Finger Pickin' Good - PART 1

-  Finger picking requires coordination and endurance, and lots of both.  Why use this technique?  #1 It sounds great!  #2 The sound is softer than when using a pick.  #3 You'll be able to play arpeggios faster with your fingers than with a pick.  I'm sure that you can think of more reasons, so send them to me.  Let's get started.   -

  To rest your pinky, or not.  You don't plan on using it?  If you do, don't anchor it!  Certainly do not rest your picking hand heel on your strings unless you want a muted sound!  Your hand needs to float above the strings.  There's no reason that you shouldn't be able to pluck a given string with your eyes closed, pick or no pick!  If you can't then practice!

  Everyone know the symbols for your fret hand:

                      THUMB = T

                        INDEX = 1

                    MIDDLE = 2

                          RING = 3

                        PINKY = 4

  Now the symbols for your picking hand:

                      THUMB = p

                        INDEX = i

                    MIDDLE = m

                          RING = a

                        PINKY = l

  Well, it's time start playing notes.  Remember as always, take it slowly at first. 

FIGURE 1  LISTEN TO IT  

TEMPO = 120 bpm  Pattern = i m
                                                       1    2    1    2 
e||--0----0----0----0----|--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--|--------------------|
B||----------------------|--------------------------|-------2---------2--|
G||----------------------|--------------------------|--2---------2-------|
D||----------------------|--------------------------|--------------------|
A||----------------------|--------------------------|--------------------|
E||----------------------|--------------------------|--------------------|
     i    m    i    m       i  m  i  m  i  m  i  m     i    m    i    m

  1  2  1  2  1  2  1  2     1  3  1  3  1  3  1  3 
--------------------------|--------------------------|
-----2-----2-----2-----2--|-----3-----3-----3-----3--|
--2-----2-----2-----2-----|--2-----2-----2-----2-----|
--------------------------|--------------------------|
--------------------------|--------------------------|
--------------------------|--------------------------|
  i  m  i  m  i  m  i  m     i  m  i  m  i  m  i  m 

  1  4  1  4  1  4  1  4     1  4  1  4  1  4  1  4 
--------------------------|--------------------------|
-----4-----4-----4-----4--|-----5-----5-----5-----5--|
--2-----2-----2-----2-----|--2-----2-----2-----2-----|
--------------------------|--------------------------|
--------------------------|--------------------------|
--------------------------|--------------------------|
  i  m  i  m  i  m  i  m     i  m  i  m  i  m  i  m 

  1  4  1  3  1  2  1  0     1  4  1  3  1  2  1  0
--------------------------|--------------------------||
-----4-----3-----2-----0--|-----4-----3-----2-----0--||
--2-----2-----2-----2-----|--2-----2-----2-----2-----||
--------------------------|--------------------------||
--------------------------|--------------------------||
--------------------------|--------------------------||
  i  m  i  m  i  m  i  m     i  m  i  m  i  m  i  m

  That was fairly easy, although the fingers may be a little soar.  If they are tired, rest them and come back to this later, if not then press on.  In the next example, use you index to pluck the 'G', and your ring finger to pick the 'E', or the "i a pattern".

  FIGURE 2  LISTEN TO IT

TEMPO = 120 bpm  Pattern = i a

e||------2---------2-|----2-----2-----2-----2-|----3-----3-----3-----3-|
B||------------------|------------------------|------------------------|
G||-2---------2------|-2-----2-----2-----2----|-2-----2-----2-----2----|
D||------------------|------------------------|------------------------|
A||------------------|------------------------|------------------------|
E||------------------|------------------------|------------------------|



-----4-----4-----4-----4--|-----5-----5-----5-----5--|
--------------------------|--------------------------|
--2-----2-----2-----2-----|--2-----2-----2-----2-----|
--------------------------|--------------------------|
--------------------------|--------------------------|
--------------------------|--------------------------|



-----4-----3-----2-----0--|-----4-----3-----2-----0--||
--------------------------|--------------------------||
--2-----2-----2-----2-----|--2-----2-----2-----2-----||
--------------------------|--------------------------||
--------------------------|--------------------------||
--------------------------|--------------------------||

 This time, use your index on 'G', middle on 'B', and pinky on 'E', or the "i m l pattern".

FIGURE 3  LISTEN TO IT

TEMPO = 120 bpm  Pattern = i m l

e||------------0--------------0----|------------1--------------1----|
B||-------0--------------0---------|-------0--------------0---------|
G||--0--------------0--------------|--0--------------0--------------|
D||--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
A||--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
E||--------------------------------|--------------------------------|



------------2--------------2----|------------2--------------2----|
-------0--------------0---------|-------3--------------3---------|
--0--------------0--------------|--2--------------2--------------|
--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
--------------------------------|--------------------------------|



------------1--------------1----|------------0--------------0----|
-------3--------------3---------|-------3--------------3---------|
--2--------------2--------------|--2--------------2--------------|
--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
--------------------------------|--------------------------------|



------------2--------------2----||
-------0--------------0---------||
--2--------------2--------------||
--------------------------------||
--------------------------------||
--------------------------------||

  That'll do it for this week.  You need to ensure that you've got these examples down accurately before you go any further.  I will add to this page next week.  Until then, Bye!  

STOP!

Do not go any further until you've practiced PART 1 at least one week.

_____  _____  __ __ _____  _____

Finger Pickin' Good - PART 2

  I'd like to start this week off by asking how your practice went last week.  Hopefully you were dedicated and actually practiced for more than 5 minutes.  I cannot express enough how important it is that you have PART 1 completely mastered before go any further.  It's better to take your time and get it right than to move quickly and get it wrong.  With that said, let's press on...

   Example 4 is arpeggios, Cmaj, Am, and Gmaj.  This example is about finger movement of both hands, and coordination between them both.  move from one chord quickly and accurately, and pick the strings cleanly.

FIGURE 4  LISTEN TO IT

TEMPO = 100 bpm  Pattern = p i m a

e||--------------------------|--------------------------|
B||-----------1--------------|-----1-----------------1--|
G||--------0-----0-----------|--0-----0-----------2-----|
D||-----2-----------2-----2--|-----------2-----2--------|
A||--3-----------------3-----|--------------0-----------|
E||--------------------------|--------------------------|



--------------------------|--------------------------|
-----------------1--------|--------------------------|
--2-----------2-----2-----|-----------0--------------|
-----2-----2-----------2--|--------0-----0-----------|
--------0-----------------|-----2-----------2-----2--|
--------------------------|--3-----------------3-----|



-----3--------------------|--------0------------||
--------0--------------1--|--------1------------||
-----------0--------0-----|--0-----0------------||
--0--------------2--------|-----2--2------------||
--------------3-----------|--------3------------||
--------------------------|---------------------||

  Okay, let's move onto the chord E7.  [VIEW IT HERE].  I'll ASCII tab a couple of forms for those of you who print this out:

FIGURE 5  LISTEN TO IT

     E7    E7    E7 
e||--0--|--0--|--7--||
B||--0--|--3--|--9--||
G||--1--|--1--|--7--||
D||--0--|--0--|--6--||
A||--2--|--2--|--7--||
E||--0--|--0--|--0--||

  Fig 6 may sound familiar, if you're a CCR fan...

FIGURE 6  LISTEN TO IT

TEMPO = 120 bpm  

e||-------------------|-----0----------0-------|-----0-------------------|
B||-------------------|--------3----------3----|--------3----0-----------|
G||-------------------|-------------1----------|--1-------------2--0-----|
D||----------------2--|------------------------|----------------------2--|
A||-------------------|--2---------------------|-------------------------|
E||----------------0--|------------------------|----------------------0--|



-----0----------0-------|-----0-------------------|-----0----------0-------|
--------3----------3----|--------3----0-----------|--------3----------3----|
-------------1----------|--1-------------2--0-----|-------------1----------|
------------------------|----------------------2--|------------------------|
--2---------------------|-------------------------|--2---------------------|
------------------------|----------------------0--|------------------------|



-----0-------------------|-----0----------0-------||
--------3----0-----------|--------3----------3----||
--1-------------2--0-----|-------------1----------||
----------------------2--|------------------------||
-------------------------|--2---------------------||
----------------------0--|------------------------||

  Take the time to practice the tab above, then try to move it to the other chord shapes I tabbed out in Fig 5.  That'll do it for this week.  Practice up! 

STOP!

Do not go any further until you've practiced PART 2 at least one week.

_____  _____  __ __ _____  _____

Finger Pickin' Good - PART 3

  Part 3 is more of the same, except this time, there are two guitars playing at the same time.  One accompanies with the chord shapes, and the other plays "lead".  You can finger pick both parts. 

FIGURE 7  LISTEN TO IT

TEMPO = 72 bpm  Pattern = p i m a

GUITAR 1

     Asus2                       C# 
e||--------0------------0---0-|--------4-----2h1----------|
B||-----------0~------3---0---|--2--------2-------4h6-6~--|
G||--2------------------------|---------------------------|
D||-----2----------2----------|-----3---------------------|
A||--0------------------------|--4------------------------|
E||---------------------------|---------------------------|


  F           G              C 
-----------1--------3----|----------------0------------0-|
--1-----1----------------|---------1----1--------1---1---|
-----2--------0-----0----|--0----0----0--------0---0-----|
--3--------------0-------|-----2-------------2-----------|
-------------------------|--3----------------------------|
--------------3----------|-------------------------------|


  Asus2                       C# 
-----------0~------0-----0-|-----------0~---4--0-----0-|
--------0------------3-2---|--2-----0------------3-2---|
--2------------------------|---------------------------|
-----2----------2----------|-----3---------------------|
--0------------------------|--4------------------------|
---------------------------|---------------------------|


  G                           Asus2 
-----------3~---1--0-----0-|-----------0--------------||
--3-----3------------3-2---|--------0----0------------||
-----0---------------------|--2------------2----------||
--0------------------------|-----2-----------4-2------||
---------------------------|--0-----------------------||
--3------------------------|--------------------------||

Guitar 2

     Asus2               C#                  F        G 
e||--0----------------|--4----------------|--5--------3--------|
B||--0----------------|--6----------------|-----------3--------|
G||--2----------------|--6----------------|--5--------0--------|
D||--2----------------|--6----------------|--3--------0--------|
A||--0----------------|--4----------------|--3--------2--------|
E||-------------------|-------------------|--1--------3--------|


  C                  Asus2              C#                 G 
--0---------------|--0---------------|--4---------------|--3---------------|
--1---------------|--0---------------|--6---------------|--3---------------|
--0---------------|--2---------------|--6---------------|--0---------------|
--2---------------|--2---------------|--6---------------|--0---------------|
--3---------------|--0---------------|--4---------------|--2---------------|
------------------|------------------|------------------|--3---------------|

FIGURE 8  LISTEN TO IT

  Okay, now let's try another bit of music that many of you are familiar with.  The chords are easy: Dmaj, Cmaj, and Gmaj.  You can strum along with it, pick the tabbed out part that's shown below, sing along with it, I don't care.  

TEMPO = 72 bpm  Pattern = p i m a

GUITAR 1

e||--------------3h-2h-0--2---|--------------------0--------|
B||--3-----3------------------|--1-----1-------------1------|
G||-----2----2----------------|-----0----0-------0------0---|
D||--0---------0--------------|------------2-0-2------------|
A||---------------------------|--3--------------------------|
E||---------------------------|-----------------------------|



-------------------3-----------|--------------3h-2h-0--2---|
--------------0----------------|--3-----3------------------|
--0-----0----------------------|-----2----2----------------|
-----0----0-----0------0-----0-|--0---------0--------------|
------------2------0-2---0-2---|---------------------------|
--3----------------------------|---------------------------|



--------------3h-2h-0--2---|--------------------0--------|
--3-----3------------------|--1-----1-----1-------1------|
-----2----2----------------|-----0----0-----0--------0---|
--0---------0--------------|------------2-----2----------|
---------------------------|--3--------------------------|
---------------------------|-----------------------------|



------------------3-------------|--------------3h-2h-0--2---|
--------------0-----------------|--3-----3------------------|
--0-----0-----------------------|-----2----2----------------|
-----0----0---------0-----0-----|--0---------0--------------|
------------2---0-2---0-2---0-2-|---------------------------|
--3-----------------------------|---------------------------|



--------------3h-2h-0--2---|--------------------0--------|
--3-----3------------------|--1-----1-------------1------|
-----2----2----------------|-----0----0-------0------0---|
--0---------0--------------|------------2-0-2------------|
---------------------------|--3--------------------------|
---------------------------|-----------------------------|



-------------------3-----------|--------------3h-2h-0--2---|
--------------0----------------|--3-----3------------------|
--0-----0----------------------|-----2----2----------------|
-----0----0-----0------0-----0-|--0---------0--------------|
------------2------0-2---0-2---|---------------------------|
--3----------------------------|---------------------------|



--------------3h-2h-0--2---|--------------------0--------|
--3-----3------------------|--1-----1-------------1------|
-----2----2----------------|-----0----0-------0------0---|
--0---------0--------------|------------2-0-2------------|
---------------------------|--3--------------------------|
---------------------------|-----------------------------|



-------------------3-----------|--------------3h-2h-0--2---||
--------------0----------------|--3-----3------------------||
--0-----0----------------------|-----2----2----------------||
-----0----0-----0------0-----0-|--0---------0--------------||
------------2------0-2---0-2---|---------------------------||
--3----------------------------|---------------------------||

  Okay, here's the "Flute" section tabbed out for guitar.

FLUTE

e||---------------------------|-------------------------------|
B||---------------7--10-------|-----10--12--10h10r10----------|
G||--7------7-8-9-------------|----------------------7------7b|
D||---------------------------|-------------------------------|
A||---------------------------|-------------------------------|
E||---------------------------|-------------------------------|


LET RING-------------------------> 
--------------------------------|--10----------------|------------------|
---------------10-----10--------|--------------------|------------------|
--7--------10------10----10r-10-|--------------------|------------------|
--------------------------------|--------------------|------------------|
--------------------------------|--------------------|------------------|
--------------------------------|--------------------|------------------|



--5-----7--5--------7-|--10------14h12h10-12h10----------------|
----------------------|-------------------------12h10h12h10----|
----------------------|-------------------------------------10b|
----------------------|----------------------------------------|
----------------------|----------------------------------------|
----------------------|----------------------------------------|



-------------------||
--7----------------||
-------------------||
-------------------||
-------------------||
-------------------||

  Well, is that going to do it for another week?  I think it'll take you a bit to get all the new parts down accurately.  Until next time....LATER!

STOP!

Do not go any further until you've practiced PART 3 at least one week.

_____  _____  __ __ _____  _____

Finger Pickin' Good - PART 4

  For Part 4, our last installment, I've tabbed out only one example.  It's a song that most rock enthusiasts will recognize.  WHO wrote it?  you'll have to guess.   It starts off with finger picked acoustic guitar, followed by rhythm acoustic guitar, bass, percussion, and I've added some effects as well.  You'll notice at the end, the guitars turn into electric, and that's where I've stopped.  I hope you enjoy, it's a very cool sounding song.

FIGURE 9  LISTEN TO IT

TEMPO = 60 bpm  Pattern = p i m a

e||------------------0---------------|------------------------0---------|
B||------------0-------0-----0---0---|--------0-----------------0-------|
G||--------2-----2-------2-----2-----|------2---2-----------2-----2---2-|
D||------2---2-----2-------2-------2-|----2-------2---2---2---------2---|
A||----2-----------------------------|--2-----------2---2---------------|
E||--0-------------------------------|----------------------------------|



|---------0---------------3---------|--------2-------2---3-----2-------|
|---------0-------------0---0-------|------3-----------3---3-----3-----|
|*------0-----0-------0-------0---0-|----2-------2-----------2-----2---|
|*----2-----2-----0-----------------|--0-------0---0-----------------0-|
|---------------2-------------------|----------------------------------|
|---0---------------3-----------3---|----------------------------------|



--------0---------------0---------|--------0---------------0---------|
------3---3-----------3---3-------|------0---0-----------0---0-------|
----0-------0---0---0-------0---0-|----2-------2---2---2-------2---2-|
--------------0---------------0---|--------------2---------------2---|
--3---------------3---------------|--0---------------0---------------|
----------------------------------|----------------------------------|



--------0---------------3---------|--------2-------2---3-----2-------|
--------0-------------0---0-------|------3-----------3---3-----3-----|
------0-----0-------0-------0---0-|----2-------2-----------2-----2---|
----2-----2-----0-----------------|--0-------0---0-----------------0-|
--------------2-------------------|----------------------------------|
--0---------------3-----------3---|----------------------------------|



--------0---------------0---------|--------0---------------0---------|
------3---3-----------3---3-------|------0---0-----------0---0-------|
----0-------0---0---0-------0---0-|----2-------2---2---2-------2---2-|
--------------0---------------0---|--------------2---------------2---|
--3---------------3---------------|--0---------------0---------------|
----------------------------------|----------------------------------|



--------0---------------2---2-----|---------3--------3------------|
------3---1-----------3-------3---|-------0----0-1-0---0----------|
----0-------0---0---2-----------2-|-----0----------------0--------|
--------------2---0-------0-------|-------------------------------|
--3-------------------------------|---------------------------0-2-|
----------------------------------|--3---------------------3------|



--------0---------------2---2-----|----0-------0-----0------0------|
------3---1-----------3-------3---|----0-------x-----0------0------|
----0-------0---0---2-------------|----1-1---2-2-----1------1------|
--------------2---0-------0-------|--2---2---2---2---2--2---2------|
--3---------------0---------------|--2---2-2-4---4---2----2--------|
--------------------------------0-|--0-----0-------0-0----0----0-x-|



--2---------------0-|--0---------------0-|--2-----2---3h3h2--2----0-|
--3---------------0-|--1---------------0-|--3-----3---3-3-3--3----0-|
--4---------------0-|--0---------------0-|--2-----2---2-2-2--2----0-|
--4---------------0-|--2---------------0-|--0-----0---0-0-0--0----0-|
--2-----------------|--3-----------------|------0-------------------|
--------------------|--------------------|--------------------------|



--0----------------|-------------------||--0----------------------|
--0----------------|-------------------||--0----------------------|
--2----------------|------------------*||--2----x--x--x--x--x--x--|
--2----------------|------------------*||--2----x--x--x--x--x--x--|
--0----------------|-------------------||--0----x--x--x--x--x--x--|
-------------------|-------------------||-------x--x--x--x--x--x--|



-------------12----------12------|------------------------------|
-------------12--12----------12--|----------12--------12----12--|
-----11b-11------11b-11------11--|--11------9---------9---------|
---------------------------------|------11--------11--------11--|
---------------------------------|------------------------------|
--0------------------------------|------------------------------|



-----12b-12--------------------|---------------------------||
-----12b-12--12r-----12--12----|------12-------------------||
--9--11b-----11r-11------9-----|------9---------9----------||
---------------------11--------|--11--------11--9----9/----||
-------------------------------|---------------------------||
-------------------------------|------------------------0--||

STOP!

Do not go any further until you've practiced PART 4 at least one week.

_____  _____  __ __ _____  _____

Finger Pickin' Good - PART 5

  Okay, so I've added one more section to the finger-picking lesson, and I hope you like it.  It's a little piece I've had in my head for quite some time.  You'll notice the instruments used are a nylon string acoustic, a bass, and a couple of string sections as well.  We're obviously only concerned with the acoustic part, so that is the only part I tabbed out.  Here it is, enjoy...

FIGURE 10  LISTEN TO IT

TEMPO = 60 bpm  Pattern = p i m a

e||---------------------0-----|--------------------0-------|
B||---1--------1-----------1--|-----------1----------1-0---|
G||*--------2-----2-----------|--2-----2-----2-----------2-|
D||*-----2-----------2--------|-----2-----------2----------|
A||---0-----------------------|--0-------------------------|
E||---------------------------|----------------------------|



--------------------0-----|--------------------0--------||
--1--------1-----------1--|-----------1----------1-0----||
--------2-----2-----------|--2-----2-----2-----------2-*||
-----2-----------2--------|-----2-----------2----------*||
--3-----------------------|--3--------------------------||
--------------------------|-----------------------------||



--------------------0-----|--------------------0---0---|
-----------0-----------0--|-----------0----------0-----|
--1-----------2-----------|--1-----------2-----------2-|
--------2--------2--------|--------2--------2----------|
-----2--------------------|-----2----------------------|
--0-----------------------|--0-------------------------|



--------------------0-----|--------------------0-------|
--1--------1-----------1--|-----------1----------1-0---|
--------2-----2-----------|--2-----2-----2-----------2-|
-----2-----------2--------|-----2-----------2----------|
--0-----------------------|--0-------------------------|
--------------------------|----------------------------|



--------------------0-----|--------------------0-------|
--1--------1-----------1--|-----------1----------1-0---|
--------2-----2-----------|--2-----2-----2-----------2-|
-----2-----------2--------|-----2-----------2----------|
--3-----------------------|--3-------------------------|
--------------------------|----------------------------|



--------------------0-----|--------------------0-------|
--1--------1-----------1--|-----------1----------1-0---|
--------2-----2-----------|--2-----2-----2-----------2-|
-----2-----------2--------|-----2-----------2----------|
--0-----------------------|--0-------------------------|
--------------------------|----------------------------|



--------------------0-----|--------------------0-------|
--1--------1-----------1--|-----------1----------1-0---|
--------2-----2-----------|--2-----2-----2-----------2-|
-----2-----------2--------|-----2-----------2----------|
--3-----------------------|--3-------------------------|
--------------------------|----------------------------|



--------------------0-----|--------------------0-------|
--1--------1-----------1--|-----------1----------1-0---|
--------2-----2-----------|--2-----2-----2-----------2-|
-----2-----------2--------|-----2-----------2----------|
--0-----------------------|--0-------------------------|
--------------------------|----------------------------|



--------------------0-----|--------------------0-------|
--1--------1-----------1--|-----------1----------1-0---|
--------2-----2-----------|--2-----2-----2-----------2-|
-----2-----------2--------|-----2-----------2----------|
--3-----------------------|--3-------------------------|
--------------------------|----------------------------|



--------------------0-----|--------------------0-------|
-----------1-----------1--|-----------1----------1-0---|
--1-----------2-----------|--1-----------2-----------2-|
--------2--------2--------|--------2--------2----------|
-----2--------------------|-----2----------------------|
--0-----------------------|--0-------------------------|



--------------------0-----|--------------------0-------|
--1--------1-----------1--|-----------1----------1-0---|
--------2-----2-----------|--2-----2-----2-----------2-|
-----2-----------2--------|-----2-----------2----------|
--0-----------------------|--0-------------------------|
--------------------------|----------------------------|



--------------------0-----|--------------------0-------|
--1--------1-----------1--|-----------1----------1-0---|
--------2-----2-----------|--2-----2-----2-----------2-|
-----2-----------2--------|-----2-----------2----------|
--3-----------------------|--3-------------------------|
--------------------------|----------------------------|



--------------------0-----|--------------------0-------|
--1--------1-----------1--|-----------1----------1-0---|
--------2-----2-----------|--2-----2-----2-----------2-|
-----2-----------2--------|-----2-----------2----------|
--0-----------------------|--0-------------------------|
--------------------------|----------------------------|



--------------------0-----|--------------------0-------|--0--------0------|
--1--------1-----------1--|-----------1----------1-0---|--0--------0------|
--------2-----2-----------|--2-----2-----2-----------2-|--7--------7------|
-----2-----------2--------|-----2-----------2----------|--6--------6------|
--3-----------------------|--3-------------------------|--7--------7------|
--------------------------|----------------------------|------------------|



--------------------0---0---|--5----------------||
-----------0----------0-----|--1----------------||
--1-----------2-----------2-|--2----------------||
--------2--------2----------|--2----------------||
-----2----------------------|--0----------------||
--0-------------------------|-------------------||

  Suggestions or comments?  Tips that I should know about, send them to me.  Send this lesson to friend.

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