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Where is your pick hand in relation to the sound hole?
For some reason I’ve recently been paying attention to where my pick hand is in relation to the sound hole. I’m sure this is one of the “it depends” or “everyone does it differently” issues, but I’ve noticed that naturally my pick hand is usually hitting the strings in back 1/3 (closer to the bridge) of the sound hole. Should I just stick with what is natural, or should I try to be more in the middle of the sound hole?
Thanks,
David
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2 Replies
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Hi David @TWTX , this is a great question and the answer is super fun: think of where you move pick in relation to the sound hole as your effects pedal for acoustic. Plunk the string at the 12th fret and then again by the bridge. Where you play is where you like the sound being made. Lastly integrating changing that tone in a call and response way by playing by the bridge then answering above the sound hole and vice versa, is one of those special sauce things that can take playing scales into new fun territory. This is one of the concept I did not have to force….just knowing it was there made me want to find a way to utilize it.
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I am a right-handed player, and used to focus on where my pick struck the strings as well, including the fact that I also rest my pinky on the pick guard allowing my hand to pivot while picking strings rather than my picking hand “free floating” (I know, weird right?? but it works for me). If I strum, then my picking hand IS free floating. I battled with what might be considered more of a “correct” position–middle of sound hole, edge of sound hole, etc., but then it was all about how my arm rested on the top of the guitar–which dictated a natural placement of my picking hand—and as luck would have it, I end up over the sound hole. Size of the guitar makes a difference too. I never stand to play, I am always sitting….so that may play an importance on where my picking hand naturally falls too.
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