Hello Neil,
I have finally found lessons that incorporate the right amount of theory, practice and more importantly showing both right and left hands separately.
A a new member of the TARGET group - THANK YOU!
While I've tinkered with finger picking in the past and I would consider myself a novice, how often do you hear of people having to re-learn right hand positions?
My finger picking always has the pinky anchored. Simon & Garfunkel, Jim Croce, Bread, Cat Stevens, John Denver, are some of the artists I like to play.
I can see that re-learning the right hand is going to be my biggest challenge but will yield great dividends once mastered!
My goal is to play Alice's restaurant and Doc's guitar - one day!
Thanks again for a great website and lessons,
It has inspired to pick up my guitar after 15 years in the closet!
David Fielder
Re-learning from bad habits
Welcome David. Glad to see such a positive attitude.
I'm not sure, but I think Neils approach to using ALL fingers while picking, may come from a classical guitar background. There will always be exceptions. Neil actually does encourage planting a pinky while doing some cross picking songs. I'm working on one right now (and its GREAT practice for precision picking) that he posted a few weeks ago. "Here without you" by 3 Doors down. In this lesson, Neil teaches the pinky plant.
Again, glad to have you on board.
Scott
I'm not sure, but I think Neils approach to using ALL fingers while picking, may come from a classical guitar background. There will always be exceptions. Neil actually does encourage planting a pinky while doing some cross picking songs. I'm working on one right now (and its GREAT practice for precision picking) that he posted a few weeks ago. "Here without you" by 3 Doors down. In this lesson, Neil teaches the pinky plant.
Again, glad to have you on board.
Scott
-
auntlynnie
- Posts: 38
- Joined: Mon May 14, 2012 5:31 am
- Status: Offline
Welcome from Virginia, David!
I, too, am trying to un-learn anchoring my pinky (very hard to reverse a 35 year old habit), but I keep trying. And meanwhile I've learned a lot here as I keep working at it.
I expect you will find a lot of lessons to your liking, and many nice people, too.
Cheers,
Lynn (Auntlynnie)
I, too, am trying to un-learn anchoring my pinky (very hard to reverse a 35 year old habit), but I keep trying. And meanwhile I've learned a lot here as I keep working at it.
I expect you will find a lot of lessons to your liking, and many nice people, too.
Cheers,
Lynn (Auntlynnie)
-
thereshopeyet
- Posts: 131
- Joined: Thu Jun 25, 2009 4:19 pm
- Status: Offline
Lynne Wrote:
I can't think which lessons but I think Neil has said there are reasons to learn both
with pinky anchored and without it anchored but I can't remember the rule of thumb
for which method to use when !!
:S
When you say unlearn, do you mean a complete change to without pinky?I, too, am trying to un-learn anchoring my pinky
I can't think which lessons but I think Neil has said there are reasons to learn both
with pinky anchored and without it anchored but I can't remember the rule of thumb
for which method to use when !!
:S
-
TGNesh
- Posts: 116
- Joined: Tue Aug 24, 2010 8:25 am
- Location: The Netherlands
- Contact:
- Status: Offline
Hi David and welcome to TG!
Great goal you got, unlearning the anchored pinky, it'll be worthwhile. Don't hesistate to use the forum for any questions or comments you might have. Also consider showing your progress by video, which many of us have done. Getting Neil to review it is a fantastic bonus on top of everything that TG has to offer. But most of all, have fun!
Cheers from the Netherlands!
Vanessa
Great goal you got, unlearning the anchored pinky, it'll be worthwhile. Don't hesistate to use the forum for any questions or comments you might have. Also consider showing your progress by video, which many of us have done. Getting Neil to review it is a fantastic bonus on top of everything that TG has to offer. But most of all, have fun!
Cheers from the Netherlands!
Vanessa
-
neverfoundthetime
- Posts: 48
- Joined: Sat Aug 01, 2009 2:14 pm
- Status: Offline
Welcome David, glad to hear that closet became too small. Have a ball here at TG!
Chris in Swiss
Chris in Swiss
From what I've learned from workshops planting the pinky is bad, at least if you want to use your 'a' finger because they're kind of linked together anatomically speaking.
Another interesting option is whether to play with your wrist raised, which puts your thumb at a better angle and gives you better tone with free strokes, versus having the wrist lowered, which makes it harder to use your thumbnail and makes it harder to get good tone with your free strokes, but lets you mute the strings with your palm.
--
Steve
Another interesting option is whether to play with your wrist raised, which puts your thumb at a better angle and gives you better tone with free strokes, versus having the wrist lowered, which makes it harder to use your thumbnail and makes it harder to get good tone with your free strokes, but lets you mute the strings with your palm.
--
Steve
Welcome to TG - Fascinating place and community. Enjoy--
I don't think there are any 'absolutes' on this, just at practice, and on average, one thing works better than the other and fits a certain style.
Can't hardly Travis pick like Merle without that palm mute thing going on!
One thing I have found (and still work on constantly) is being 'relaxed' - no tension so to speak, either hand, much less elsewhere. Hard to do with a finger planted. Then again, lots have done so. Marc Knopfler seldom if ever uses more than the I (Index) and M (middle) fingers. SRV played and bent so hard he would constantly break strings, and used heavy ( 13s thru 63s - these on a Strat!) strings for most of his career.
I always strummed with my hand in a 'flash' type thing - fingers flaying around wildly, and with the neck 'down'. Took a while to change that, still find those sipping in at times.
So, welcome aboard. Dig in.
I don't think there are any 'absolutes' on this, just at practice, and on average, one thing works better than the other and fits a certain style.
Can't hardly Travis pick like Merle without that palm mute thing going on!
One thing I have found (and still work on constantly) is being 'relaxed' - no tension so to speak, either hand, much less elsewhere. Hard to do with a finger planted. Then again, lots have done so. Marc Knopfler seldom if ever uses more than the I (Index) and M (middle) fingers. SRV played and bent so hard he would constantly break strings, and used heavy ( 13s thru 63s - these on a Strat!) strings for most of his career.
I always strummed with my hand in a 'flash' type thing - fingers flaying around wildly, and with the neck 'down'. Took a while to change that, still find those sipping in at times.
So, welcome aboard. Dig in.