Right hand position

Playing Technique
#1

Hi everybody,

I’m French so sorry if I make mistakes when I write…

I love blues funk flamenco and reggae.

I have two guitars I use…a classical one and a Gibson Les Paul.

First question: I noticed that a lot of players play leads vertically…but I play my leads diagonally and my rhythm too…is that a bad habit?

I would like to find a position where I can switch easily between rhythm and lead…and either clean sound or palm muting…

When I play a rhythm I have all my arm going up and down…if I want to play some lead during it…I mute some notes and let some other ring…but it’s not accurate…or I use my floating hand with my pinkie on the guitar…but it’s hard because I love to have an anchoring point on the bridge…in this position it’s easy to switch string and top but not under ascending or descending.

But when I have an anchoring point you have less part of your arm to play a rhythm and it’s not comfortable…but it’s easier to play lead…I put let’s say my palm near or on top of the 5th and 6th string or on the middle of the bridge.

Maybe there is a choice to make for each situation and we can’t have everything…

If anyone could precisely tell me his opinion and position of the right hand he uses according to the situation.

Thank you in advance for reading and answering.

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#2

I dont think there is any ONE position that fits every situation

I always have the extra fingers lightly resting on the pickguard

for me, when I play rhythm I usually have my hand resting on the bridge because a lot of the rhythm playing is muted notes on the lower strings anyway

When I play lead the hand isnt sitting as hard on the bridge because I want to move to the hand vertically (or diagonally) across the strings

If you use the search function on this forum and search for “string tracking” I bet you will find some good threads

Cheers, JJ

1 Like
#3

Thanks for your answer

1 Like