finger style

[kalinka]

Originally posted by Bob Womack
[
At the beginning, learning un-anchored fingerstyle leaves you feeling like you are disconnected from the guitar. If you really work on it, you'll probably end up feeling more disconnected when you use a pick.

Bob [/B]

you have hit the nail on the head ..

[Honeyboy]

I come from a five-string banjo background where I learned to anchor my ring and pinky fingers. I find that three picking fingers is plenty for what I am trying to play. If you need to have an anchor, this may be your solution.

For me, however, I am trying to unlearn the practice of anchoring my right hand in order to incorporate strumming/brushing within the picking. It may also make it easier to deaden the base strings as is common in acoustic blues.

[Gary1]

Kalinka,
I've been fingerpicking for a long time and there was a few years where I didn't play at all. Before I quit I used to anchor my pinky on the soundboard. After I started playin again I just refused to anchor the little bugger because I felt it was "restricting' my hand movements and, although it felt awkward, I kept at the "float" and now I am totally suspended over the soundboard with elbow/arm anchored on the edge. Forearm hardly touches the top. Sitting or standing makes no difference. I feel just as solid as i did with the pinky anchor but looser in my hand movements.
Just for an experiment, last night I tried to anchor the old pinky on the soundboard and realized how much that limits your hand/finger movements. I use my thumb and three finger to pick and with the pinky held down on the soundboard my ringfinger and hand movements are hindered. Stretching may help this though.
I play up and down the sound hole for different tonal effects so hand movement is critical.
My pinky sticks straight out and doesn't move.It might as well be damaged. Looks stupid, but I've seen some pretty well know plays doing this as well.
Just keep practicing "float" to strengthen your wrist/arm and finger muscles and that damaged digit of yours won't effect your playing at all.

Practice, practice, and then practice some more. I find doing many short (15-20 minutes at time) intense practive sessions work better for motor skill developement (read hand/ finger movements) than long drawn out sessions cause once your hands get tired, muscle fatique sets in and muscle memory goes haywire. So says my Hand Therapist wife.

Good Luck,
Gary
314 (give me those Mississippi blues)
BB
Yamaha G-65
+ assorted junky guitars

[jay]

Originally posted by kalinka


I actaully asked, if we can't fix it can't we just cut it off? My mother looked like she was going to pass out.
Kalinka

I understand where you're coming from.

That said, I fingerpick very well with thumb and 2 fingers.
One other idea-what about some kind of prosthetic device to wear on your mangled pinky to make an effective anchor out of it? It would just take a little creative thinking, and perhaps a rotory tool.

[anothersmith]

Originally posted by kalinka
Can't i just get a new pinky?

If you do, hold out for a bionic pinky. Maybe they can fashion one that will feature a built-in tuner and metronome!

Seriously, I began by playing classical guitar, in which you're not allowed to anchor your pinky to the guitar. After a 20-odd year break, I started playing again. Now I play fingerstyle almost exclusively, but again I try very hard not to use my pinky as an anchor. I find my playing is a lot freer that way. It takes some time to get used to finding the right strings when your hand is just hovering over the soundhole, but you'll get there!

Don't give up hope!

[rlwing]

As you work on "floating" your hand over the strings, you could possibly try resting the back side of your hand on the bridge pins. This results in a very trebbley (sp) sound, that for some things sounds good, but it may help.