Fingerpicking single-note lines

[andrewlovejoy]

I've been playing mandolin for a long time, and also a bit of guitar, but only flatpicking. I'm trying to branch out into fingerstyle playing. I'm a big Mark Knopfler fan and interested in trying to explore some of his style, i.e. not just fingerpicking chords, but also more melodic single-note lines.

I'm having a lot of trouble settling on a technique for playing these single-note lines. I know Knopfler plays with 3 fingers (thumb, index, middle). But I am having trouble getting a feel for this technique, maybe because I'm so used to alternate picking that trying to divide groups of notes into 3 (T - I - M) rather than 2 or 4 is not intuitive. On the other hand, just alternating thumb and index finger feels really "clunky". I am having trouble even playing a simple scale in a way that feels smooth and logical.

I've done some googling looking for videos that might be helpful, but I haven't found anything that really breaks it down for me, and when I watch Knopfler live it's really hard for me to figure out exactly what his right hand is doing.

So I'm curious. If you play melodic lines fingerstyle on acoustic or electric, how do you approach the right hand? How many fingers do you use, and what kind of patterns? I'm aware that there isn't a single "correct" way and know that Knopfler himself basically made up his own technique... so I'm just curious about what approaches people use and hoping I'll be able to find something that makes sense to me.

Thanks!

[rick-slo]

Most commonly imimimim on non arpeggio like single note scales. When playing more in arpeggio like patterns other fingers and thumb can be used. Also when playing scales,etc. often times hammer-ons and pull-offs are used here and there in place of the right hand picking the notes.

[Doug Young]

I typically have used p-i or i-m, but lately have been using p-m-i, I guess as you describe. It takes some practice, and you can't use it consistently, or at least I can't, so I'll drop back to p-i, or i-m at times, but the 2 finger approach makes it easy to play fast and smooth where it works.

[Bob Womack]

I studied classical enough to be dangerous, so I use PIMA (everything except the pinky).


Bob

[JonnyBGood]

Originally Posted by andrewlovejoy

I've been playing mandolin for a long time, and also a bit of guitar, but only flatpicking. I'm trying to branch out into fingerstyle playing. I'm a big Mark Knopfler fan and interested in trying to explore some of his style, i.e. not just fingerpicking chords, but also more melodic single-note lines.

I'm having a lot of trouble settling on a technique for playing these single-note lines. I know Knopfler plays with 3 fingers (thumb, index, middle). But I am having trouble getting a feel for this technique, maybe because I'm so used to alternate picking that trying to divide groups of notes into 3 (T - I - M) rather than 2 or 4 is not intuitive. On the other hand, just alternating thumb and index finger feels really "clunky".

Thumb index is how I prefer to play single note lines fingerstyle, its how the lutenists used to play also and that repertoire is full of scales. Knopfler as well, though for slower passages with just a few notes he simply repeats the index.

Alternating index and middle finger is probably the most common technique in classical guitar, certainly in flamenco. Using three fingers for scalar lines is much less popular as things get complicated quickly, especially when you string cross. Some players (eg Matt Palmer is a great example, he wrote a book on the subject) have developed the three finger approach to virtuoso levels though.

Basically you have to work with whichever feels most comfortable to you. Difficult to advise on these things without seeing you play, your hand position and whether you rest fingers on the guitar.

[cliff_the_stiff]

Originally Posted by andrewlovejoy

I've been playing mandolin for a long time, and also a bit of guitar, but only flatpicking. I'm trying to branch out into fingerstyle playing. I'm a big Mark Knopfler fan and interested in trying to explore some of his style, i.e. not just fingerpicking chords, but also more melodic single-note lines.

I'm having a lot of trouble settling on a technique for playing these single-note lines. I know Knopfler plays with 3 fingers (thumb, index, middle). But I am having trouble getting a feel for this technique, maybe because I'm so used to alternate picking that trying to divide groups of notes into 3 (T - I - M) rather than 2 or 4 is not intuitive. On the other hand, just alternating thumb and index finger feels really "clunky". I am having trouble even playing a simple scale in a way that feels smooth and logical.

I've done some googling looking for videos that might be helpful, but I haven't found anything that really breaks it down for me, and when I watch Knopfler live it's really hard for me to figure out exactly what his right hand is doing.

So I'm curious. If you play melodic lines fingerstyle on acoustic or electric, how do you approach the right hand? How many fingers do you use, and what kind of patterns? I'm aware that there isn't a single "correct" way and know that Knopfler himself basically made up his own technique... so I'm just curious about what approaches people use and hoping I'll be able to find something that makes sense to me.

Thanks!

I found this video- It is short, but he basically goes through his learning progression step by step.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OG__SwkV3wg

[Llewlyn]

I play a lot of single lines with my fingers on my acoustics as I started with the electric guitar and, when moved to fingerstyle, I wanted keep playing my beloved led zeppelin / pink floyd solos.

If I don't go too fast, I repeat the index finger a lot because I like the tone, otherwise I alternate i-m. If I need to comp at the same time, then I i use tim for chords and play melody exclusively with a. I don't use nails, except sometimes I keep a short nail on i only, because I like the tone.

Ll.

[DukeX]

It depends on the song. Sometimes PIMA, sometimes just the thumb (as if flatpicking).

[stanron]

Thumb and first finger can be a substitute for down and up picking but flesh tends to mute more than plastic. As rick-slo points out hammer ons, pull offs and slides can avoid the muting of opposing fleshy moves and also add fluency and variety of sound. Thumb and first finger with thumb pick and finger pick might also work for some. In the past I have used a thumb pick for down and up picking with some success.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by andrewlovejoy

…So I'm curious. If you play melodic lines fingerstyle on acoustic or electric, how do you approach the right hand?

Thanks!

Hi alj

The word 'melodic' is key to me. When I'm playing lead lines, I'm often emulating a singer not a pianist…which means I don't try to separately articulate every note.

In fact I do a lot of hammers (on/off), bends (on/off) and slides (up/down) to smooth out the melodic aspect.

There are certainly times I need/want to articulate all the notes in a passage…but they are a lot rarer when playing lead parts, or melodies.

Slides are related to slurs, and so are gentle hammer-ons. Hammer ons can be performed in a delayed or more subdued manner than just smacking the next note. And pre-setting a bend and releasing it to get a downward slur is a technique worth mastering.

Another technique is to hammer onto a note, then slide to the next note. Also you can hammer-on and then bend or use a wrist-finger combo vibrato/tremolo (like an orchestral string player).

Hope this contributes to the discussion…

[Howard Emerson]

Originally Posted by andrewlovejoy

I've been playing mandolin for a long time, and also a bit of guitar, but only flatpicking. I'm trying to branch out into fingerstyle playing. I'm a big Mark Knopfler fan and interested in trying to explore some of his style, i.e. not just fingerpicking chords, but also more melodic single-note lines.

I'm having a lot of trouble settling on a technique for playing these single-note lines. I know Knopfler plays with 3 fingers (thumb, index, middle). But I am having trouble getting a feel for this technique, maybe because I'm so used to alternate picking that trying to divide groups of notes into 3 (T - I - M) rather than 2 or 4 is not intuitive. On the other hand, just alternating thumb and index finger feels really "clunky". I am having trouble even playing a simple scale in a way that feels smooth and logical.

I've done some googling looking for videos that might be helpful, but I haven't found anything that really breaks it down for me, and when I watch Knopfler live it's really hard for me to figure out exactly what his right hand is doing.

So I'm curious. If you play melodic lines fingerstyle on acoustic or electric, how do you approach the right hand? How many fingers do you use, and what kind of patterns? I'm aware that there isn't a single "correct" way and know that Knopfler himself basically made up his own technique... so I'm just curious about what approaches people use and hoping I'll be able to find something that makes sense to me.

Thanks!

Andrew,
I have no doubt that you will find this man, Lior Yekutieli, just the inspiration you're in need of. He starts a little slowly, but just you wait.....



You'll be doing it in no time!

Regards,
Howard Emerson

[EZYPIKINS]

I tend to use all 5. Thumb will generally stay on strings 5 & 6. The rest fall where is comfortable. There is no one way. You must come up with what feels right to you.