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What's something you do when playing your instrument(s) of choice, that's would just be plain *weird* to most other practitioners of said instrument(s)? It could be something about the way you play it, something about the FX, something about the mixing of your recordings, anything oddball related to making music is fair game. Kevin Shields, if you're lurking, this thread is for you!

I anchor my pinky on the pickguard when I play. Someone made me aware of it maybe a year ago. Looked at old pics and it looks like it's something I've always done. Dunno why, but I can't play without doing it.

UglyCasanova wrote:I anchor my pinky on the pickguard when I play. Someone made me aware of it maybe a year ago. Looked at old pics and it looks like it's something I've always done. Dunno why, but I can't play without doing it.

Same.

That's Banjo style.

I use the round corner of the plectrum, have the guitar really high and only use delay/reverb some of the time.

Okay, I wrote the slightly weird thing below and remembered a goofy thing I do is flip my guitar pick during rests while playing a riff/song. If there is so much as a quarter note rest on a song I'll flip my pick to the other side for no reason. Possible benefit: equal pick wear???

I'm not sure how weird this is but over the years I have worked in using multiple fingerings of the same chord shape depending on the context of the riff/song. It doesn't become apparent until I am showing or teaching someone a riff. There quite a few different ways to play a simple powerchord, first/ring/pinky, first/barre the rest, first/pinky, first/ring, etc. And I shuffle between them depending on what else I am doing before, after, and during playing that chord.

There's a bunch of ways to play an open G as well and my favorite when I am playing more aggressively is to use only one finger on the low E like -3-x-0-0-0-x which is great for quick runs or if you want to vibrato the bass note.

MechaGodzilla wrote:I use the round corner of the plectrum, have the guitar really high and only use delay/reverb some of the time.

I use the round corner too. Idk why I started but the pointy bit is awkward now

I cannot play with a pick. I simply cannot. I tried it several times in the first years, but I prefer the direct touch to the strings. This way I can play stuff that other's can't with their pick. On top of that I prefer the attack sound of my fingers.

And I play the standard A major chord with my middle finger only.

Pepe wrote:I play the standard A major chord with my middle finger only.

This one really is weird but it's pretty cool.

Also a pinky anchorer, especially when playing fingerstyle stuff.

Play with a thumbpick, bass and guitar. I love it because I can switch in between pick tones and finger tones at will.

Fuzz_Pi wrote:Play with a thumbpick, bass and guitar. I love it because I can switch in between pick tones and finger tones at will.

I could never get accuracy out of a thumb pick

I only seem to do it when I am mixing/mastering stuff on the computer, but I often raise my left arm over my head while listening back to mixes. It's something I do unconsciously, and I don't know how to stop doing it. I'm sure this particular tic is rooted in "rockist" gesturing, but it looks like I'm limp-wristedly raising my hand to ask a question.

I do not play guitar or bass with a pick. I can't. I first began playing the guitar using my index fingernail as the plectrum. Trying to play with a pick requires totally different positioning that makes using one impossibly awkward for me.

Also, I don't do it, but my sister used to pick her acoustic guitar with a soda can tab, because we were poor white trash and didn't have money for picks, I guess.

I rest my head against the upper horn of the guitar and let it vibrate through my skull. I love it

Pepe wrote:And I play the standard A major chord with my middle finger only.

I do that for finger picking chord progressions AND when I'm not using the high e string on that A Maj. May I please ask, using only the middle finger, does your high e string ring? Like, are you over it? My other thought was maybe you tune down to d? That way you could use you middle finger for four strings as opposed to three?

NVM...I just tried it after typing this initial thought. The high e is not an issue I like this better too so...thank you!!!

the raytownian wrote:I only seem to do it when I am mixing/mastering stuff on the computer, but I often raise my left arm over my head while listening back to mixes. It's something I do unconsciously, and I don't know how to stop doing it. I'm sure this particular tic is rooted in "rockist" gesturing, but it looks like I'm limp-wristedly raising my hand to ask a question.

Ha I do that too sometimes, or variations on that. I often hold my cock with my left hand while mixing.