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Home Forums Guitar Discussion Guitar Open or closed picking/strumming hand?

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  • #23906
    GeoNjules
    Participant

    Which way is better? I read an open hand gives you support against the guitar body, and gives you more control/accuracy (when picking). Plus they say its easier to mute the strings.
    I read somewhere else the other day, If you could use a “floating” hand, that would be better.
    Your views?

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    • #67012
      MicroSark
      Participant

      I agree with Tim, it depends what you’re playing and what you feel comfortable with.

      Personally, when I’m strumming acoustic I tend to use the edge of my hand to mute the strings to varying degrees, this is something you can’t do playing with a closed hand. On the other hand (no pun intended), if I’m playing more rocky stuff I might use a closed hand.

      Use the tools you have for the job you want to do.

      Hope this helps.

    • #67033
      Tim
      Participant

      In my limited experience it depends on style of music and the guitar.
      Playing heavier/rocky stuff on my electric I tend to have a closed hand which for the quieter bits sometimes rests on the bridge, playing something more delicate, especially on my acoustic, I tend to have a floating open hand, less attack but more control and better resonance from the acoustic body.
      Depends what sound you want to achieve, IMO. But I’m a bassist…

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