Hey guys, I’m learning the banjo but having a hard time with my pick hand placement. My other fingers are getting in my way, and not sure how to orient my hand and anchor quite right. Any tips?
Pick Hand Placement
The whole idea behind anchoring is so that your hand has a stable resting place and, as it were, a fixed starting point. This way, your fingers will always be in more or less the same spot when approaching the strings making accuracy easier.
Look at how Ben’s hand is planted in his videos. Most players plant like this. Some will only plant one finger. Some even plant their fingers behind or very close to the bridge. There is no right way but you want to be consistent and in the same spot most of the time.
Bluenote nailed it.
I would add: trying keeping your fingers in a tight unit (again, notice Ben), not flailing around all over the place. This will get easier as your technique improves.
Try to film yourself playing. You’ll notice things you never thought you were doing.
Thanks for the tips