I Can Pick My Friends But I Can't Pick A "G"
 

OK fingerpickers, here's the dumb question of the day...

I'm learning to do a little fingerpicking and for the most part, I'm doing pretty good. It's just a case of getting the fingers to cooperate with my brain. I'm sure that practice will take care of that problem.

However, I keep running across cords that would normally be strummed by using all 6 strings. Like a "G" for instance. Lemme see here. Yep, I only have 5 fingers on my right hand. I'm not sure how a "G" or other cords that would normally utilize all 6 strings be picked. Hmmm...my only thought would be that the thumb would pick the 6th and 5th strings and the 4 fingers take care of the 1st thru 4th strings.

Or, do I just skip over a few strings here and there? Does anyone know of a site that would show (tab style) the approporate fingers to be used of different cords?

GBDGBG is a G chord on all 6 strings. Notice there are really only 3 notes in the chord. You really don't have to pick all 6 strings to make the chord.

Hope this helps.

Most people when they fingerpick use only three or four of their fingers (including the thumb). I've seen some only use two (thumb and forefinger). If you are using four (thumb, index middle and ring), the thumb usually plays the bass note on the 4th, 5th, OR 6th string, while the other three fingers stay on the 1st - 3rd strings. The bass note is usually played on the string which has the note after which the chord is named, so E barred-F and G chords use the 6th string for a bass note played by the thumb; A B and C chords use the 5th string; and D and non-barred-F chords use the 4th. Sometimes the three other fingers can move up to the 2nd - 4th strings for a different sound on chords using the 5th or 6th string for the bass note.

If you use the Travis picking technique (three fingers), the thumb does double duty on the bass note and the 3rd string while the index and middle fingers are on the 2nd and 1st strings, respectively.

In the two finger technique, both the thumb and the index finger are doing double duty.

There are many variations on all of these techniques, but hopefully this can help you get started. Good luck!

W5BLT

I'd suggest Mark Hanson's two instructional books

The Art of Contemporary Ttravis Picking

and

The Art of Solo Fingerpicking....

can get them from his site accentonmusic.com

if you do a search, I suggested these a long time ago and it seems many are happy with them....

Would also get at least the first two books of the National Guitar Workshop's Fingerstyle series...(from Alfred Publishing)

Fingerstyle Guitar - Beginning

and

Fingerstyle Guitar - Intermediate

master basic things...

generalize what you've mastered....

guaranteed progress.....

there are good things on the internet....obviously.....

but 'free' doesn't NECESSARILY imply good value at all...how much time do you waste bumbling about the internet? how much organization do you get? how much sequential progress can you make from hopping site to site and tip to tip?....don't forget....many folks played the guitar well long before the internet came along....

suggestion....

get good...

THEN

utilize the internet....

I learned fingerstyle from my guitar teacher. He taught me a modified classical style using the thumb and three fingers. What this means is I could play fingerstyle songs, but I really couldn't do any Travis picking. At Mapletrees suggestion I bought Mark Hanson's The Art of Contemporary Travis Picking. This is a great book to learn Travis picking.

Pay attention to Mr. Mapletrees. He won't steer you wrong. He might confuse the He!! out of you with some of his posts, but he won't steer you wrong.:roll:

David

I CAN NOW PICK A "G" AND MY FRIENDS!
 

It was like a preacher grabbing my shoulder and hollering "Heal!". I now see the light. It's amazing that some things that work for some folks just don't work for others. I guess it's all in the method of learning that one perfers or something.

Anyway, at the suggestions of mapletrees, I ordered and just received The Art of Contemporary Travis Picking : How to Play the Alternating-Bass Fingerpicking Style (Bk&CD) by Mark D. Hanson and gave it a try. Something just "clicked" I guess, but, all of a sudden, things made sense to me. I was actually able to corrdinate and understand what I needed to do and how to coordinate both hands as well as engage my brain. I'm finally on my fingerpicking way, I think.

I have 3-4 fingerpicking books, but this one did the trick for me. I suppose the moral to this story is not to give up if you only try the instruction from one book or person. Keep on trying. One day, you'll find the right combinations as I did.

Now, where did I put that book and CD?

Thanks mapletrees. I appreciate the suggestion.:) :) :)

Just remember...
You can pick your friends...
You can pick your nose...
But you can't pick your friends nose!:lol:

The question isn't whether you can or can't, but do you really want to? :D

Okay, maybe I'm rehashing the original post, but I could use a little bit of advice.

I've been playing for five years now, and I've been fingerpicking almost as long. However, I'm finally starting to get into some harder stuff, some blues (such as Clapton's Unplugged), some Celtic, and a lot of just instrumental arrangements. I'm REALLY starting to get into the sound of solo fingerpicking guitar, such as Lawrence Juber.

With that in mind, what would be the best ONE or TWO books for me to really get into better playing? I've heard about five or six tossed about, but as I'm still in grad school, I'm sort of on a budget.

Specific recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,
Jason

Jason (and others)

What Mapletrees said.....Mark Hanson, two books...great stuff.