Fingerpicking guitarist often want

to brace the picking hand

on the face of the guitar,

for more security and accuracy

while plucking the strings.

 

The standard classical playing position

puts the forearm of the picking hand

on the top side of the guitar body, the hand

being suspended above the strings.

 

Distinguished classical guitar teachers

recommended to rest the picking hand

on the top of guitar.

 

Classical guitar teacher and composer

Fernando Sor published a guitar method

in 1830, "Méthode Pour La Guitare",

where he recommends to brace

the pinky on the bridge

or on the guitar-top near the first string.

 

Classical teachers: Sor, Aguado, Tárrega

and Carcassi all employed the same

picking technique,

resting the pinky on the bridge

or on the top of the guitar.

Until today countless guitar books

recommend bracing the

 picking hand on the top of the guitar.

 

But this suggestion have considerable

disadvantages:

Following the suggestion of the spanish

guitarists Sor and Aquado by bracing the

pinky on the bridge allows attacking the

strings only at a position very close to the

bridge. The result is a relatively

hard sound at a low volume,

and the guitar can not fully develop

its tone and volume.

 

Some classical guitarists do not follow

Sors suggestion to rest the pinky on

the face of the guitar but rest a finger

or the thumb, when idle, on the string.

This technique is difficult to employ,

needs a lot of practice and

is impossible if all strings are being played

in a passage.

 

Bibliography:

 

 

Evans, Tom

"Guitars, music, history,

construktion and players

from the Renaissance to Rock"

Verlag: Oxford University Press, 1977

 

 

The new hand- support "Picking-Bridge"

allows the guitarist

to brace the picking hand without having to go

for a string that is idle at the moment

as a resting device.

 

So, the Picking-Bridge is an essential support

and facilitates the classical playing technique.

It fullfills the needs of any classical guitarrist.