My fingerpicking style, technically wrong, struggling to change!

[reeve21]

Originally Posted by JonPR

I just posted that, back in post #33.

Great minds think alike!

[Darby]

Thanks once again for all this advice.

[Andyrondack]

Originally Posted by robodelfy

Hi guys

I play mainly fingerstyle folky singer songwriter stuff. When I started fingerpicking I rested the edge of my palm on the bridge pins/bridge area. I didnt realise this was wrong, but ive since read that you should either anchor your arm at the elbow or use your pinky to anchor on the scratch plate. I can play pretty fast and accurately when i do it with my hand on the bridge pins, the main problem I find is the sound. Obviously Im picking close to the saddle which gives a less full and slightly twangy sound. Apart from that though I would be happy to play like this as I can play best this way.

I cant do the pinky on the scratch plate as I use my ring finger to pick and it just doesnt work with my pinky anchored.

I can float my hand, but I just cant even get cose to the speed and accuracy of my other way. Do you think its possible to get to the same standard with a floating hand?

Im a bit confused as I keep swapping between and need to settle with something and get on with it!

Any info greatly appreciated

Alex

Stephen Wake holds his palm in the same position as Alex above and it hasn't held him back, myself I can't cope with this right hand postion and play anything complex.
https://youtu.be/fkQ2dp5CjV8

[RJVB]

Here are two useful videos; the 1st one helped me a lot when I first start to learn to play guitar; I still use bits and pieces of these exercises every day in my warm-up routine. On open strings, btw, my left hand will either be resting or doing completely different stretching exercises.





BTW, I either use a Matepis Luva arm pad or an Armadillo armrest. I have the guitar in classical position so the guitar edge would touch my forearm in the upper half. The pad makes it easier to use my arm as a lever and to move my hand across and along the strings. The Armadillo is helpful on my archtop, to compensate for the high floating saddle.

[Darby]

Great. Thanks very much.

[Blueser100]

I don't think it's wrong to anchor your palm around/near/on the bridge/pins area. I do that at times when I want more control over my picking. I have seen Molly Tuttle do it and countless others.