How do you anchor your picking hand?

[Bighouse]

I'm a fingerstyle player. I love playing with my fingers. However, there are some songs where I need a greater attack to the sound and so I'm trying to use a pick for those songs. It's awkward for me. Part of the reason is I just can't seem to find a sweet spot to anchor my right hand so that my picking fingers know where to find the strings reliably and it feels natural. I know that this is like bass-playing 101 for babies, but can sometime please give me some tip for how to find the right way to place my picking hand that doesn't feel all kinds of wrong?

Do you rest it lightly on the bridge and pick near the bridge? Do you rest it lightly on the E string or all of them in some way and mute the strings while playing?

I've bought the Carol Kaye literature and DVDs and even after watching them, it still just doesn't feel right to me. What am I missing??? Is that awkwardness something that I just have to get use to???

 

[JRA]

Is that awkwardness something that I just have to get use to???

i'm not an accomplished pick player, but i think that with enough practice/experience, it becomes more 'second nature' rather than "awkward!" anything about the EB can be awkward until you achieve some version of mastery, right?

the pick-meisters will have suggestions, but IME: i've seen (and used) all manner of anchoring --- or not, none! i'm pretty sure that anything goes (if you can get away with it!), but i'm also sure that there are some practical best practices.

 

[31HZ]

I float my hand over the strings and mute with the side of my thumb. Adopting this technique is one of the best changes to my playing style that I've ever made, especially as I enter my mid-50s and my hands fatigue more readily.

 

[bassdude51]

P Bass player. I always used to anchor my thumb kind of on the screw of the the E&A coil of the P pickup.

Then, I bought a Fender SCPB Precision Bass and there was not a spot of anchor my thumb on that pickup.

Through necessity, over about a month, I learned to anchor my thumb on the E string and when I would play notes on E, I would float my thumb.

Now, it is automatic and I play all my basses this way. Float the thumb when playing E and anchor on E for the A, D, G strings.

As for location of string plucking, I usually play right where the neck pickup is located. "To each his own."

Link Removed

 

[tb-player]

Not my go-to way to play, but when I'm playing with a pick, I will usually place the edge of my hand on the bridge, which also makes it easy to palm-mute. Sometimes I anchor with my ring finger & pinky below the G on the pick guard. That frees me up for a more open tone.

 

[2thAche]

I'm also a finger player who has become comfortable with a pick on bass because of playing guitar and the fact that it just sounds right on certain songs that were played that way by the original artist with a distinct tone.

Something like the Ramones, no rest needed. "When I Come Around" or things more technical? Arm rest on top of body, pinky/ring finger rest on body below G string. Nirvana stuff, side of hand rests on bridge. Other things can be any of these styles depending on what works. Play around and see what's comfortable, but I'm sure if this were a guitar forum we'd be discussing pick technique ad infinitum

 

[mambo4]

I think it’s useful to consider that Carol Kaye has probably played sitting down mostly. That arrangement forces certain positions in your picking arm that allow for stuff like palm muting and other techniques, which become more challenging when standing (unless you are a short strapper who positions the bass the same sitting or standing)

Any how people usually post about what they do with their right hand while failing to describe the rest of their posture, so most advice is incomplete. The whole arrangement of body and bass in 3d space influences what is appropriate or not for the terminal plucking or picking result

 

[brumebat]

I float my hand over the strings and mute with the side of my thumb. Adopting this technique is one of the best changes to my playing style that I've ever made, especially as I enter my mid-50s and my hands fatigue more readily.

Not sure about muting with the thumb as I use the side of my palm, which is already nearest the strings, but floating your hand over the strings is the correct answer. There is no need to anchor any part of your hand. When I play (I am exclusively a pick player) my forearm rests against the body and my picking hand is unfettered. All fingers but index and thumb (holding the pick) are relaxed. Make sure you look into how to hold the pick correctly as it makes all the difference. There are YouTube videos that can demonstrate this better than I can explain. This is my experience anyway. Hope you find a technique that works for you.

 

[devnulljp]

Anchor?

 

[Michael Stanley 2112]

I'm told I use a "hybrid" technique ('m not sure of all the terms).

I keep my thumb on the thumb rest/pick-up as much as I can. When I have to reach for that "G" string, my thumb is on the "E" string (unless I'm playing chords).

 

[themickster]

I'm a fingerstyle player. I love playing with my fingers. However, there are some songs where I need a greater attack to the sound and so I'm trying to use a pick for those songs. It's awkward for me. Part of the reason is I just can't seem to find a sweet spot to anchor my right hand so that my picking fingers know where to find the strings reliably and it feels natural. I know that this is like bass-playing 101 for babies, but can sometime please give me some tip for how to find the right way to place my picking hand that doesn't feel all kinds of wrong?

Do you rest it lightly on the bridge and pick near the bridge? Do you rest it lightly on the E string or all of them in some way and mute the strings while playing?

I've bought the Carol Kaye literature and DVDs and even after watching them, it still just doesn't feel right to me. What am I missing??? Is that awkwardness something that I just have to get use to???

I rest my wrist against the body. Have you thought of finger picks?

 

[Leo R]

I'm a fingerstyle player. I love playing with my fingers. However, there are some songs where I need a greater attack to the sound and so I'm trying to use a pick for those songs. It's awkward for me. Part of the reason is I just can't seem to find a sweet spot to anchor my right hand so that my picking fingers know where to find the strings reliably and it feels natural. I know that this is like bass-playing 101 for babies, but can sometime please give me some tip for how to find the right way to place my picking hand that doesn't feel all kinds of wrong?

Do you rest it lightly on the bridge and pick near the bridge? Do you rest it lightly on the E string or all of them in some way and mute the strings while playing?

I've bought the Carol Kaye literature and DVDs and even after watching them, it still just doesn't feel right to me. What am I missing??? Is that awkwardness something that I just have to get use to???

I use a plectrum whenever the original song is about to change its mood
As we here in this Hard rock cover Band do, some songs will need a pick and others not as well. A place I anchor my hand is right over the bridge, with palm sided over the saddles in a Jazz bass. You will get used to put your pick below the space of the bridge pickup, there's also a tiny slot overthere and the more you use a pick, the faster you start creating your own style w/ a pick.

 

[lark_z]

I only play standing up. I played guitar for years, so picking is kinda second nature.

My memory says that Carol Kaye recommends that you do not anchor anywhere due to concerns that doing so will lead to hand problems as you age. I've tried and tried and it just doesn't work that well for me. My brain seems to need a location to start from to be able to find the correct string. Of course, I'm no Carol Kaye.

I rest my picking hand pinky and ring finger on the pickguard just below the G string or against the G string depending on which string I'm playing. I generally pick just north of the pickup.

I find the bridge to be too far away for palm muting.

 

[GodPlayedBass]

This can only be solved by practice

 

[Corigan]

Palm between Bridge and Bridge pickup for palm muting capabilities. Sometimes all the way down on Bridge if I want that bridge pickup clarity on the lower notes.

 

[One Way]

I played guitar prior to bass and at my first guitar lesson the teacher put a pick in my hand, playing with a pick is second nature to me.

When playing bass with a pick I do not anchor my plucking hand. I string mute with my fretting fingers. That said I’m much more effective at string muting when playing finger style and using the floating thumb technique to mute strings.

 

[Double E]

I have been using a pick alot more often... I use my forearm to anchor my picking hand for the most part and keep my hand away from the strings to get the full pick tone. If I am picking near the bridge for a brighter tone I may rest the side of my palm on the bridge which is also good for muted picking.

Oddly, as I have increased my pick use on the bass, I have used a plectrum less and less on guitar.

 

[logdrum]

Plectrum/pick playing means anchoring the forearm on the bass and using the side of the palm mostly to mute. Bobby Vega style

 

[Double E]

Plectrum/pick playing means anchoring the forearm on the bass and using the side of the palm mostly to mute. Bobby Vega style

In that video, Bobby basically only uses a muted technique. Odd that he is quite far from the bridge while doing so, he must employ a light touch with his muting. He's definitely not relying on the side of his palm for an anchor. Instead, he is using his forearm, as mentioned.

Love his pick playing... soooo Funky.

 

[SpyderX]

I only play standing up. I played guitar for years, so picking is kinda second nature.

My memory says that Carol Kaye recommends that you do not anchor anywhere due to concerns that doing so will lead to hand problems as you age. I've tried and tried and it just doesn't work that well for me. My brain seems to need a location to start from to be able to find the correct string. Of course, I'm no Carol Kaye.

I rest my picking hand pinky and ring finger on the pickguard just below the G string or against the G string depending on which string I'm playing. I generally pick just north of the pickup.

I find the bridge to be too far away for palm muting.

Same here. I rarely make a 'fist'; my 2nd, 3rd and pinky fingers are usually relaxed. I also play low, so I don't use a lot of forearm action. Sometimes people can't tell I'm playing with a pick. Muting is not a problem, as I have the whole length of my hand close the the strings. It's not something I went out of my way to learn or tried to do, it's natural positioning for me.