RDT with a Floyd bar

Playing Technique
#1

Anyone else find the RDT mechanic difficult to execute on a guitar with a trem bar (in my case, lo pro edge)? Particularly on the high E string, I’ll find the side of my picking hand becomes jammed against the bar, restricting movement and making the motion exceedingly tricky to do properly - pop the bar out, and everything becomes just hunky dory again.

This is really annoying, because I like the more supinated setup I’ve been using since the latest Primer update, but I’d sure like to keep the bar in.

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#2

try moving your wrist forward a bit in front of the bridge just a tad and see if it helps.

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#3

I appreciate the idea! That actually makes things worse, as then I end up hitting the volume knob in an even more substantial way than how I’m hitting the bar.

In the interim since my initial post, I’ve learned to deal with it, though I still don’t think it’s optimal versus a bridge free of any obstruction. For decades, I used a pronated setup, so it was never really a consideration… I may have even originally chosen a pronated setup subconsciously all those years ago as a means to avoid trem bars/volume knobs.

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#4

I was giving this some more thought and would like to know how you hold the guitar. I always hated Floyd’s but when I started playing in the classical position it actually helped because you dont’ have to angle the wrist as much to avoid the trem as if it was sitting on the other leg if you know what I mean. Give that a shot. It may take some time but I use to have shoulder problems doing it the other way and playing this way has helped a lot.

#5

I have the dreaded volume pot in my way on three of my guitars. I’m bringing two of them in to a guitar tech to get them moved out of the way. An expensive solution… and one that will affect the nice finish on my Ibanez :fearful:

But I’m doing it so I have the option to move my hand a little further back, for less percussive palm muting, without having to constantly check if I’ve accidentally turned the volume down!

#6

Good advice! I’ve only ever used classical, or “half-classical” (basically classical but with the strap, neither leg supporting the guitar). That was what my very first guitar teacher showed me, and I’ve stuck with it ever since. Playing on the right leg is pretty awkward to me - not ergonomic for the body, in my opinion.

That said, I’ve basically solved this issue just by getting used to having the extra tactile sensation of touching the bar when on the high E. I still wouldn’t call it optimal, but it’s manageable.

#7

It’s funny that a lot of “virtuoso” sort of guitars, like the venerable RG, actually have a bunch of crap in the way. lol Paul Gilbert had it right in moving the volume pot.

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