Anchoring your pinky

[Dominik Gräber]

So I was experimenting with actually anchoring my pinky of my playing hand on the guitar for the first time. It feels kinda unnatural to me at the moment and I feel like I am having trouble reaching every string fast enough.
The reason I wanted to try this is to see if my picking of clean riffs improves. I am talking about stuff like Metallicas Call of Ktulu or The Day That Never Comes or also A7Xs Buried Alive verse. At the moment I downpick everything in these riffs which is 100 % muscle memorization.
So what I would like to know is your experience with anchoring with your pinky. Do you anchor it on a certain spot or more loosely, did it take time to master, does it help you etc.
Also do you think I should start alternate picking clean riffs such as those I mentioned?

 

[idssdi]

Anchoring your pinky especially helps with knowing where your picking hand is. If I anchor my pinky I do it incredibly loosely. How long it takes to master I don’t know I just do it in a way that feels comfortable to me and always has. I’m not sure about alternate picking, just do whatever feels comfortable for you.

 

[Jak Angelescu]

I honestly NEVER anchor my pinky for anything. The only thing I’ve caught myself doing occasionally is anchoring it for speed picking, like tremolo style on one string. But I think it’s a bad habit because you can’t move your hand cross-string (like you kind of mentioned). But there are many amazing guitarists who do because it’s just how they roll
I think you could use it if that’s your style, but I don’t think you should crutch yourself to it.

 

[Ed Seith]

I had to pick up a guitar and check, haha. I definitely use it sometimes, but I think for me it’s more of a byproduct of laying that pinky down as part of my overall muting strategy. It tends to be fairly “loose,” more of a just laying it down on the pickup trim ring or something. As two of my six electrics don’t actually HAVE pickup rings (one pickguard, one direct-mount) I clearly don’t RELY on it, but I do semi-anchor during lead playing and some clean-picking.

 

[Dominik Gräber]

Thank you for your experience so far guys!
@jak, yes I had the impression it limits your movement freedom but on the other hand, new things need time. I thought it may give you more control and precision when picking. But as @Ed has mentionend, maybe it’s not a good idea to rely on it, already because every guitar is different.

 

[Ed Seith]

Soon after, I picked up my Les Paul, just to noodle, and despite it having pickup rings, I noticed as I was playing that I did NOT anchor at all, so for me, it’s really and truly a “sometimes” thing, and I’d bet money it has very little to do with exactly what I’m playing either.
But then, I learned so long ago I just had to figure shit out, rather than see how things were done proper with videos, so I may not be the best gauge of technique.

 

[Matt Wildman]

I’ve tried it and it personally feels weird for me. So I don’t do it

 

[Guest]

When I first started, I tried “anchoring” my pinky only because I wanted to be like my first hero, Slash. But over time, I noticed I relied on it. I also noticed I was loose with it until I got to the high E string. Then on my way up I couldn’t get the low E string because of that damn pinky. So I changed my grip and follow a more fist-like approach like Mr. Paul Gilbert. That’s when my playing improved and I progressed faster.
But just like everyone else, it all depends on how it feels for YOU my man.

 

[Dominik Gräber]

So what I get from all that so far is that you dont anchor your pinky anywhere specific or you don’t at all because of the named reasons…
I would love to hear what @syn says about his technique.

 

[Noah Berends]

I equally play anchored and un-anchored, and I don’t really have a specific preference per se as to when I use either. Generally, I mostly only anchor when I’m playing for rhythm, but when I’m doing a lot of picking I’ll use either closed fist, or my pinky will fly out but not be anchored to anything, if that makes sense.

 

[Guest]

I anchor my pinky quite a bit. I find the more accurate I try to be, the more I rely on that anchor. Without the anchor, I ‘overpick’ and become messy. When I hit the high E, my pinky slides across the body to accommodate. I’d be stuffed if I lost my little finger, it is my stabaliser! It’s very personal though isn’t it? Quite like finding out what is the right way to hold a pick? Lessons aside, we all have our own way!

 

[Calvin Phillips]

Its funny. 6 months ago i tried this myself to no avail. I realized last week that ive gained so much strength i have actually started doing it without realizing it.

 

[Dominik Gräber]

Thanks guys! I might play around with it for a little while. I don’t have the impression though that this is something I am really going to use much

 

[Guest]

Actually I take back what I said about the pinky. I anchor my ring finger!