Where to rest your playing hand

[hibernal_dream]

Where does everyone put their right hand? I rest it on the guitar above the pickups to keep my hand steady, although have noticed that others have it free while playing. I don't want to practice bad technique, what does everyone else do? Also what kind of picks are the best?

 

[FrostGiant]

I anchor my hand with my pinky. And whatever pick you like is the best pick. I use 1.14mm dunlops for electric and .70mm for acoustic.

 

[serenesorrow]

I use the pinky sometimes or sometimes the ring finger as well to anchor it. I always find myself changing my technique when playing different types of things, whatever works for you and is comfortable is good though. I also use 3mm picks now, can't go back to the 1mm's anymore.

 

[Sunbane]

I think anchoring by the pinky is what's considered normal. I let my picking hand float though.

 

[Rottuated]

Where does everyone put their right hand? I rest it on the guitar above the pickups to keep my hand steady, although have noticed that others have it free while playing. I don't want to practice bad technique, what does everyone else do? Also what kind of picks are the best?

I do the same thing.

 

[irishreaper]

I play bass, so I normally rest my thumb on the pickups or the bottom string if i'm not using it. But when I use a pick, I normally don't rest my hand on anything, my hand stays free to move through the four strings... I guess that is why I couldn't do very good a palmutes on guitar

 

[Bad_Intentions]

I don't Know,I rest is on my strings, Like my palm.... but wtf, I don't remember...

 

[Needlefeast]

The guitar teachers would tell you that you are supposed to anchor your pinky to help give the rest of your hand a point of reference, which will make playin overall more precise and have better tonality and sound.
However, for my style of playing, I can't for the life of me ever think to anchor my pinky, and for lack of a better description it just floats on its own.
Essentially play however you can comfortably play, and that's about all of my advice =/ I play with a 1.5 mm pick, on acoustic and electric, and of course leave em out when I'm on my classical axe. Lighter picks have always broken for me once I learned how to alternate pick and shred.
Again with the picks, it's whaever you like.
Good luck to you, and keep rockin.

 

[Mutilated1]

Don't anchor your pinky. Thats a very bad habit to develop. Your right hand shouldn't rest anywhere anyway, and it certainly shouldn't be anchored. I'm not just talking shit, I've played guitar for years and taught some too. I've had lessons from some of the best players in the United States.

If you don't believe me, just watch some concerts of guitarists you'd like to emulate and I bet you that none of them 'anchor' their pinky.

Your right hand should be above the bridge, unless you are doing palm muting in which case its acceptable to mute the strings with the side of your plam, but you don't want to 'rest' the hand anywhere. Thats a very bad habit. If you do it, it would be really worthwhile for your playing to make an effort over the next couple of days to break that habit.

 

[The ORIGINAL South Of Heaven]

I rest my arm on the body of the guitar so my hand can move wherever easily, and I use the side of my hand for palm mutes.

 

[Slave2TheCROSS]

Depends on your style. I find it comfortable for myself to rest my palm on the bridge wether im palm muting or not. I believe you gotta find whats comfortable and what works for you. Experimenting with different guaged picks might help.

 

[serenesorrow]

Don't anchor your pinky. Thats a very bad habit to develop. Your right hand shouldn't rest anywhere anyway, and it certainly shouldn't be anchored. I'm not just talking shit, I've played guitar for years and taught some too. I've had lessons from some of the best players in the United States.

If you don't believe me, just watch some concerts of guitarists you'd like to emulate and I bet you that none of them 'anchor' their pinky.

Your right hand should be above the bridge, unless you are doing palm muting in which case its acceptable to mute the strings with the side of your plam, but you don't want to 'rest' the hand anywhere. Thats a very bad habit. If you do it, it would be really worthwhile for your playing to make an effort over the next couple of days to break that habit.

I've seen a number of players using the anchor technique on videos etc, one that comes to mind is Shannon Hamm (Death).

If the hand is left free, does the right arm lean or rest against the body of the guitar? Or do the arm and hand "float"?