Anchoring Pinky??

Maybe because of that, English-speaking visitors especially are without exception very warmly welcome.

Well, they reckon we don't quite speak English here in Australia, but we still appreciate the welcome in Finland. :)
Still, just a few weeks back it was coldest I have experienced here in my life, it went down to -41 one night (that's the same in Celsius and Fahrenheit) and that's way more I can remember. Usually it's lowest at like -32C round here. I was afraid my French car might not start in the morning, as it was still -36C, but it worked fine thanks to the engine oil warmer.

Geez that's cold. :shock: We don't even get frosts on our property, although they get them down in the valley sometimes and Australia does have some areas with a bit of snow and some ski resorts, although they're a few thousand kilometres from where I live.

I worked briefly in the US, way back in the 60's - having a sort of working holiday for about 8 months. Mostly up and down in the east, although I did go across country to the west coast too. Interesting place.

Down under was also one option to move to for weeks work...her colleague just came back from there from a two year assignment. I would have been happy to go there too...

Her work...damned autocorrect...

OK, so Ill start by saying that I am in no way a experanced player... so take what I say in that frame of mind...

When I am playing fingerstyle on my Les Paul I almost always anchor the pinky on the pickguard. Ive stopped to think about why... and other then that messing me up.... :D ... it seems I use it mostly to give a frame of refernce of where the strings are in relation to my fingers. Now the strange thing is I DONT do it on my accustic, or my Resonator... I also only do it when playing fingerstyle, and not strumming at all. I do move my hand up towerd the neck or back alot for the diferent tones it creates.... and I slide the pinky up and back the guard when I do... Im sure its not correct form... and I didnt try to do it... just happaned that way I guess.

Shortly after I started playing back in the (ahem) 60s I took guitar lessons for about a year. My teacher taught me to play with the pinky anchored. Even though I now play mostly fingerstyle, I can't break that habit. Maybe it's a technique for beginners to play over the soundhole on acoustic, but it now means that I'm picking with thumb and 3 fingers unless I really concentrate.

Nothing personal, but if you're anchoring because famous people do it, you're anchoring for exactly the wrong reason. No trumpet player would base his embouchure on Dizzy Gillespie's. No piano player would copy Thelonious Monk's finger attacks on piano. No sax player would think Lester Young's cockeyed playing position is an example to follow. Great players don't succeed BECAUSE of their technical quirks. They succeed IN SPITE OF the quirks.

IMHO, YMMV, etc.

Myself, I don't anchor because my picking hand moves around a lot -- up over the fretboard, down by the bridge, wherever it sounds right. Playing slide you have to learn some muting techniques, and I mute open strings at the bridge with the picking hand's knife-edge when necessary, but not habitually. Would rather be always in control of all aspects of picking attack, rather than... anchored.

Nothing personal, but if you're anchoring because famous people do it, you're anchoring for exactly the wrong reason.

I'd agree with that, but I think you're looking at it rather the wrong way round.

I'd certainly never try and copy somebody because they were "famous" but it's hardly uncommon to for students to copy somebody because they're GOOD! :D Respect for ability is part of the basis of a great many student/teacher relationships. Musicians who teach masterclasses won't plough through the school-books - they'll show the students their way. Every great player inspires people to follow in their footsteps. Whether they choose to emulate all their techniques or not is of course another question. But I don't "copy" any particular hero or idol. In fact I rarely even play covers. My reasons for referring to well known players are simple:

Great players don't succeed BECAUSE of their technical quirks. They succeed IN SPITE OF the quirks.

I get what you're saying, but I'd suggest that's not true either. I'd look from another angle and say that the quirks prove that there are other ways of doing things that can also work. Every innovator - in any field - will inevitably be criticised by some traditionalists in their field. Sure, not every innovation proves to be long lasting but without people who are prepared to do things differently we'd all still be making music by banging on logs and grunting (not that I'm knocking that of course, some currently popular music seems to be still mining that vein.... :wink: ).
Myself, I don't anchor because my picking hand moves around a lot -- up over the fretboard, down by the bridge, wherever it sounds right.

I'm not far off being in the same boat, but I definitely put my finger(s) on the soundboard reasonably often too. I think that all the approaches you mention - and more - can sound good and can be useful.

Cheers,

Chris

Cat
:wink:

Cheers,

Chris

Cool! I'm a rappa now...Hip Hop here I come!

Just wondering if anyone else shows up at work in their underwear? Ha! We need a poll...

Cat

Just wondering if anyone else shows up at work in their underwear? Ha! We need a poll...

Cat

I definitely show up in my underwear to work.

Unfortunately, I usually spoil the effect by adding other clothing as well. However.....

In five weeks time I have the opportunity to show up in nothing at all. :shock: I belong to the local Volunteer Bushfire Brigade and within our patrol area we have the Sunseekers Club. It's what used to be called a Nudist Camp. Some years ago the Vollies (Volunteer Firefighters) performed some fire-fighting duties at the Sunseekers compound and were duly challenged to a volleyball match. Apparently a good time was enjoyed by all and it became an annual event. The Sunseekers naturally play au naturel and the Vollies are allowed to keep on whatever clothing they feel they must.

This would be my first match, and I have no idea how keen competition is to get on the team. Apparently the views of the other team are not at all enticing but it's genuinely good fun. It sounds like the sort of thing that one should definitely do at least once, preferably with as little on as possible. :)

Would you guys go? And how much if anything would you wear?

Cheers,

Chris

Ya mean like the operation I ran here until the council made me stop??? Ha!

Seriously, my recent domesti¢ ha$$le$ made me forego the free-standing building I wanted for my studio...so I busted through the master BR wall and converted the adjacent 6M x 6M storeroom. Yep, daks rule!

Cat

Hey, Deeaaa. Saw you are from Lapland...

Almost ruined a great axe that I left on a NICE Finnish boat...a Nautor 57RS. NOBODY makes a better boat than you guys...no, joke. But Swan needs to design some sort of "guitar safe nitrogen gas locker" for what they cost!

Cat

Yeah, Nautors are legendary...but COSTLY indeed. I wish I had money for one some day...all I have is a small open Yamarin :-( nice boat but very small, barely carries 4 adults. When the boys grow up I'm gonna have to look for something bigger.

Yeah, Nautors are legendary...but COSTLY indeed. I wish I had money for one some day...all I have is a small open Yamarin :-( nice boat but very small, barely carries 4 adults. When the boys grow up I'm gonna have to look for something bigger.

I'm boatless for the moment...but, seriously, I did have a nitrogen gas chest to store electric gear on my old girl...but everything metalic on a guitar starts turning green if you decide to live aboard.

Cat

PS: for my long-time mates on GN...check out <www.nautorswan.com> :shock:

Playing mostly instrumentals ('cause I can't sing), my pinky is firmly anchored to the end of my wobble-stick, aka tremolo. Most of my picking takes place on or around the neck pickup, so no chance of it landing anywhere on the body.

I'd certainly never try and copy somebody because they were "famous" but it's hardly uncommon to for students to copy somebody because they're GOOD! :D

OK, substitute the word "good" for the word "famous" & I'll stand by my point about leaving your underwear anchored to your boat... I mean pinky anchored to your sound board... :? ...AT LEAST FOR BEGINNERS. And this is the Beginner's Q&A Forum.

I'm a product of my training. As a piano, composition and/or conducting student, the urge to emulate idols was powerful. The point driven into me by teachers in every discipline however was the same: You have to get your fundamentals down solid before you "personalize" your technique. If, say, you loved Glenn Gould's superb playing, you might start swaying your torso clockwise while playing, or humming along with the piano, or trying to set your piano bench exactly 14 inches from the floor -- which would last about two lessons before your teacher made you stop. Yes, Gould succeeded with eccentric technique, but the eccentricities were not the point, and to impose them upon yourself as a beginner distracts from the REAL point, which is producing music in the most efficient way possible. That was the idea. And while I bitched about it at the time, I get it now. Working from rock-solid fundamentals, you can personalize all you want from YOUR personality, rather than simply aping a hero. (I am living proof that good fundamentals are no obstacle to eccentricity. 8) )
...music is not the exclusive preserve of people who think that their way is the only proper one. It's so demonstrably not true.

I would never say that conservatory-grade technique is the only way to play well. But I've seen way too many beginners try to play with the guitar hanging down around their knees because some Rock Star strapped his on that way. It's certainly possible to play well that way (I guess...), but if you start out that way you're putting an unnecessary obstacle in your path. And that's how I see the pinky thing. It's hard enough to learn the instrument the "right" way -- why add another complication?