Finger Picking

Gavin · Post by **Gavin** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 12:28 am

A'ight. So I've been trying to learn some finger picked songs (Elliott Smith, The Jackson Browne Nico songs...) and I'm finding it somewhat difficult. Is there anyone here that is good at finger picking stuff? Are there picking patterns that are commonly used? What tips would you gimme?

James · Post by **James** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 12:35 am

I've read before that you use your thumb for the E A and D and index middle and ring for G B E respectively.

Some Kings of Convenience stuff is fairly simple but great sounding. I will grab you a youtube link and a tab to have a look at.

Gavin · Post by **Gavin** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 12:36 am

Ace, Mega, etc.. Ta James.

James · Post by **James** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 12:44 am

[youtube][/youtube]

There are two parts but the tab covers the one that is easier to pick out (I think, I've never properly learnt it)

Code: Select all

Kings of Convenience - "Winning A Battle , Losing The War"
for 1 guitar. 



Intro&#58;

|------0---------0-----|
|----6--6--------------|
|-----7--0---7----2-0--| x4 
|------0--------0--0---| 
|----------8-----------|
|--6-------------------|

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

main part&#58;

|------3---------0----|
|----1---1-----1------|
|-----2-2---0---0-0*--| x2
|------3------3-------| 
|----------3----------|
|--1------------------|
*sometimes the last 0 isn't played


|------0---------0-----|
|----6--6--------------|
|-----7--0---7----2-0--| x2 
|------0--------0--0---| 
|----------8-----------|
|--6-------------------|

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

istrumental&#58;                   

|------0--0---0-----|       |------1--1---1-----|
|----3--3---3---3---|       |----3--3---3---3---|
|-----0--0---0---0--|       |-----3--3---3---3--|
|------2------2-----|       |------3------3-----|
|--3------3---------|       |--1------1---------|
|-------------------|       |-------------------|

|--------------|
|--------------|
|-----0-2-0----| x2
|----3-----3---| 
|---3-------3--|
|--1-----------|

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

the sun sets on the war....
                        
|----0----0--------|    |----0----0--------|
|-----10---10--10--|    |-----10---10--10--|
|-------10---10----|    |-------10---10----|
|--10--------------|    |--12--------------|
|------------------|    |------------------|
|------------------|    |------------------|

new...

C9  ,  B

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

instrumental 2&#58;

F  , Dm/Bb

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

the sun sets on the war....
&#40;at the end&#41;

|------3---------0----|
|----1---1-----1------|
|-----2-2---0---0-----| x2
|------3------3-------| 
|----------3----------|
|--1------------------|

end chord&#58; &#40;new...&#41;

|--~0--|
|--~1--|
|--~2--| x 2
|--~3--|
|--~3--|
|------|

tab link

and [url=[b]this[/uyrl] this video shows them playing it where you can see the chord shapes and that. *grabs 175*

Gavin · Post by **Gavin** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 12:57 am

James, you nobber. That looks hard as fuck.

James · Post by **James** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 12:59 am

just learn the intro bit. that's the cool bit.

Gavin · Post by **Gavin** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 1:35 am

I just tried it a little bit. It's actually not that hard. I might try and learn that whole song tomorrow.

Reece · Post by **Reece** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 2:14 am

pick a song that seems fucking impossible and work at it.
then pick another one.

that's how i learned fingerpicking. the first slightly more difficult fingerpicking song i leanred was this:

[youtube][/youtube]
fuck lauren laverne.
s'good for learning how to keep a constant bassline going with the thumb while your fingers do their thang.

Code: Select all

artist&#58; fionn regan
song&#58; be good or be gone
http&#58;//www.fionnregan.com

capo 1st fret

intro/verse
e|-------------------------------------------------0---------------|
b|-----3-------------------------3-----3-----------------3-------0-|
g|-----------0-----4-----2---0---------------0---------------0-----|
d|-----0-------0-------0-------0-------4-------4-------4-------4---|
a|---------------------------------2-------2-------2-------2-------|
e|-3-------3-------3-------3---------------------------------------|

e|-----------------3-----0-------0-----2-----------3-----2---0-----|
b|-----1---------------------1---------------1---------------------|
g|-----------2---------2-------2-------2-------2-------2-------2p0-|
d|-----2-------2-----------2-------0-------0-------0-------0-------|
a|-0-------0-------0-----------------------------------------------|
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|

e|-------------------------------------------------0---------------|
b|-----3-------------------------3-----3-----------------3-------0-|
g|-----------0-----4-----2---0---------------0---------------0-----|
d|-----0-------0-------0-------0-------4-------4-------4-------4---|
a|---------------------------------2-------2-------2-------2-------|
e|-3-------3-------3-------3---------------------------------------|

e|-----------------3-----0-------0-----2-----------2h3---2---0-----|
b|-----1---------------------1---------------1---------------------|
g|-----------2---------2-------2-------2-------2-------2-------2p0-|
d|-----2-------2-----------2-------0-------0-------0-------0-------|
a|-0-------0-------0-----------------------------------------------|
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|


chorus
e|-----0---------0-----0---------0-----0---------0-----0---------0-|
b|-----------1---------------1---------------1---------------1-----|
g|-----2-------2-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0---|
d|---------2---------------0---------------2---------------0-------|
a|-0---------------2---------------3---------------2---------------|
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|

e|-----0---------0-----0---------0-----0---------0-----------------|
b|-----------1---------------1---------------1---------------------|
g|-----2-------2-------0-------0-------0-------0-------------------|
d|---------2---------------0---------------2-------2-----0---------|
a|-0---------------2---------------3---------------------------3---|
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|

e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
b|-----3-----------------3---------------3-------3-------3-------3-|
g|-----------0-----0h2-------2-----2h4-------4-------0-------0-----|
d|-----0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------2-------4---|
a|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
e|-3-------3-------3-------3-------3-------3-------3-------3-------|

e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
b|-----3-----------------3-------3-------3-------3-------3-------3-|
g|-----------0-----2p0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0-----|
d|-----0-------0-------0-------0-------4-------4-------2-------2---|
a|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
e|-3-------3-------3-------3-------3-------3-------3-------3-------|

ending                                                 
e|-----------------3p0-----------------------0---------------------|
b|-----3-----------------3---0-----3p0---------------0-------0-----|
g|-----------0-------------------0-------0-------0-------0-------0-|
d|-----0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------4---2---0---|
a|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
e|-3-------3-------3-------3-------3-------3-------3---------------|

e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
b|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
g|---0---0---0---0-------------------------------------------------|
d|-----------------0-----------------------------------------------|
a|-3---2---0---2---2-----------------------------------------------|
e|-----------------3-----------------------------------------------|

Will · Post by **Will** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 2:59 am

Alright: Finger Picking Pontification time.

Don't think in patterns. Just don't. You'll get locked into them and find yourself quickly limited. And don't assign one finger to each string - use whichever works in the situation.

Everything you'll be playing can be classified as a "pinch" or a "roll". In a pinch you'll be plucking with your thumb and one or more of your IMR fingers simultaneously - easy. In a roll, the notes come out at different times. There are forward rolls, from thumb to the IMR fingers, and reverse rolls from IMR to thumb. As you look at and play thru tabs, stay conscious of whether you're doing a pinch or a roll.

In a more idiotic sense, you're playing the low and high string either at the same time or not at the same time. Once you get independence between the fingers on your right hand, you'll be able to play anything.

Another thing I've found helpful is to keep the pinky resting on the top of the guitar. It can be hard to keep it fixed, but having a point of reference helps your muscle memory develop faster.

Mityushikha · Post by **Mityushikha** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 11:27 am

I learnt fingerpicking because of this guy

[youtube][/youtube]

I'd agree with the advice from will, although I do sometimes think in patterns, it makes it easier to remember a long piece or sing over something. If you plan on using plastic fingerpicks then start with them sooner rather than later or you'll learn bad habits that are too sloppy for fingerpicks.

stewart · Post by **stewart** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 11:57 am

i'd love to be able to pingerpick properly, i should really make more of an effort to learn. i'd have to do it by ear though, can't read no tablature (maybe i should learn that too).

nondas · Post by **nondas** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 12:45 pm

I started out with a simple style of Travis picking with songs like "Julia". It's a common style and really easy to pick up. Sorry if this is some pretty n00b shit (because i'm pretty n00b to this shit).
[youtube][/youtube]

Mityushikha · Post by **Mityushikha** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 12:53 pm

nondas wrote:I started out with a simple style of Travis picking with songs like "Julia". It's a common style and really easy to pick up. Sorry if this is some pretty n00b shit (because i'm pretty n00b to this shit).
[youtube][/youtube]

I couldn't learn to fingerpick from this, the guy is too weird.

Gavin · Post by **Gavin** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 1:24 pm

nondas wrote:I started out with a simple style of Travis picking with songs like "Julia". It's a common style and really easy to pick up. Sorry if this is some pretty n00b shit (because i'm pretty n00b to this shit).
[youtube][/youtube]

I can already play that. It's quite easy once you memorise the picking pattern. It's the same picking pattern for Dear Prudence and one of Lennon's solo songs as well.

Gavin · Post by **Gavin** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 1:26 pm

This guy is hilarious. I thought his gurning was a piss take at first, but I think that's just the way he sings. He can finger pick the shit out of a guitar though.

[youtube][/youtube]

George · Post by **George** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 1:33 pm

It's country and Christian but Doyle Dykes is way up there for me with finger-picking.

[youtube][/youtube]

I've started trying to play finger picking/classical for myself but might wimp out and get lessons at some point. It's hard!

stewart · Post by **stewart** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 1:35 pm

nondas wrote:[youtube][/youtube]

wow, jim morrison teaches you how to play 'julia'... i thought he was dead.

Gavin · Post by **Gavin** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 1:38 pm

Haha, he really does look like the lizard king.

Gavin · Post by **Gavin** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 1:43 pm

GeorgeF wrote:It's country and Christian but Doyle Dykes is way up there for me with finger-picking.

[youtube][/youtube]

I've started trying to play finger picking/classical for myself but might wimp out and get lessons at some point. It's hard!

Kewl. I'll have that stuff nailed by lunchtime the morra.

nondas · Post by **nondas** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 1:44 pm

Gavin wrote:This guy is hilarious. I thought his gurning was a piss take at first,

HAHA. He looks a little scary. I would be a little uncomfortable if I saw him live. "Monster, run children, run for your fucking lives!"