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  #16  
Old 07-21-2009, 10:43 AM
mdh mdh is offline
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I am fairly new to finger style... is the general rule to use the thumb for strings 6 and 5? I have a bit of a structured mind (one of my many limitations ;-). I was watching Mike Herberts' video lessons online and he would take the approach that the thumb always plays the base note and would drop his thumb on the 4th string from time to time.

He also anchors his little finger.. something i do with flat picking. Is this a bad habit for finger style?
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  #17  
Old 07-21-2009, 11:09 AM
Billy Memphis Billy Memphis is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mdh View Post
I am fairly new to finger style... is the general rule to use the thumb for strings 6 and 5?
He also anchors his little finger.. something i do with flat picking. Is this a bad habit for finger style?
Well yes and yes. The thumb generally plays the bass notes and it is a bad habit to anchor your pinkie but many people do it and unless you are playing classical it will not get in your way. It may even help you find your place and keep it. I am sure volumes could be written on whether or not to anchor your pinkie.
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  #18  
Old 07-21-2009, 12:30 PM
mdh mdh is offline
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Originally Posted by Billy Memphis View Post
Well yes and yes. The thumb generally plays the bass notes and it is a bad habit to anchor your pinkie but many people do it and unless you are playing classical it will not get in your way. It may even help you find your place and keep it. I am sure volumes could be written on whether or not to anchor your pinkie.
thank you so much.. OK... I will try to avoid using my little finger to anchor... Why do you try to avoid anchoring? I assume you use your little finger to play the first string? In other words, every finger has a primary string to play :-)? Thanks in advance,
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  #19  
Old 07-21-2009, 01:21 PM
Billy Memphis Billy Memphis is offline
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Anytime one of your fingers is anchored, it limits the ability for your hand to move freely. You rarely use the strumming hand pinky, even with all finger strumming as in flamenco.
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  #20  
Old 08-03-2009, 05:12 PM
Smurf42 Smurf42 is offline
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This looks like a very useful site, Thanks for the link!

Also, I seem to anchor my hand more when really "digging into" a tune, and let it float when doing the "cascading waterfall" type of stuff. I also use 4 fingers unless "digging in", then I seem to resort to p-i-m...I don't know why, just the way that feels comfortable for me....
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  #21  
Old 08-04-2009, 12:34 PM
JeremyG JeremyG is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mdh View Post
I am fairly new to finger style... is the general rule to use the thumb for strings 6 and 5? I have a bit of a structured mind (one of my many limitations ;-). I was watching Mike Herberts' video lessons online and he would take the approach that the thumb always plays the base note and would drop his thumb on the 4th string from time to time.

He also anchors his little finger.. something i do with flat picking. Is this a bad habit for finger style?
Not neccessarily but here's another viewpoint...

http://www.mjra.net/WillFly/qa1d.shtml

Also Stefan Grossman uses his pinky as an anchor and if I ever get 1/2 as good as he is I won't worry about trying to change anything.

Jeremy.
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