Do you pinky anchor, yes or no?

DLM

Hope you are feel 100% AWESOME again really soon, Tiggs!

In terms of actual help: many people in my profession have to type an awful lot and I've seen a whole swathe of them switch to using dictation software called Dragon Naturally Speaking. Maybe you can get some respite from telling your computer what to do?

Jalapeno

thomasross20 said:

I got the steroid injection yesterday. Doesn't feel any different. Will give it a week...

Best leave the site alone while it does its stuff.  Did you have to go private ?

thomasross20

I use my mouse to draw circuits so there's no relief from that, unfortunately. 

The injection has made it better but it's been 10 days and it is still apparent morning and night. Doc says give it 3 months and if not better... another injection. If worse before then, surgery. It is jamming at two points and not just one. 

I got it done on NHS. 

Jalapeno

Wow, my GP is bone idle. Says it's wear and tear and to get on with it, so I HAD to go private.  Been about a year since the last jab, and it is definitely wearing off now. Arthritis in my case - and in both hands, so not poor technique, though I have had pain in fretting hand thumb for years due to not having thumb properly behind (or fully wrapped around).

Private guy who does my jabs under ultrasound said that hand surgery can be risky, be very sure before you committ.  A GP friend told me to keep having jabs as long as I want.

RE:Pinky - I'm a real slouch - palm on bridge (just behind) - which is why I don't get on well with trem guitars

ICBM

Missed this originally, but - no, never, despite usually playing with fingers only and Mark Knopfler being one of my influences. I balance my forearm on the edge of the body and 'hover' my hand over the strings. I did try to play MK-style once but found it incredibly awkward and restrictive, I have no idea how he does it at all.

thomasross20

I defo pinky anchor a lot. It just anchors the hand, I can't not do it.

jal is it expensive for the private jabs? 
Yes I'd rather not undergo surgery if possible though I read a few folk here have had it a few times. But yeah... surgery on the tendons... if you're a guitarist............... !!!

Cranky

I either anchor with the pinky or in some cases rest the outer edge of my hand against the bridge.  But I also am not a natural at finger picking and usually have a pick in hand, though I'm forcing myself to improve the former.

Odd about your pushups dilemma.  I used to rock climb a lot but developed bad inner elbow and forearm pain and inflammation, but returning to old fashioned pushups with palms on the ground helped me regain flexibility and range of motion.  I've stopped climbing, and doing dumbbell press routines 2-3x per week seems to be helping a lot with elbow and wrist strength and comfort.

thomasross20

I think palms flat to ground such that there's a 90 degree angle on the wrist isn't good for it. Probably best to get pushup bars. 

I'm also a worrier and I notice when I wake up my fists are always clenched very tightly - doesn't help!

NelsonP

GuyBoden said:

The pinky was used for picking by Fernando Tor, but it went out of fashion. Look up Five Finger Technique Guitar.
http://www.fergusonguitar.com/aboutc.htm

Who has five fingers though?

TheMarlin

Nope

DLM

NelsonP said:

GuyBoden said:

The pinky was used for picking by Fernando Tor, but it went out of fashion. Look up Five Finger Technique Guitar.
http://www.fergusonguitar.com/aboutc.htm

Who has five fingers though?

People who speak languages other than English, where the thumb is also regarded as a finger and included in the count of ten digits. Also, if you're sticking to the stricter English sensen, polydactyls. Such as Hound Dog Taylor. Five fingers, one thumb on each of his Hound paws from birth. He took the "superflous" one off his picking hand under considerable influence of intoxicants because it got in the way of his playing.  

pintspiller

At one point I would have had a finger between strings between the pickups of a guitar. Can't remember why or how or how early in my playing.

Tannin

TheBigDipper said:

uncledick said:

I evidently  also break convention by using 2 fingers and thumb to hold the pick.  I can use a slightly thinner pick (usually a .073) but stiffen it up just by pressing my right thumb.

That’s interesting for me, because I hold a pick in the same way and never found anyone else that does.  I can use my grip to change the “stiffness” of the pick by relaxing and tightening up. ..... I find it counterintuitive to have a flat right wrist and use a pick in a standard “music college” way. But I can't play as economically or as fast, either. But I can play some fierce funky rhythm guitar with a loose wrist and grip. :-) 

A "yes, me too" to all of that. I played with a three-finger grip for decades. As Big Dipper says, it's hellacious for fast, complex strumming (just the thing for getting a bit carried away on a 12-string). And there are good players who use it. But I never, ever managed to get good, consistent control over tone, not with three fingers, and I never got the hang of an orthodox  two-finger pick grip.  I used to heel-rest a lot and part-mute (that helped control the tone) but also put my little finger down for intricate stuff.

Eighteen months ago I stopped using a pick. I'd always used finger and thumb for bass, took that technique to the guitar and, little by little added extra fingers, mostly thumb plus three, once in a while something needs the little finger as well. I'll probably never use a pick again, this is so much better. Wish I'd done it 40 years ago. 

I put my little finger down often, heel rest a bit, and float above the strings when needed. I'm not sure what "when needed" actually means, I just do it without conscious thought. I don't know what the expert consensus is on anchoring when using a pick, but fingerstyle teachers seem pretty consistent in saying that an anchor (be it little finger down or forearm on the guitar body) is important for accuracy.

PS: watched Molly Tuttle the other day flatpicking at Warp Factor 9, switching between finger-anchoring and forearm resting. Worth hunting that clip out.

ThePrettyDamned

I'm trying to train myself out of this and have my hand floating. Feels very unnatural though. 

Tannin

octatonic said:

No, never.
You can play around it (ie you get good at what you practice) but it is sub optimal in terms of mechanics.

Yep. It cripples your ability to ever improve. Look, for example, at Molly Tuttle and Tommy Emmanuel - there are a couple of players who you couldn't possibly improve.