Let's talk fingerpicking.

[mcmurray]

My finger picking knowledge is fairly minimal, I basically use my thumb for the E, A and D strings, and index/middle/ring fingers for the others.

 

What other approaches can be used? I'd like to learn to fingerpick like Mike Oldfield/John Renbourn/Mark Knopfler does, but I haven't found any in-depth information as to how they do it.

 

If someone could point me to a method book or outline their own techniques that would be awesome.

 

Maybe classical lessons would be a good way to master the technique? Or not?

[benzem]

For me it's more dictated by the song/lick than a strict method.

I'll use my thumb on the downbeat, and fingers for the offbeat... or think bassline/melody.

In sultans, the fast pent lick near the end of the 2nd solo..where you play 3rd, 2nd, 1st, then 2nd strings quickly (just b4 the chicken pick part b4 the final epic arpeggio lick) I will use my thumb where, if flatpicking, I would use a downstroke, and 1st fngr where I'd upstroke. So, thumb, thumb, index, thumb.

The tone is different as well, so that plays into my choice of fingers. When I want a loud fat tone, I'll use my 1st finger with a rest stroke.

[mcmurray]

^ This is good stuff, cheers.

[polishpaul]

I have found nothing better than:

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=deltabluestips

This guy has made me realize that I've been fingerpicking in the same way that a ballerina would dance wearing army boots.

He is a keen fingerpicker, and gives you a real good look at what he's doing.

There are a lot of great learning resources on the net, but these free videos are outstanding. I'm playing better after working through just one video!

[JonR]

Maybe classical lessons would be a good way to master the technique? Or not?

Classical lessons would be useful in establishing good position at least, but there are significant differences in the style. (Some of the folk techniques would be banned in classical style!)

The classical right hand position is with the wrist arched some way above the strings, so thumb and fingers alike can come down on the strings from above. The blues or Travis style often has the wrist resting on the guitar or bridge (to get the damped bass) and most players in that style use a thumbpick because the thumb in that position is parallel to the strings. That's one significant difference. The other is that in alternating bass the thumb keeps the beat while fingers pick almost random notes from the chords. In classical style, chords are generally arpeggiated, and there can be melodies in the bass as well as the fingers.

IOW, the folk-blues style is really a vocal accompaniment style, at root. The classical style is a full solo performance style. Where the folk-blues style is used for instrumental performance, the thumb bass still tends to dominate - as here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kf6OjxYPzooThis style came from a combination of ragtime piano and folk banjo techniques.

 

Classical teaching tends to start with the fingers (picking upwards on the top 3 strings), only bringing the thumb in later. As you can see from Tommy Emmanuel's video, it's the other way round in folk-blues style: you have to get that thumb working properly before you involve the fingers.

[mcmurray]

Great stuff guys.

JonR - epic post, as usual. This will give me a lot to chew on

As for Oldfield, looking closer it seems he uses his index finger often on the D string like you mention.

Here he is showing off,

and on acoustic;

[1001gear]

Plucking chords is a good place to start.

[jonfinn]

This is a thing I did to introduce the basics of electric fingerstyle. Rather than do a long explanation, I wrote it out (download the .pdf)

 

Chet's Blues in C

 

Would love to know what you think thanks!

 

Jon

[mcmurray]

^ Subscribed. I'll definitely work through that.