Short Description: Classical guitarists don't use picks, they use their fingers instead. Folk and Rock artists also love to fingerpick. It gives them unmatched freedom and versatility while playing a guitar. Read this article and you'll learn how to fingerpick.
How many picks do you use when you fingerpick? Well when you fingerpick, you are using all five fingers as picks and instead of one you actually have five picks at your disposal. So, you can play more than one string at the same time. This is the benefit of fingerpicking.
Classical guitarists actually denote each finger by a letter. They have assigned P to thumb, I to index finger, M to middle finger, A to ring finger and C to little finger. There is a very easy way of remembering it - "Poor Idiots' Memories Are Crap".
Before you begin to fingerpick be sure you know the position of the strings in your guitar (E-A-D-G-B-E). The thinnest string is the first or high E string and the thickest is the sixth or low E string. Thus high E is the lowermost and low E is the uppermost string in your guitar. In between, from bottom to top, lie the four strings B-G-D-A.
Place your right arm over the guitar and let your fingers hang loosely over the sound hole. Gently curl your fingers so that the thumb rests on low E. Let the index finger rest on G, the middle finger on B and the ring finger on E. Usually the little fingers is not of much use. As it is you can't really pick strings effectively with your pinkie - it's too weak for that.
Now bend your thumb a little and pick E A and D slowly downward. Touch the strings with the fleshy part of your thumb. After you're through with this simple exercise and feeling reasonably confident, start picking G B and high E with the fingers poised over them. Start to pick downwards first and as you feel more and more at home you can start the upward strokes as well.
Don't straighten you fingers while you fingerpick - keep them slightly curled and try to keep the palm as still as possible. Use only your fingers while fingerpicking and as soon as you've plucked a string pull back the finger - it should never rest on the string. If you feel the sound is too soft, pluck the strings a little harder.
What'd you do with your little finger? Some players plant it on the bridge for additional support while others prefer to keep it free. Try out both and choose the one which suits you.
It isn't really a bad idea to grow nails on your picking hand. It gives a brighter sound.
How many picks do you use when you fingerpick? Well when you fingerpick, you are using all five fingers as picks and instead of one you actually have five picks at your disposal. So, you can play more than one string at the same time. This is the benefit of fingerpicking.
Classical guitarists actually denote each finger by a letter. They have assigned P to thumb, I to index finger, M to middle finger, A to ring finger and C to little finger. There is a very easy way of remembering it - "Poor Idiots' Memories Are Crap".
Before you begin to fingerpick be sure you know the position of the strings in your guitar (E-A-D-G-B-E). The thinnest string is the first or high E string and the thickest is the sixth or low E string. Thus high E is the lowermost and low E is the uppermost string in your guitar. In between, from bottom to top, lie the four strings B-G-D-A.
Place your right arm over the guitar and let your fingers hang loosely over the sound hole. Gently curl your fingers so that the thumb rests on low E. Let the index finger rest on G, the middle finger on B and the ring finger on E. Usually the little fingers is not of much use. As it is you can't really pick strings effectively with your pinkie - it's too weak for that.
Now bend your thumb a little and pick E A and D slowly downward. Touch the strings with the fleshy part of your thumb. After you're through with this simple exercise and feeling reasonably confident, start picking G B and high E with the fingers poised over them. Start to pick downwards first and as you feel more and more at home you can start the upward strokes as well.
Don't straighten you fingers while you fingerpick - keep them slightly curled and try to keep the palm as still as possible. Use only your fingers while fingerpicking and as soon as you've plucked a string pull back the finger - it should never rest on the string. If you feel the sound is too soft, pluck the strings a little harder.
What'd you do with your little finger? Some players plant it on the bridge for additional support while others prefer to keep it free. Try out both and choose the one which suits you.
It isn't really a bad idea to grow nails on your picking hand. It gives a brighter sound.
About the Author:
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