky finger are grouped together, and sticking straight out floating flat over the top of the strings/guitar. I'm not as good at it as him, but it seems like this technique is useful for fast alternate strumming/picking and palm mutes. If you're playing a Gibson, you can anchor your palm on the stopbar and that is probably better because your wrist is more free than the pinky anchor and your palm is close to the strings for muting. Sometimes you don't wanna anchor at all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 I think that everyone would agree that Guthrie Govan is one of the technically great players and shredders. Notice from this video that he uses several right hand techniques and often anchors his pinky, as well as using right and left hand string muting. ... Well, I don't think there's a good and bad, or right and wrong on principal. Chet Atkins may have had his reasons for anchoring his pinky. The very thing is usefulness in a given situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 I think sometimes it's ok to use the pinky anchor and sometimes it's not. I've watched the way my friend works his right hand doing some of the fastest, most precise strumming/picking I've ever seen.. Usually his middle, ring, and pinky finger are grouped together, and sticking straight out floating flat over the top of the strings/guitar. I'm not as good at it as him, but it seems like this technique is useful for fast alternate strumming/picking and palm mutes. If you're playing a Gibson, you can anchor your palm on the stopbar and that is probably better because your wrist is more free than the pinky anchor and your palm is close to the strings for muting. Sometimes you don't wanna anchor at all Far from being virtuoso, I simply gave up anchoring within two years after I started playing. There has been a widely spread and rather nice German tutorial book recommending it, but it just didn't do it for me. Perhaps I love the TP-6 finetuning tailpiece not only for its tuning performance but also because I never use the stop bar as an anchor. Since 1987 I'm well accustomed to playing with floating Floyd Rose systems, and obviously the same playing technique basically works on any guitar, at least for me. The only differences are bendings where a floating FR calls for bending all the strings played to compensate the pitches flattening through the bridge coming up through the increased tension of the bent string. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 Mostly to keep my mind sharp in learning new songs and hopefully not get that dreaded disease, Alzheimer's, that seems to run in my mothers family of her brothers and sisters. And now there's a proper way to hold a pick you say? I use two fingers and a thumb! I have always had a problem with memory, that is, remembering songs, remembering words to songs, etc. It's EXACTLY the reason I mostly play blues and Jazz. With my memory, I'm gonna have to improvise anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surfpup Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 Interesting. Haven't thought about it much until now, but... I've never used my fingers as an anchor on the electric guitar. My hand moves a lot - sometimes the heel is on the bridge for muting of course. Occasionally while fingerpicking on an acoustic I might put the pinkie down, but generally I move my hand too much to leave them down. Now if I'm attempting Scruggs style on a banjo they are locked to the head, but that's another story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L8_4thesh0w Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 I'm glad to see this is much more common than I thought. I've been doing it for years and I'm still trying to break the habit. That's exactly what it is, too - a habit. I think it started as a concentration aid because in classical guitar you are taught to use the 1st 3 fingers and the pinky is of no concern. Anyway, I've done it to such an extent that my pinky fingernail has thickened on that far side. I began to wonder how much it hampered the vibration of the top so now I make a conscious effort not to, but old habits are hard to break. It is getting easier but I almost never pay attention to my picking hand anymore - so that makes it easy to revert to the crutch without even realizing it. I never do it with a pick but then I hardly ever use a pick, either. At least I don't feel like such a freak anymore. It's nice to know I'm not alone! Maybe we could start a support group. :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the dog Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 Well I am glad to know that it isn't just me.....I threw my crutch away yesterday after reading your post....what an immediate improvement.....no more..... thanks..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saturn Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 Don't forget I did say there is a time and place to anchor my hand when needed, like when fingerpicking. My problem is I was doing it all the time… Think I just always did it naturally, I don't remember anyone ever teaching me or telling me to do it. Hey Dave. I watched your video (the one in your Sig) and notice you aren't doing it there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis G Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 Like many here, I do and I don't. Depends on what I'm playing, and as said sometimes a bit of an anchor can be an asset. That said, I don't more than I do. Whatever works for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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