"Anchor" your picking hand?

Who here "anchors" your picking hand? I had to take some time off practicing because of some back and arm (left arm). I was off for about two months. I have been studying now for a little over a year.

When I came back to practicing I was missing strings horribly. Probably no surprise. But I supplement my home on line studies with an occasional (every month or two) live lesson and I mentioned this to my instructor.

He suggested I try "anchoring" my picking hand. That is, extend my pinky finger to my pick guard to give me a sense of position.

Any one else do this? A good idea? I had never heard this before. I don't think I remember seeing a suggestion of this in the core learning system.

Yes, I do. A lot do from what I gather reading the forums here.

If you search the forums here, you'll find a discussion about it.

For me, it was never a concious thing. Unless I'm strumming a chord, I find I anchor either with my pinky or the palm of my hand on the side of or behind the bridge.

I do too. Not always but I tend to do it when I play faster licks.

Originally Posted by: matonanjin
Any one else do this? A good idea?

I don't; I did try it for a bit, but it threw me off and also I find now for me, its just not necessary. Is it a good idea? Absolutely. Tons of great players do anchor with their pinky, and if it helps you maintain accuracy, and feels "right" then use it.

I remember when I went to music school in New Orleans, where I took a few guitar lessons with a well known jazz guitarist. He made me transcribe and learn this really difficult solo by Joe Pass.

I played it free hand for him, no anchor, in our next lesson together. He got on my case and said, "Man, you gotta anchor your hand for stability, this solo is hard". So I went home and relearned it with my hand anchored. It was a lot of work.

Then I got to our next lesson, and I played it for him with an anchored hand and he got on my case again and said "Man, you gotta play this free hand, you can't move freely with your hand all tied up like that, this piece is hard".

So there it is! My guitar teacher was contradicting himself, but I think he summed up the pros and cons quite nicely without intending to do so. Anchored hand feels secure, free hand gives you flexibility. With much more experience now, I only do free hand. If you do it enough, you get comfortable and secure with it so that you get the best of both worlds. Security comes from practice, and playing freely requires a flexible technique (which means no anchor). That would be my advice to anyone posing this question. I hope that's helpful.

I find that I am subconsciously anchoring almost all the time. You don't have to "anchor" or permanently tie say your pinkie to a solid point (for all time) - but I find that it's always out there sliding around and touching something, somewhere...or maybe it's my ring finger just planted like a stool leg on the pick guard. Just some sort of reference point. Oh and it should be pointed out that this point varies greatly by which guitar I am playing, of course. Different features and terrain to feel for.

Boy, you guys are absolutely no help at all! ;) :confused:

Seriously, thanks for the responses all. Largely, what I was expecting

Originally Posted by: matonanjinWho here "anchors" your picking hand? I had to take some time off practicing because of some back and arm (left arm). I was off for about two months. I have been studying now for a little over a year.

When I came back to practicing I was missing strings horribly. Probably no surprise. But I supplement my home on line studies with an occasional (every month or two) live lesson and I mentioned this to my instructor.

He suggested I try "anchoring" my picking hand. That is, extend my pinky finger to my pick guard to give me a sense of position.

Any one else do this? A good idea? I had never heard this before. I don't think I remember seeing a suggestion of this in the core learning system.

Hello mate
Absolutely! I anchor the hand on the bridge
If youve had time off just take your time and try picking with slightly bigger movement to get into the motion of it.