Anchoring pinky whilst picking with ring finger?

[agfsteve]

I'm watching a Truefire video named "Acoustic Blues Handbook", by Joe Dalton, and I can see that with his picking hand he's anchoring his pinky finger on the pickguard, and picking the third (G) string with his ring finger (also thumb on sixth string and index on fifth string, as he shows us how he plays the E7 part of a blues in E).

Who can play like this? For me it's pretty much physically impossible.

When I anchor my pinky (most, but not all of the time), my ring finger has to go with it.

I don't really want to get into a whole discussion on the pros and cons of anchoring, I'm just surprised that anyone can be physically capable of playing like Joe Dalton does, vis-a-vis the picking hand.

[rick-slo]

I don't see him playing that way. If you have a video link that shows what you said then provide a link.

[agfsteve]

Originally Posted by rick-slo

I don't see him playing that way. If you have a video link that shows what you said then provide a link.

He's playing as I described in various videos in the Truefire "Acoustic Blues Handbook" lesson, but it is a paid thing, so the link to a specific video won't work, but you can see him play like it briefly in the introduction video to the lesson, which I think is at https://truefire.com/beginner-guitar...s-handbook/c36, at around 18 second before the end of he video (the video timer only counts down from the start to zero). At the point I'm referring to in the video, he says "or just your fingers", as he demonstrates the picking technique to which I'm referring, which he uses a lot in the videos that I've watched so far in the lesson.

[rick-slo]

Right, he is not playing the way you described (ring finger is not picking the third string).

[agfsteve]

Originally Posted by rick-slo

Right, he is not playing the way you described (ring finger is not picking the third string).

I think it actually is, in fact. In one of the videos in the lesson, he even states it specifically, saying, "So what's going on with the right hand? Well, I've got the ring finger always on the third string, the pointer always on the fifth string, and my thumb always on the sixth string".

The video I'm referring to here is called "Harmonizing the Pattern", and it is at https://truefire.com/beginner-guitar...monizing/v8251 (but only if you buy the lesson) at around the 1:47 mark (from the start) when he begins saying the above.

I've double-checked what he said, and he's right, and so am I.

[rick-slo]

I was looking at the earlier part of the video. At the 1:47 point in the video he could be using the ring finger (at little hard to see).
However to answer your original question I can pick those notes with pinky finger planted and using the ring finger on the third
string without difficulty.

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by agfsteve

He's playing as I described in various videos in the Truefire "Acoustic Blues Handbook" lesson, but it is a paid thing, so the link to a specific video won't work, but you can see him play like it briefly in the introduction video to the lesson, which I think is at https://truefire.com/beginner-guitar...s-handbook/c36, at around 18 second before the end of he video (the video timer only counts down from the start to zero). At the point I'm referring to in the video, he says "or just your fingers", as he demonstrates the picking technique to which I'm referring, which he uses a lot in the videos that I've watched so far in the lesson.

Yes, I can see him doing that at that point, but that's because of the specific pattern he's playing.
If I play that pattern, I'd probably use index on 5th and middle on 3rd, but I could use ring on 3rd, as he is. But I wouldn't anchor the pinky. He happens to be doing that on the fingers-only version, but his pinky is not anchored on the "pick and fingers" (hybrid) version beforehand. So it's clearly not essential.

Like you, I find it awkward to anchor the pinky if my ring finger is picking the 3rd string. I can do it if I try - the pinky is relaxed and held straight by pressure - but it definitely feels inhibiting and clumsy. I can see no need for it, at least not with that pattern - much easier to use middle finger on 3rd string - and can't see it's worth worrying about if you can't do it.

Seriously, there is more than one way of doing these things, and none of these teachers have the one correct answer, because there isn't one. This isn't classical guitar! They each do it the way they like, that works for them. Try their methods by all means, in case they happen to work for you too. They just might. But ultimately you find your own way, you carve your own path. Maybe one day you can charge people money to show them your way.

[agfsteve]

Thank you rick-slo and JonPR for your replies.

So, based on the data set so far (three subjects) it seems like 66.66% of people can anchor the pinky and pick with the ring finger. [EDIT: Actually it looks like JonPR said he couldn't, so it's 33.33%]

I should mention that so far in the lesson videos that I've watched, Joe has not advocated anchoring (or not anchoring) at all, I just happened to notice it, so I tried to play like that to see if I liked it, only to discover that for me it was not a question of like or dislike, rather, it was virtually impossible.

It does actually seem like a good way to play fingerstyle, because it gives you that point of reference (anchor), but it still allows you to use three fingers to pick. But not for me!

I'm surprised that I couldn't do it; I have fairly large hands, so I'm assuming that either just my pinky is unusually short, or there is too much of a connection, anatomically, between my pinky and my ring finger.

[reeve21]

Steve,

You may be correct about the anatomical connection between the pinky and ring fingers.

My teacher explained it to me this way--the same tendon controls both the pinky and the third finger. If you plant the pinky it becomes immobile, as does the tendon, making it more difficult to move the third finger.

I know nothing about the anatomy of the human hand

[rick-slo]

Originally Posted by reeve21

Steve,
My teacher explained it to me this way--the same tendon controls both the pinky and the third finger.

Incorrect. They have separate tendons.

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by agfsteve

Thank you rick-slo and JonPR for your replies.

So, based on the data set so far (three subjects) it seems like 66.66% of people can anchor the pinky and pick with the ring finger. [EDIT: Actually it looks like JonPR said he couldn't, so it's 33.33%]

I can, I just choose not to, because - for me it doesn't help and is easier without.
And to be clear it's picking the 3rd string with ring that's awkward with pinky anchored. I know that's what this is about, just clarifying.

Originally Posted by agfsteve

I should mention that so far in the lesson videos that I've watched, Joe has not advocated anchoring (or not anchoring) at all, I just happened to notice it, so I tried to play like that to see if I liked it, only to discover that for me it was not a question of like or dislike, rather, it was virtually impossible.

Fine. In that case, don't worry. (a) he doesn't make a point of it, and (b) you find it virtually impossible. Both good reasons not to do it.

Originally Posted by agfsteve

It does actually seem like a good way to play fingerstyle, because it gives you that point of reference (anchor), but it still allows you to use three fingers to pick. But not for me!

Me neither.
Merle Travis used to play with thumb and index alone, with middle, ring and pinky all anchored on the scratchplate. He did OK But I wouldn't do that myself.
Other players may anchor in other ways. I sometimes rest my wrist on the bridge, or the surface close or the bridge. Some anchor by letting the pinky and/or ring rest on the 1st string (when it's not being played) - not so much an "anchor" as a "guide".
Many others (including ALL classical players AFAIK) don't anchor anything at all.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by agfsteve

…When I anchor my pinky (most, but not all of the time), my ring finger has to go with it.

Hi agfsteve

I watched him, and he never 'anchored' a pinky. I dropped it in place loosely, but never put weight on it or seemed to force it. At least half of fingerstyle players drop a pinky and the other half don't.

It's up to you to do whichever you choose. As a fingerstyle teacher (for several decades), I had students in both camps, and unless it was an identifiable issue that was limiting play, I never tried to have anyone switch their technique.

My pinky drops loosely into place, but never as far down as a pick guard, and never 'anchored'…it just glides along.

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by ljguitar

Hi agfsteve

I watched him, and he never 'anchored' a pinky.

Actually he does, at 1:50 in that video when he says "or just your fingers".

I agree with the rest of your post, although I don't think "anchoring" has to mean any undue pressure on the fingertip. It just rests on the scratchplate to keep the hand steady. As you say, it can also glide up or down as your hand moves further from or closer to the bridge, still touching.

[agfsteve]

Originally Posted by ljguitar

Hi agfsteve

I watched him, and he never 'anchored' a pinky. I dropped it in place loosely, but never put weight on it or seemed to force it. At least half of fingerstyle players drop a pinky and the other half don't.

It's up to you to do whichever you choose. As a fingerstyle teacher (for several decades), I had students in both camps, and unless it was an identifiable issue that was limiting play, I never tried to have anyone switch their technique.

My pinky drops loosely into place, but never as far down as a pick guard, and never 'anchored'…it just glides along.

Well I'm pretty sure I'm seeing Joe anchor his pinky (on the pickguard) in the videos that I've seen so far in the paid lesson. He doesn't do it all the time, and he doesn't do it when he plays with a flat pick, or flat pick and fingers, but he certainly can play with his ring finger (even on the third string) when he anchors his pinky.

[pvfederico]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0ocjT3gObE