Where do you strum or pick your acoustic guitar?

[guitarwebguy]

Depending on the sound I want - here there and everywhere (I love how AGFers interpret this kind of question!)

[Brent Hahn]

Seated, I put the guitar on the “wrong” leg, which lets my picking hand fall behind the sound hole. I like both the brighter tone and the extra string stiffness. It also encourages the picking motion to be perpendicular to the strings.

[Chas007]

Originally Posted by guitarwebguy

Depending on the sound I want - here there and everywhere (I love how AGFers interpret this kind of question!)

Yes, even the Constitution is open to interpretation so I don't take it personal. ��

[Honkycat]

Bridge end of sound hole usually.

[Chickee]

For the big, lush, full chord and arpeggio sounds I’m up between the 17th and 20th frets. I never realized it until just a couple of years ago. For sing/song, play along stuff I’m right over the center of the sound hole most times.

[jazzereh]

Originally Posted by Chas007

Do you strum in front of the sound hole, in the middle of or behind it?

Well, I was going to answer - in my basement, but, for real, all of those. It makes a difference to the sound produced where and that is an effect I try to achieve to make the tune I'm playing have some sonic interest.

[Gdjjr]

Originally Posted by Sugar Bear

Usually in the living room, but sometimes out on the porch.

[Glennwillow]

I am mostly a finger picker and I pluck the strings on the bridge side of the sound hole, near the edge of the sound hole mostly. But I do vary where I pick to get different tones at different points in a song or piece. I rarely pluck the strings further forward than the center of the sound hole.

- Glenn

[Aspiring]

I recently was wondering about the why of this.

I am guessing it has to do with your fingers or pick damping or exagerrating a series of overtones related to where you are picking.

I noticed my Kinnaird Redwood / Cocobolo is extremely responsive and sensitive to where I pick. My new Avalon D300 sitka /mahogany has less variation than most of my guitars to it.

Does anyone have a pointer as to how this mechanism works and why certain instruments react more to it?

[Mark Stone]

Originally Posted by Chas007

Do you strum in front of the sound hole, in the middle of or behind it?

Over the sound hole.

[phydaux]

Originally Posted by J Patrick

…depending on the song I’ll strum anywhere from right at the bridge to where the the neck joins the body….but most often I’ll be strumming at the edge of the sound hole closest to the bridge….

This is the answer, no need to make it any more complicated than that.