Forum - Banjo Ben Clark

Resting Hand while Flatpicking

#6

Hey Jason, welcome! The Drive file is set to private currently, so we can’t view it.

I wouldn’t recommend bracing the wrist on the bridge. If you do want to anchor, the best anchorers do so somewhat banjo-like, with the ring and/or pinky finger on the pickguard. The main thing is to not let it restrict your range of motion, so it’s usually better to sort of drag the anchored fingers across the top rather than lock them in place. (Tony Rice, Josh Williams, and Bryan Sutton are some incredible examples) That being said, I’ve seen good players who plant the wrist on the bridge- they’re just less common. (I think Trey Hensley does, though.)

Overall, finger planting and free floating are the best. I don’t think just one works for everybody. I choose to plant, because it’s more traditional. I do like to float for rhythm licks, mainly on faster songs. I agree that you can probably be faster with floating (though Jake Workman, Chris Thile, etc. are as incredible as they are because of much more than just floating). HOWEVER, speed is not everything. It’s important, but not everything. I don’t think it’s as easy to pull rich tone with floating as it is when you’re in contact with the guitar. Just don’t ask me to do it yet :sweat_smile:

So if someone ever tells you that you NEED to float to be the best player you can be, go watch these videos and laugh:

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#7

While speed is not everything, it’s what Jason said he was struggling with. Tension is the blocker to speed. I certainly don’t have this mastered!!! but I do think I understand the reason why players struggle getting faster. There have been much less tense modern players since Tony Rice, as great as he was. Just my opinion.

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#8

Ok, I was able to view the video. One thing is that I saw a double down stroke in there on the same string; this will slow you down, especially at earlier levels… so if you struggle with speed, see if you have a habit of doing that while you pick (At more advanced levels, players sometimes do multiple down strokes while crosspicking, but for now it’s best to always do downstrokes on downbeats, up strokes on upbeats).

Aside from that, it does look like the wrist planting might be hindering your speed of transfer from bass to treble strings. If you’re finding you feel tense as you pick, relax a bit and try to lift the wrist off. If you need to, you can brace lightly on the top with your fingers. Check out this vid:

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#9

I gently rest my wrist on bridge in I’m play a fast lead, for most things it’s floating. That’s what Molly Tuttles does and its what feels best for me.

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#10

You know, I thought it might be fun to switch all my right hand tech for a year. Plant two fingers on banjo, float on mandolin… I wonder if I’d be able to switch back, and how many different techniques are actually worse for me or just feel weird.

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#11

Cody Kilby told me he went from floating all the time to playing anchored, and I told him i normally play with my wrist resting on the bridge. He thought learning to do things different ways in the long run will improve overall musicianship. So I’ve been working on playing with pinky loosely anchored like Sutton, wrist loosely anchored like Tuttle, and completely floating like Workmen.

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#12

There is only ONE :rofl::rofl:

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#13

THE Workmen.:joy::joy:

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#14

It’s Workman

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#15

OHHHHH I feel like an idiot​:joy::joy:

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#16

If you want to play that guitar, you gotta put in the work, man.

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#17

Haha

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#18

That’s interesting that Cody made the switch from floating to anchoring. I would imagine that most would go the other way around.

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#19

I am a pinky dragger. I spent over a month trying to go free. My tone and accuracy never got to where I was convinced that it was right for me. It DID seem that it was going to lead to more speed. I think @oaklymaple’s trying out different approaches is good if you can do it. I think there are things that are generally better for most, but in looking at all the folks that do great with differing techniques, I think it is hard to say that what works for one person is what everyone should do. Lots of great suggestions so far. As someone mentioned above, the big thing is to eliminate tension.

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#20

My experience exactly Mike! Not to mention the unwanted noise the pinky dragging the top makes. I don’t really notice it until I try playing without dragging and then go back.

Maybe we’re just too old and set in our ways! :woozy_face:

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#21

Ya’ll check out Carl Miner’s video here, This was key to success for me. I watched this video over and over again and always seem to pick something new out of it. In this vid, he talks a lot about the wrist/hand movement and technique that is great for fast smooth playing. Although this technique is not really for record breaking speed playing, Carl still uses it to play faster and cleaner than I probably ever will. And, although the demo’s in this video are not Rawhide at 200bpm, it’s still pretty good and a solid base for someone to use as a regular technique. Besides, once you want to play really fast, you can always switch to the free floating Jake Workman style. I have found that in my case, Anchoring the pinkie like Carl does give me a much better all around sound then the freehand does at most tempos. I’d still like to master the freehand so I have the backup option for super fast playing but just haven’t got there yet.
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#22

It is funny how so many are saying the planting opened up their sound. I used to drop my fingers and I was so tense and had a muffled sound. Everything changed for the better - tone, speed, and clarity - when I closed up my right hand fingers and started floating. But it’s not easy to get accuracy at first so you have to not give up.

I’d say it took me about 8 months to start feeling completely comfortable with the new technique. And that’s practicing every day! Yes… I’m slow :joy:

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#23

In my opinion the floating style isn’t really just for playing at fast tempos especially since it’s harder than it sounds to get used to and practice with at first. After a lot of practice you will feel most comfortable sticking with one position rather than changing with the various speed you are playing at. Changing positions while playing just invites tension and the opportunity to throw your pick!

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#24

See… I’m the other way. I tense up when my hand is in that fist. The main thing I lack while floating is not accuracy, but volume. I can strum loudly, because I’m just powering through a bunch of strings. But I have a foundation and more strength if I touch the guitar top.

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#25

Welcome here, Jason!

I think you can’t go wrong with Bryan Sutton technique. Looks relaxed, floating and freely flowing. Pick holding technique is also equally important. But when I play my hand touches or brushes or slightly rests. One thing for sure, it takes time to pick up speed.

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