Ive been playing everyday for three months, most days for at least an hour, and am developing a teeny bit o skill. Pentatonic scales, runs, blues licks and a good amount of chords. What I found in my playing last night is what brings me to you elders I've never paid much attention to it but I play most everything (right handed) with my right pinky planted on my pick-guard. Hmm? When I try to pick without my pinky down, I have nowhere near the speed or precision that I do with it stuck to the guitar. Is this a big no-no? Is it no big deal and just do what feels right? I appreciate you guys.

You are land-marking, which is ok by me. If that is what works for you go with it. I play bass in an unconventional way to many by land-marking the "E" string with my thumb. But it works for me. There is nothing wrong with it. If everyone played the same way there would be no SRV or Hendrix or BB.

Thanks, fellow tarheel

The pinky down comes from way back in the old Lute days.
Many scale-based guitarists such as Malmsteen use the pinky down!

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FIGHT!

Certain technique hounds will call the "pinky anchor" a bad habit. But if you pay attention you'll see lots and lots of excellent guitarists put their pinky on the pickguard at least part of the time.

Clapton, for example, describes how he rests his hand on the body of the guitar in the foreward of the book, "The Stratocaster Chronicles."

"Picking up a Stratocaster makes me play a bit differently. I find that over the last few years I play more with my fingers because of the way my hand sits on the guitar. I don't feel the need to use a pick so much as I would with any other guitar, where the bridge sits higher off the body. With the Strat the bridge is almost flush with the guitar, so my hand rests on the body, part of my heel rests on the bridge, and then my fingers rest on the scratchplate. It's really easy to play either way, but I've found more and more that I'm just using my fingers."

There are plenty of other well-known guitarists -- Malmsteen and John Petrucci immediately come to mind -- who have their pinkies firmly planted on the pickguard just about all the time.

I've noticed my own picking hand position tends to change depending on what I'm playing. I do often utilize the "pinky anchor" when picking arpeggiated chords. When doing single note solos or riffs, I usually lightly rest the side of my palm on the bridge (this also helps in muting unwanted string noise). When strumming chords, my hand floats above the strings and doesn't touch the body of the guitar at all.

I'd say, so long as it is not causing discomfort or unusual amounts of tension in your picking hand, using the "pinky anchor" is nothing to lose any sleep over.

yea, Ive been told to try not do do it. Especially being so new, I guess I can try to relearn what Ive done. Its just been what "feels right" because I wasnt even aware that I was doing it.

I can't use 2 of my fingers for fretting. It's all index/middle with simple powerchords or compensation tuning.

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1984 Squier Contemporary Stratocaster
1986 Peavey Envoy 110
1967 Kingston Acoustic

Double post -- see below for response...

If it's something you're worried about, I'd suggest taking a few weeks practicing playing with a "floating hand" (meaning, with your picking hand suspended above the strings, not touching the body of the guitar -- your forearm can still rest on the guitar, of course). It will definitely feel awkward at first, but after some time you may find it actually works better for you. If it doesn't seem to make much of a difference you can always go back to your old way of playing (as I said before, lots of great players use some type of a picking anchor and it doesn't seem to have handicapped their technique). But at any rate, it would probably take several weeks of practicing without an anchor before it stops feeling completely awkward. Everyone's hands are a bit different, so something that works for Player A might not work for Player B.

I've done that for over 40 years,my right hand pinky only lightly rests on the pickguard though and my hand moves around wherever it needs to be...find what is comfortable to you that doesn't restrict movement and after a long time it will all be second nature,I never think about what I'm doing except to play the right notes....in time.

When playing a strat, I often grip the trem arm with 4 of my fingers and play with my thumb. Weird style, but comfortable to me.

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1984 Squier Contemporary Stratocaster
1986 Peavey Envoy 110
1967 Kingston Acoustic

I don't know who told you to try not to do it (an instructor, maybe?), but you gotta remember playing guitar is like making fajitas--there's no wrong way as long as the results are tasty...
As evidenced by the comments here, some really accomplished players have adopted this practice. While there are technically "correct" ways to play the guitar, you'll discover that embracing your own idiosyncrasies will help you develop your own style.

Albert King, Doyle Bramhall II, and Elizabeth Cotton all play "upside down"...

Jim Croce played his guitar (chords especially) in a really strange fashion due to injuries to his hands. (I know he wasn't/isn't known as a guitarist first and foremost, but he did play).

Hendrix, Clapton and a million other guys (myself included) reach over the top of the neck and hit the lower strings, which sends "Proper" guitarists into a tizzy.

Albert Collins did some strange and unorthodox things, but he was fabulous.

Like Hound Dog Taylor said, "When I die, people are gone say, 'He couldn't play worth a $#@!, but it sure sounded good!'"

Indeed. If it sounds good and doesn't stop you from progressing, keep it up.

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Good Vibes To Y'all!



Screamin' Armadillos
Texas Roadhouse Music
Guitar/Slide Guitar/Harp/Vocals

I guess if you feel you should do it differently, or if you think it'll help improve your playing that practice it that way. Otherwise, there's no right or wrong way so just go with what works for you.

I grabbed a bass and learned everything by ear, never took a lesson and can't read a lick of music. I'm no Geddly Lee or anything, and my playing is probably so full of bad habits that if I stopped them I'd be silent

What's comfortable to one is not so for someone else, it's what makes us individuals. Maybe you'll find someday as you perfect your soloing skills that some other door will open up for your playing based on what you're doing with the pinky.

Take a look at Steve Morse on Youtube. He has incredible picking speed and precision, and his lil finger is always anchored to the scratchplate.

But we're all different. I learned as a classical player first, so my right wrist is always arched high and my fingers only slightly bent. If I put a finger down, I can hardly play.

That early playing will shape your whole technique for the best of your life. But that's ok, as long as the technique doesn't impede you, and you can do everything you want to. If you can't, you'll have to train yourself out of it - and that's almost like starting again.

Enjoy your playing..

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Fender Highway & Classic 60s Strats, Fender Toronado, Telecaster, Gretsch Projet, Charvel 3, PRS SE Soapbar II & Custom 24, Burns Batwing and many others!

I do that so much I have heavy scuff trails my little finger leaves on all my guitars. I originally started doing it to help me keep from flicking the selector switch accidentally on my strat... and I just kept doing it my little finger really loves to hang out around pickup rings and height adjustment screws after 16 years I have never had an issue where it was a problem or hindered my technique or speed, so I dont consider it a problem. but I also do allot of stuff oddly when playing, I did learn the long slow way by ear.... I can't quite get the hang of tab and I still cant read music lol sometimes i dont even know what key iI am in but I still know where to play lol but anyways like most have said here do what is the most comfortable.

taint a bad habit ifen it works for ya!

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