In our first-ever live Q&A session, I answered guitar questions like What are the advantages to using the pinkie as an anchor when picking?, Do you think playing along with recordings is a good way to practice?, Should I stick with one strum, and master it before going to another?, and more!

Questions Answered:

I sometimes hit the wrong string with the pick, such as when trying to play the bass note on an A or D chord

I keep hearing different opinions as to using the pinkie as an anchor when picking. What are the main disadvantages of doing this?

Do you think playing along with recordings is a good way to practice?

I see a lot of variation as to how wide people strum (movement of their arm) – I know this would be a function of volume you are looking for – but other considerations?

Last time you said that you weren’t sure Amazing Grace went over that well (although I loved it!). Did some people find it too hard, too easy, or what?

I don’t make time to practice like I used to. Maybe it’s because nothing new in songs is catching my attention.

I have trouble with bar chords. For instance, in a song with a chord progression of C Am G F, the C, Am, and G all resonate beautifully flowing one into the other. But even when I form the F chord seemingly correctly, it is muted and doesn’t resonate making it sound choppy. I am a worship leader and sometimes I can change the chord like make it an Am or Am7 and it fine. But sometimes I need the F sound. 🙂

I have tried several strums. Now I feel they are all running together. Should I just stick with one strum, and master it before going to another?

It seems like my left hand (playing the chords) is pretty crampy and not relaxed, and i can’t change chords in time, so play between left and right hand is not in flow. Also right hand still seems to be not relaxed and in flow enough.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

Here’s a more in-depth Quick Win on changing keys using the song Happy Birthday as an example:

Happy Birthday and Changing Keys