JPF Home Page Forums Musician Gear and Techniques Guitars and Guitarist Forum Finger Style Playing

Here is a link to a pretty cool site that gives sound examples as well as tablature.

http://www.guitarnotes.com/links/instruction/wholenote_interactive_lessons1.shtml

Another good one:

http://www.people.fas.harvard.edu/~desmith/guitar/picking/lesson2.htm


http://guitar.about.com/

for more info use the google.com search engine and type in fingerpicking or fingerpicking patterns.

Some songs let you use the same pattern all the way through but often you have to vary them by playing only part of the pattern before switching to another chord.

Think of your thumb as a little bass player that moves around on the 654 (EAD) strings. You will want to find the bass note that sounds best with the chord.
If you are playing a D chord for instance you may want to use the 4th string, The A chord, perhaps the 5th string. etc.

Depending on the key you are in, sometimes you can play a lot of the actual melody with your thumb.

Don't be afraid to break from the pattern to throw in part of the melody line or add a little bass run.

It's hard to read all the different ways people have of explaining how to pick.
Nothing beats having a live person to show you how.

A video is the next choice. Music stores carrying them. There should be one for about 30 bucks that will show you how.
Some librarys carry instructional videos too.

If none of the above works, go to a venue where fingerpicking is performed and get a front table and keep your eyes peeled.

Once you have seen it in action , it will be easier to understand the written instructions.

JeanB



[This message has been edited by JeanB (edited 10-15-2002).]