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finger pikin


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Posted

Im tryin to learn how to finger pick on the ol guitar but im not shure im really on the right track although some of what im spittin out sounds good. Tips advice anything will help. Thanks and much love!

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Posted

The old Happy Traum books are pretty good -- it's mainly reading fodder with some explation and pieces that may showcase a technique or 2 so treat them as etudes (or performance pieces) as opposed to a method

 

For mechanics, I'm still abt the old fashioned way -- personal instruction

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Posted

If it's starting to sound good you're on the right track. As soon as you can try to start thinking bass line/melody line instead of repeating patterns. It's just a long road from here to Chet but eventually very rewarding.

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Posted

Just a tip: Try to learn to use all 5 fingers for finger picking - you'll wish you had in the long run. I use 4 most of the time for finger picking and will sometimes use 5, but since I didn't practice w/ my pinky in the early days, it's not real natural for me to use it in finger picking.

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Posted

 

Originally posted by zcarmenb28

Just a tip: Try to learn to use all 5 fingers for finger picking - you'll wish you had in the long run. I use 4 most of the time for finger picking and will sometimes use 5, but since I didn't practice w/ my pinky in the early days, it's not real natural for me to use it in finger picking.

 

 

 

Don't use the pinky.

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Posted

 

Originally posted by fretmess

If it's starting to sound good you're on the right track. As soon as you can try to start thinking bass line/melody line instead of repeating patterns. It's just a long road from here to Chet but eventually very rewarding.

 

 

 

very good post .... rat

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Posted

 

Originally posted by zcarmenb28



What makes you say that?

 

 

Because of the pinky's inherent lack of strength and dexterity, it's almost never used in most finger-picked styles. Some flamenco players use it for big rolls and such, I'm told, but it's almost unheard of. Classical technique involves the use of all right hand fingers except the pinky, and in alot of the country finger picking stuff, they use even fewer fingers than that (Doc Watson only uses thumb and index! Holy balls!)

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Posted

 

Originally posted by dastardlydrvish



Because of the pinky's inherent lack of strength and dexterity, it's almost never used in most finger-picked styles. Some flamenco players use it for big rolls and such, I'm told, but it's almost unheard of. Classical technique involves the use of all right hand fingers except the pinky, and in alot of the country finger picking stuff, they use even fewer fingers than that (Doc Watson only uses thumb and index! Holy balls!)

 

 

Well I typically use 4 fingers, but have seen people use 5 and it's impressive what they can do, too.

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Posted

 

Originally posted by zcarmenb28



Well I typically use 4 fingers, but have seen people use 5 and it's impressive what they can do, too.

 

 

Yeah, I'm sure there are plenty who can do great things with all five fingers. I would just advise beginners to keep it simple for themselves by using the standard thumb and three fingers approach until they get a bit more comfortable with fingerstyle.

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Posted

I'm not an expert guitarist by any means but I find the

pinky useful in even the most rudimentary stuff.

Especially when muting. FIVE strings can be individually

muted with the thumb handling the two low strings.

The possibilities are endless.

Maybe the guitar method needs revision.?

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Posted

Originally posted by 1001gear

I'm not an expert guitarist by any means but I find the

pinky useful in even the most rudimentary stuff.

Especially when muting. FIVE strings can be individually

muted with the thumb handling the two low strings.

The possibilities are endless.

Maybe the guitar method needs revision.?

 

I agree. I like to use my pinky, even though I'm not very good with it yet :)

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Posted

 

Originally posted by 1001gear

I'm not an expert guitarist by any means but I find the

pinky useful in even the most rudimentary stuff.

Especially when muting. FIVE strings can be individually

muted with the thumb handling the two low strings.

The possibilities are endless.

Maybe the guitar method needs revision.?

 

 

You realize that we're talking about the pinky on the picking hand, right? Assuming you do, then yes, it can be used for plucking five note chords and such. I was simply pointing out that the pinky is omitted in the picking hand in most finger-picked guitar styles. It's alot like using the thumb on the fretting hand: of course it can be done, and many people do it, but laying that kind of sketchy, unorthodox form on a beginner will probably add unnecessary confusion to an already difficult process.

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Posted

I think the main reason the pinky is ignored in legit

plucking is it is too short to line up with the rest of

the fingers. This is simply an issue of hand position.

None of the JS Bach stuff I can think of has any

'Five Fingered' blues passages so I don't see any

problem. Simply use your fingers as required... like

that other hand you alluded to. LOL

 

BTW if the muting issue escapes you, turn up the gain.

:)

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Posted

 

Originally posted by dastardlydrvish

Doc Watson only uses thumb and index! Holy balls!

 

 

Many, if not all, of African guitar players use only the thumb and index. It's the traditional way of fingerpicking over there.

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Posted

Hi Belair420,

 

 

I don't know how far along you are , but what I did is start with Thumb and index finger then built up from there til I was ready for the next finger. I play chicken pickin style and for the music I play i've never had a problem, but I can use my ring finger also just not as good. I say what works for you use it or learn it. look ahead and if you want to learn songs that you need all five fingers to play then I say practice all 5.

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Posted

I just started finger picking, using Troy Stetina's "Left Handed Guitar" as a guide. He has simple exercises to being with, using open chords. He uses 4 fingers.

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