Flatpick, strum, flatpick... hand location?

GuitarFundi · #1 11-11-2016, 01:40 AM

The way I understand it is that when you strum the middle of the sound hole is best place to contact strings and when you flat pick the outside edge of the sound hole bridge side is best to contact strings... so when you are playing a strumming and flat picking song do you strum with hand over sound hole and then swing it to the rear to flat pick behind the sound hole?

Silly Moustache · #2 11-11-2016, 04:02 AM

No, I don't see thois being a useful guideline.

There is a "sweetspot" on every guitar (and other chordophones) where you will find the fullest overall sound, but that isn't always what you need.

If you want a harsher, more incisive sound - play closer to the bridge, if fuller, rounder tone further up the strings, to a point that YOU determine.

I don't see why this should differ between playing styles.

JonPR · #3 11-11-2016, 04:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GuitarFundi

The way I understand it is that when you strum the middle of the sound hole is best place to contact strings and when you flat pick the outside edge of the sound hole bridge side is best to contact strings... so when you are playing a strumming and flat picking song do you strum with hand over sound hole and then swing it to the rear to flat pick behind the sound hole?

Never heard of such a rule myself.
As Silly Moustache says, the difference is about what kind of tone you want. Harsher and brighter: strum near the bridge. Mellow: strum near the middle of the strings - that means the middle of the vibrating length, between bridge and frets.
That makes the soundhole a kind of half-way position, a happy medium, and you move either side of that depending on the timbre you want. That's why you sometimes see old jazz players strumming in a kind of rotating move: beats 1 and 3 over the soundhole (or neck side), beats 2 and 4 nearer the bridge, to make the offbeats stand out as brighter.

The issue with flatpicking is that it's easier to pick single strings more accurately (up or down) if they're not moving too much, and of course they move a lot from side to side in the middle. Nearer the bridge they move less, so its easier to control your picking there. So that would be one reason for changing position between strumming and flatpicking.

Mr. Jelly · #4 11-11-2016, 06:40 AM

It is about tone. The idea is that when you move toward the bridge with the pick it is a less rounded tone, more fundamental maybe a little bit more treble. It cuts through the sound of the other instruments a little bit more. The strings don't seem as wobbly in that area and that helps also. I would say that is where you go for playing leads. Other parts of the song I'd move more toward the sound hole to play a tonal sound that would sit well with the other instruments.

LSemmens · #5 11-11-2016, 08:37 AM

All of the above. I've played rhythm for many years and I strum all over the place to get the sound that I require. Same with picking. Some songs lend themselves to the strident tones of picking near the bridge whilst others sound better with the warmer tones nearer the fretboard.

Silly Moustache · #6 11-12-2016, 05:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Jelly

It is about tone. The idea is that when you move toward the bridge with the pick it is a less rounded tone, more fundamental maybe a little bit more treble. It cuts through the sound of the other instruments a little bit more. The strings don't seem as wobbly in that area and that helps also. I would say that is where you go for playing leads. Other parts of the song I'd move more toward the sound hole to play a tonal sound that would sit well with the other instruments.

Good point - where you choose to hit the string is your tone control - simple as that really.

GuitarFundi · #7 11-12-2016, 04:11 PM

I get that you can change tone from near bridge to the 12 fret by moving around there, but I've never seen anyone teach flat picking anywhere other than the back of the sound hole and never seen anyone teach primary strumming anywhere other than the center of the sound hole, so I figured if you are doing mostly strumming there might be some "common" (not hard and fast rule) on whether its preferred to do arpeggios over the sound hole or move back behind the sound hole edge.

Here is what is going on... I would love to be able to do it all someday, but for now I am making the leap to some flat picking/arpeggios and want to pick a spot and stick with it before I try and do it all. So, I am at that stage of "do I anchor or float or rest the hand on the bridge or, or, ..." and just need to do one technique for awhile.

Thanks for replies!

parkerjames · #8 11-12-2016, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GuitarFundi

I get that you can change tone from near bridge to the 12 fret by moving around there, but I've never seen anyone teach flat picking anywhere other than the back of the sound hole and never seen anyone teach primary strumming anywhere other than the center of the sound hole, so I figured if you are doing mostly strumming there might be some "common" (not hard and fast rule) on whether its preferred to do arpeggios over the sound hole or move back behind the sound hole edge.

Here is what is going on... I would love to be able to do it all someday, but for now I am making the leap to some flat picking/arpeggios and want to pick a spot and stick with it before I try and do it all. So, I am at that stage of "do I anchor or float or rest the hand on the bridge or, or, ..." and just need to do one technique for awhile.

Thanks for replies!

There are fantastic flatpickers that either anchor or keep their picking hand free. My take is that if you are just starting to learn, then learn without the anchoring. It has advantages. One of which is a lack of tension.

Mr. Jelly · #9 11-12-2016, 06:23 PM

I think you're over analysing it. Get started and change as you go. The way you are going about this really sounds stiff to me. I couldn't learn that way. I always muck about and try to get something going and then start applying the rules.

GuitarFundi · #10 12-02-2016, 02:52 AM

I watched one of our hotrod local Bluegrass guys on his Collings D1A and we talked about this and he uses ALL the techniques at some point and sometimes all of them in one song... so I guess I'm just gonna try all of them and what sticks... sticks

Thanks!

BFD · #11 12-06-2016, 03:19 PM

If you watch most great bluegrass flatpickers, they'll do the majority of their single-note picking around the back of the soundhole, as you say. Bryan Sutton definitely nudges his students in that direction. To maintain a consistent tone & clarity, it helps to get closer to the bridge on the bass strings & a bit further away on the trebles.

Strumming is generally a little less tied to one spot, depending on what's being backed up - soft vocals, loud banjo etc. It's natural to drift back and forth for different tasks, or even while mixing bass & single-note runs w/strumming. I think you're on the right track. If you like what you're hearing and there's no indication more experienced players don't, then you're good