New fingerpicking web site with full course, songs, tabs and videos

[nicolajazz]

Hi, I would like to report a new web site which contains an entire fingerpicking course with exercises in tabs and video, plus tablature of many songs arranged in figerpicking with videos.
Its address is: http://www.guitarnick.com
Regards.

[Dulope]

Thanks .... that was a fun tune

[shawlie]

Yeah, some fun stuff! I've been playing "Ragtime Ramble" and "Shorting Bread" all day (I always loved the "Shorting Bread" song - nice and hypnotic after a while).

[daniel1703]

wow that is a great site. I like the approach.

[johnra]

Looks like it will be a great site when they get all systems up and running. Like this site, maybe a good place to learn without having to empty your wallet. Thanks for the link. John

[daniel1703]

hmm the site recommends using only the thumb, index and middle fingers for fingerpicking.

I was trained to play with my thumb, index, middle and ring fingers. Do you think I should keep my own habit?

[nicolajazz]

In acoustic guitar, there are no fixed rules. We need only think of Merle Travis playing with only 2 fingers. The use of three fingers is the most common in fingerpicking but if you feel comfortable with using 4 then 4. Will be your style.
Pay attention when you use the thumbpick with palm-muting, in this case playing with 4 fingers is relly difficult.

[Billy Memphis]

Django Reinhardt got by mostly with 2 fingers.

[mmmaak]

Pay attention when you use the thumbpick with palm-muting, in this case playing with 4 fingers is relly difficult.
Why is that? I palm mute and play with all 5 fingers (the pinky can be useful if trained). It's true that many songs can be played without use of the ring finger, but at the same time many songs can't be played without it.

I think how easy/hard it is is strongly influenced by posture and position.

[random works]

Why is that? I palm mute and play with all 5 fingers (the pinky can be useful if trained). It's true that many songs can be played without use of the ring finger, but at the same time many songs can't be played without it.

I agree, sometimes muting and using all 4 fingers is just "the sound"...I can't reproduce the same sound using any other combination. I find this works best on a narrower fingerboard ( at least for my hand/finger configuration)

[nicolajazz]

If you play with thumbpick and palm muting on 4 string to use the ring is difficult and even useless. For beginners it is better to start with three fingers and then, when you become good, add the ring if you want.
I also use the ring in some fingerpicking songs, but do not ever recommend to a beginner.
I instead recommend using 4 fingers for fingerstyle.

[TBman]

I book marked the site, thanks! I'll investigate it tomorrow when I'm wide awake.

[astrummer]

I'm probably not as good as 90% of you but I use all 5 right hand fingers since I don't see why I should be limited to less than the number that I have.

[djphelan01]

Great site......Thanks!!


I had injured my right hand index finger a couple of years ago and now I have no feeling in it. I got used to playing without it and can play everything I used to play with the index using my middle finger. Bottom line is that you can use whatever works and sounds good to you.

[JimB1]

Nice site! I am trying to learn some fingerstyle and this looks like a great way to start.
Thanks
-Jim

[mdh]

I am fairly new to finger style... is the general rule to use the thumb for strings 6 and 5? I have a bit of a structured mind (one of my many limitations ;-). I was watching Mike Herberts' video lessons online and he would take the approach that the thumb always plays the base note and would drop his thumb on the 4th string from time to time.

He also anchors his little finger.. something i do with flat picking. Is this a bad habit for finger style?

[Billy Memphis]

I am fairly new to finger style... is the general rule to use the thumb for strings 6 and 5?
He also anchors his little finger.. something i do with flat picking. Is this a bad habit for finger style?

Well yes and yes. The thumb generally plays the bass notes and it is a bad habit to anchor your pinkie but many people do it and unless you are playing classical it will not get in your way. It may even help you find your place and keep it. I am sure volumes could be written on whether or not to anchor your pinkie.

[mdh]

Well yes and yes. The thumb generally plays the bass notes and it is a bad habit to anchor your pinkie but many people do it and unless you are playing classical it will not get in your way. It may even help you find your place and keep it. I am sure volumes could be written on whether or not to anchor your pinkie.

thank you so much.. OK... I will try to avoid using my little finger to anchor... Why do you try to avoid anchoring? I assume you use your little finger to play the first string? In other words, every finger has a primary string to play :-)? Thanks in advance,

[Billy Memphis]

Anytime one of your fingers is anchored, it limits the ability for your hand to move freely. You rarely use the strumming hand pinky, even with all finger strumming as in flamenco.

[Smurf42]

This looks like a very useful site, Thanks for the link!

Also, I seem to anchor my hand more when really "digging into" a tune, and let it float when doing the "cascading waterfall" type of stuff. I also use 4 fingers unless "digging in", then I seem to resort to p-i-m...I don't know why, just the way that feels comfortable for me....

[JeremyG]

I am fairly new to finger style... is the general rule to use the thumb for strings 6 and 5? I have a bit of a structured mind (one of my many limitations ;-). I was watching Mike Herberts' video lessons online and he would take the approach that the thumb always plays the base note and would drop his thumb on the 4th string from time to time.

He also anchors his little finger.. something i do with flat picking. Is this a bad habit for finger style?

Not neccessarily but here's another viewpoint...

http://www.mjra.net/WillFly/qa1d.shtml

Also Stefan Grossman uses his pinky as an anchor and if I ever get 1/2 as good as he is I won't worry about trying to change anything.

Jeremy.