Beginner's Fingerstyle Method

[JMYMusic]

Hello everyone - I would like to know if you could give some recommendations for a beginner's fingerstyle method book that covers the picking patterns, how to incorporate and play melodies with the patterns, etc.

I am starting from scratch and need to have things broken down and explained with exercises to develop technique step-by-step.

There is an enormous amount of content for this on the web, so I'd like to narrow down the choices based on your suggestions.

Thanks!

[reeve21]

Originally Posted by JMYMusic

Hello everyone - I would like to know if you could give some recommendations for a beginner's fingerstyle method book that covers the picking patterns, how to incorporate and play melodies with the patterns, etc.

I am starting from scratch and need to have things broken down and explained with exercises to develop technique step-by-step.

There is an enormous amount of content for this on the web, so I'd like to narrow down the choices based on your suggestions.

Thanks!

Mark Hanson. Do a search using his name, it will keep you busy for weeks

Many of us started out in this style using his Travis picking book (it applies to all finger-style, not just Travis).

Edit: I'm not sure if you are a complete beginner or a finger-style beginner. If the former then Hanson is probably not the place to start. Check out Justinguitar.com.

[JMYMusic]

Originally Posted by reeve21

Mark Hanson. Do a search using his name, it will keep you busy for weeks

Many of us started out in this style using his Travis picking book (it applies to all finger-style, not just Travis).

Edit: I'm not sure if you are a complete beginner or a finger-style beginner. If the former then Hanson is probably not the place to start. Check out Justinguitar.com.

Thanks - I am a beginning guitar player and have been through several of Justin's modules. Ultimate goal is to play fingerstyle in the style of Travis, Atkins, etc. I did pick up the Hanson Travis picking book, but it jumps from patterns right into the songs without any instruction on how to play the melodies. I'm sure it will be a good book for me eventually.

[reeve21]

Originally Posted by JMYMusic

Thanks - I am a beginning guitar player and have been through several of Justin's modules. Ultimate goal is to play fingerstyle in the style of Travis, Atkins, etc. I did pick up the Hanson Travis picking book, but it jumps from patterns right into the songs without any instruction on how to play the melodies. I'm sure it will be a good book for me eventually.

Check out Toby Walker‘s website. He has a Learning how to finger pick lesson module. He will get you playing some simple folk melodies like oh Susanna And freight train pretty soon and the videos will show you exactly how he does it. Good luck!

[TBman]

Originally Posted by JMYMusic

..... I did pick up the Hanson Travis picking book, but it jumps from patterns right into the songs without any instruction on how to play the melodies. I'm sure it will be a good book for me eventually.

Go back to the Hanson books. I'm a Hanson graduate,

Here's my diploma :


BTW, the "patterns" are just taught to gain dexterity. Yes, some types of music can have repetitive thumb work (boom chuck comes to mind). but to play music with melodies there aren't really any patterns.

You have to take your time with the Hanson books, don't jump ahead and go slow with them.

[davidbeinct]

Originally Posted by TBman

Go back to the Hanson books. I'm a Hanson graduate,

Here's my diploma :


BTW, the "patterns" are just taught to gain dexterity. Yes, some types of music can have repetitive thumb work (boom chuck comes to mind). but to play music with melodies there aren't really any patterns.

You have to take your time with the Hanson books, don't jump ahead and go slow with them.

Star of the County Down is very nice. How long had you been playing when you started with Hanson’s books and how long have you been playing since?

[TBman]

Originally Posted by davidbeinct

Star of the County Down is very nice. How long had you been playing when you started with Hanson’s books and how long have you been playing since?

Thanks

I'll be 65 next month. I first picked up a guitar in 1963. I played steadily as a strummer for 10 years and then a mix of strumming, flatpicking and hybrid for another 10. I took a break until 1993 and I taught myself a couple of Beatles finger style tunes. I stopped and didn't play until about the early 2000's. That is when I started with Hanson's books and other tunes of his. Except for a period in 2012-2014 I have played steadily to date.

There's a few of his tunes that I'd love to go back and relearn at some point.

[sloar]

I'm also a beginner and what helped me the most was learning Dust in The Wind. The pattern used in the song is also used in a bunch of other songs. I think I used Marty Schwartz and he broke it down pretty simple. Ive used the same pattern in arranging songs that are picked and strummed. Its a very universal pattern.

[rjathon]

I learned with the Zager system, www.zagerguitar.com

His notation system is unique and make learning fingerstyle very easy.

Russ

[cliff_the_stiff]

Scales, scales, scales....
Start with the major scale- pentatonic scales, and practice the patterns all over the neck.
I like the guitar Grimoire. Too much information at once, but a great scale and chord voicing reference book.
I’ve been playing for 25 years- always avoided scales- my failure to practice these early hindered my ability to create melodies, learn intervals, and reinforces bad habits.
knowing where you wanna go with your melody- and knowing where your root is in relation to the key to truly play finger style.

[TBman]

Originally Posted by cliff_the_stiff

Scales, scales, scales....
Start with the major scale- pentatonic scales, and practice the patterns all over the neck.
I like the guitar Grimoire. Too much information at once, but a great scale and chord voicing reference book.
I’ve been playing for 25 years- always avoided scales- my failure to practice these early hindered my ability to create melodies, learn intervals, and reinforces bad habits.
knowing where you wanna go with your melody- and knowing where your root is in relation to the key to truly play finger style.

I have that book somewhere. I'll have to dig it out and take a look.

[JonPR]

As a self-taught fingerstylist myself, resistant to a lot of "methods", I'll add my vote for the Mark Hanson book.

I was pleasantly surprised to find his method is pretty much the same as mine!