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Old 03-30-2002, 07:36 PM
tigerucla tigerucla is offline
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Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Roseville, CA
Posts: 28
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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!
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