I've been playing about 2 months.
I practice my rolls everyday with a metronome and try to adhere to the hand placement in the literature I've read. Most books say you should pick about an inch out from the bridge but that makes it really hard to plant 2 fingers and not touch the bridge or strings. It's much easier for me to move out 2 inches or so....is it any big deal or is it OK to play a little further out...I don't want to develop any "bad habits"
Thanks

Best time to Go fish'in or Play your Banjo is now !!

Posted - 11/07/2009 :  07:36:35            

I think if you watch this video, you'll get a pretty good idea of where you hand should be. http://www.deeringbanjos.com/Deerin...-Baucom.html
If you are touching the bridge or strings, you need to move your hand down toward your lap salightly and adjust the wrist angle and elevation.


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Posted - 11/07/2009 :  07:38:17        

The further away from the bridge you pick, the more mellow the tone will become. About an inch or so from the bridge is about right for that lead playing bluegrass sound. You may need to arch your wrist a little more to keep from touching the bridge or strings

-Larry
Chief #141

Posted - 11/07/2009 :  08:26:17    

If you've only been playing for two months, I wouldn't overthink it.
There are two reasons to worry about hand placement. One is making sure it doesn't make things harder--that's all the biophysics of planting a finger on the head or bridge or not. (Dillard had his finger curled around the bridge so it's not like there's a musical law or anything).

The other reason has to do with tone changes. You can't hear those anyway so don't worry about it and instead focus on your timing since that appears to be your goal. (I don't like that goal two months in but you didn't ask).

Stay two inches out. As your hand gets more solid, you can try moving it between the X and Y spots listed in the Scruggs book to see how the sound changes, but I've found a lot of tone changes occur just with how you cup the right hand and if you were an intermediate player jamming at speed, then I'd work with you on experimenting with tone, but not before that.

Mike Moxcey
http://moxcey.net/mike/minstrel/index.html

Posted - 11/07/2009 :  11:39:58    

Every banjo has a sweet spot, and it's a little different on every banjo. You should be able to move your picking hand closer to and farther from the bridge to find a tone you prefer. The sweet spot moves, and the higher your fingering hand is on the neck you'll want to move your picking hand closer to bridge. You'll get a sense for what sounds best to you and where to keep your hand to stay in the sweet spot.

Dave

I pick for money & I pick for free & I'll pick for you but I pick for me!

( | )===='==[::/
_^KatEyz____^Gumby

Posted - 11/07/2009 :  12:08:48      

we should get one thing straight higher on the neck means up the neck (left hand) which means closer to the body of the banjo because your playing higher notes. generally speaking you move your right hand closer to the neck as you move your left hand up the neck closer to the bridge as you play down the neck.

Hank

Posted - 11/07/2009 :  12:46:51    

Hankulator. When I go to the 12th fret my right hand is closer to the bridge than it is when I'm below the 5th fret. Maybe I'm doing it wrong, but it seems to work for me.

Dave

I pick for money & I pick for free & I'll pick for you but I pick for me!

( | )===='==[::/
_^KatEyz____^Gumby

Posted - 11/07/2009 :  13:08:13  

place your picking hand where it is comfortable for you. when you are playing back-up it is best to move your picking hand close to the neck where it meets the head/tension hoop. you"ll notice that the closer you are to the bridge your picking will be sharper/louder, this is where you want to be when you are taking a break, doing a solo or kicking off a song.

Big Bird

Posted - 11/07/2009 :  13:15:22    

Yes Dave that is backward but if you like it who cares,the reason we move the picking hand close to the neck when we fret up the neck is to offset the higher tones we get playing up the neck,but its not a rule, alot of us will play in both x and y positions when we play up the neck depending on what we are playing

Posted - 11/07/2009 :  13:25:23    

quote:

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Most books say you should pick about an inch out from the bridge but that makes it really hard to plant 2 fingers and not touch the bridge or strings.

---

Posted - 11/07/2009 :  17:22:13      

like mburke5 says dave it's a basic guide line. sometimes i'll pick right next to the bridge to get a real snappy sound like Ralph and some of those old time guys. you should be able to use your right hand all over the the place to get the desired effect you want.

Hank

Posted - 11/07/2009 :  19:34:13    

I'm self taught so I always use the principle of "do what sounds good to you". I do a lot of unconventional things that I'm sure would make some people just shake their heads

Dave

I pick for money & I pick for free & I'll pick for you but I pick for me!

( | )===='==[::/
_^KatEyz____^Gumby