Learn Guitar - Do You Want to learn how to play fingerpicking guitar?

Guitar finger picking is an interesting alternative to strumming with a pick.

With a little practice it can be the basis for interesting and compelling solo pieces.

Using guitar finger picking it is much easier to skip strings and play non-adjacent strings at the same time, so there are advantages ,even for new guitarists.

Basic Guitar Fingerpicking Technique

With guitar fingerpicking style you play the strings directly with your fingers instead of using a pick.

There are a variety of different styles of playing fingerpicking guitar. At the most basic level though the rules below dictate what string to play with what finger.

You use your thumb to play the 3 bass strings of the guitar. The index finger is used to play the 3rd string, the middle finger is used to play the 2nd string and the ring finger is used to play the 1st string.

The pinkie finger is not used in fingerstyle guitar playing Normally you would keep it as close to the ring finger as possible so it doesn’t interfere with your playing.

Once you have your fingers in the correct position over the strings it time to play an arpeggio.

Let’s try with a D chord. Simply finger the D chord, pick the 4th string with you thumb then 3rd string, second string, 1st, 2nd 3rd.

Make sure to use the correct finger for each of the strings.

Once you are comfortable using each finger to strike the right string, try changing between chords playing the pattern above.
Remember to change the bass note each time. By playing around with picking arrangements, some really interesting parts can be created.

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