Fingerstyle Guitar Fingerpicking Questions & Answers

Subject: Help
Date: Fri, 16 Jan 2004 16:39:42 -0600

Hi:

Greetings Ed,

No matter what I do I can't get my right hand to work for fingerpicking. I can't get my thumb to work independent from my fingers. I have spent almost six months trying to learn how to finger pick. I am not going to stop trying, but I am looking for all the help I can get. I know Stefan Grossman has some lessons on videos. Can you give me any help or any recommendations at all. I have been playing the guitar with at pick for over twenty years. I always wanted to learn how to finger pick but never had the time. Now I have the time. I would be most grateful for any help or recommendations you might have.

My recommendation would be to try to find some right hand studies...exercises that will assist you in gaining the foundation first...this would be called a methodology approach...most videos and books I've seen on fingerpicking are song oriented...teaching, by rote, one song after another. Well, this isn't going to help someone such as yourself...and, probably just make it that much more frustrating. Hence, if you can find a book, or a video, that teaches one study and exercise after another, with only a few songs to support the exercise material, you may find yourself jumping hurdles in your efforts to learn fingerpicking. It should take you from step A to Z...with the first studies focusing on isolating your thumb...and slowly adding the index finger and other fingers through a stair-step process...Sorry, I'm not sure what's available within this description...only, I know it would work in your case.

I hope something here helps...Mickey

Thank you

Ed McNevin

Date: Tue, 21 May 2002 22:19:00 -0700
Subject: Fingerpicking patterns

I'm going from strumming and loose flatpicking to a more structured fingerpicking method. I know there are hundred's of variations on fingerpicking styles, but can you give me an idea of a simple, basic pattern to practise? I'm doing okay alternating the thumb on the bass notes, but not sure about the pattern for the high notes, though. If bass are strings 6,5 and 4, and highs are strings 3, 2, and 1; which is the more typical method/order, say, for a G chord if playing basic folk songs... 6,1,5,4 or 6,2,5,1; or something else? I don't want to learn bad habits, especially while trying to get my "muscle memory" to put my fingers in the right places. Thanks!

Ron Beiden in Santa Rosa, Ca.

Greetings Ron,

I gained my fingerpicking facility from a Classical Guitar book by Frederick M. Noad. There are many approaches and venues to gaining dexterity with fingerpicking (which I'm sure you've already discovered).

One of the main things to keep in mind, as you learn to fingerpick, is that your ultimate goal will be complete independence. This means that you should be able to switch gears in the middle of any given song; what I mean by this is that you should have no problem playing a variety of patterns without being locked into any one pattern. This allows you to go with the flow of a song without sounding mechanical. Sometimes, you'll find a song that demands one particular pattern throughout to establish a certain rhythm, however, most any rhythm can be adhered to even when switching gears (patterns).

As far as bad habits go, most importantly, you'll want to pay attention to proper right-hand positioning. This will ensure good facility for many years to come. Some will angle their hand so that the knuckles are not in line with the strings. In a classical guitar position, you'll find that many players will angle their right-hand so that the knuckles are somewhat in line with the strings. This ensures that your fingers have a direct attack on the strings instead of picking each string at an angle.

Here are a few patterns for you to practice:
First be sure to match your right-hand fingers to the following strings during these patterns:
Thumb = E A D bass side
First Finger (index) = G
Second Finger (middle) = B
Third Finger (ring) = E

6 = Low E
5 = Low B
4 = Low D
3 = G
2 = B
1 = E

Fingerstyle Development Patterns:

I. first exercise

1. C Chord Placed in First Position
Pattern = 53231323 and repeat without any pauses between notes.
2. Am Chord Placed in First Position
Pattern = 53231323 and repeat without any pauses between notes.
3. F Chord Placed in First Position
Pattern = 43231323 and repeat without any pauses between notes.
4. G7 Chord Placed in First Position
Pattern = 63231323 and repeat without any pauses between notes.

II. second exercise

1. C Chord Placed in First Position
Pattern = 53212353 and repeat without any pauses between notes.
2. Am Chord Placed in First Position
Pattern = 53212353 and repeat without any pauses between notes.
3. F Chord Placed in First Position
Pattern = 43212343 and repeat without any pauses between notes.
4. G7 Chord Placed in First Position
Pattern = 63212363 and repeat without any pauses between notes.

III. third exercise alternating bass pattern

1. G Chord Placed in First Position
Pattern = 63426342 and repeat without any pauses between notes.
2. Em Chord Placed in First Position
Pattern = 63426342 and repeat without any pauses between notes.
3. C Chord Placed in First Position
Pattern = 53425342 and repeat without any pauses between notes.
4. D Chord Placed in First Position
Pattern = 42514251 and repeat without any pauses between notes.

Hope the above patterns help you in some way...I'll include them and many more in a new section for learning to play fingerstyle guitar.

At your disposal, Mickey

Subject: Regal RD-2 Video Sample #6
Date: Sat, 26 Jan 2002 12:03:01 -0500

Hi,

Just a quick question. What is the tune being played on the Regal RD-2 (metal body) Video Sample #6? Do you carry the written music for it?

Thanks,

Ryan Maloney

Greetings Ryan,

Glad to assist...sorry we couldn't back to you quicker. Your e-mail was shuffled back due to our computer inner clocks being off.

The tune being played is called "Dallas Rag"...it's an arrangement by Stefan Grossman. We carry all of Stefan's current titles under our distributor: Mel Bay...if you like this arrangement, you'll want any title related to Ragtime guitar...I started studying Ragtime guitar in high school...and am still completely immersed in the style. I hope to put out a video on beginning Ragtime guitar soon...

Here are some of Stefan Grossman titles we currently represent...you may also order any one of these directly through www.melbay.com:

Stefan Grossman Stefan Grossman has been recording, performing and writing about acoustic fingerstyle guitar techniques and styles for over 30 years. During the period from 1965-1975 he studied and traveled with some of the legendary figures in the history of blues guitar. These included Rev. Gary Davis, Mississippi John Hurt, Son House, Skip James, Fred MacDowell and Mance Lipscomb. Stefan has authored an entire catalog of fingerpicking guitar books for Mel Bay Publications and has built his own successful video company specializing in figerpicking video lessons and vintage footage of many blues, jazz, country and fingerpicking greats. His videos are issued under the Vestapol, Ramblin' and Stefan Grossman Guitar Workshop labels and are distributed by Mel Bay Publications. Stefan also has recorded numerous guitar solo CD's for Shanachie Records.