Pinky or not pinky

Some time last year I started to brace my hand on the soundboard with my little finger. Previous to this I had always looked down on those who did so because it seemed to me not quite accepted practice, certainly not among the classical brethren. I assumed bracing to be a sign of technical infancy, somewhat akin to stabilisers on a cycle- and I didn't seem to need it having evolved my playing style without it.

But last year while at a festival I spoke to an admired fellow performer a man who braced with his little finger I started to look at my prejudice.

Later I studied Tommy Emmanuel through the many video postings on You Tube- and I recommend any guitarist who would improve technique study this master- here is a man who’s technique is beyond criticism- yet he often braces.

I started to employ the pinky brace and found that my speed and accuracy noticeably gained. At the time I was mainly trying to improve my thumbpick control so as to be able to employ it as one would as a normal plectrum (ie, strums and lead runs) and I found that bracing helped no end.

I started to look for confirmation among my heroes, for example I found this picture of Nic Jones:







So I have been doing this for about a year but just recently I have become a little dissatisfied with it. Mainly because I want to get clean Nic Jones style ‘pings’ on the string. To do this one must land with the back of the nail (middle and ring finger, or just middle) smartly on the top of the string. I can do this when my hand is in pinky-brace mode but it is easier when just the heel of the palm rests lightly on the bridge pins and fingers are all curled into the palm (if not employed plucking) The reason being that the hand is in a better position for the pings. This led me to remember watching videos of Kieran Murphy (Tommy’s protégé). He has his hand in the curled position.

I think in future I will use this position, bracing if necessary but in general not.

Don't lift fingers too high from the fretboard

The two things that Martin Simpson emphasises in his workshops for improving tone and speed are:

1. When sounding notes the fretting finger should be as close to the fret as possible, almost on top of it, rather than in between two frets, (like in the picture, although I feel he could get even closer to that fret)- and:

2. Fingers shouldn't have to travel too far down or up.

For myself number 2 is something I must improve. My fingers often move up an inch or so above the string when not fretting. This is especially true of the little finger which seems to have a mind of it's own. It apparently wishes to remove itself as far from the fray as possible when not actively employed. This must have a detrimental effect on speed and accuracy so I must look to improve which can only mean a program of practice.

These are motor skills of course and can only be drummed in by repeated performance. Some guitar skills are quick and easy to learn, perhaps because they utilise already known motor movements- some take considerably longer. I have the distinct feeling that this will take time as I have to unlearn all the years that I have been doing it wrong- a not inconsiderable length of time. It is at these moments that I bewail the fact that I wasn't formally taught as perhaps some of my bad habits would have been weeded out earlier