Looking for Fingerstyle Method Book and/or advice

[FiggyPudding18]

Hi All,

I’ve been playing for almost two years now. In addition to just playing songs by my favorite bands/artists, I started William Leavitt’s modern method for guitar almost 1 year ago and am almost done with the first book.

I chose this method book because I heard it was great for learning how to read on the guitar and get to know the fretboard really well, etc...I feel I’m definitely getting a ton out of it and plan to complete books 2 and 3 as well.

Since I have been using a pick for this book, I really am looking for some direction with fingerpicking. I don’t really have the desire to go full classical nylon string and all, but I really want to build right hand dexterity and become more fluid at playing with all of my fingers. Up to this point I have been fingerpicking with just my thumb and index with my pinky anchored. It’s worked well but obviously can limit the amount of different notes that I can play at once. I’m just wondering if you all have any suggestions for either a method book to get more comfortable with fingerstyle, or advice on next steps. Thanks!

[BluesKing777]

2 years? Spring chicken!

Congratulations. That is past the cutoff point of the ones that give up in a huff and chuck the guitar out the window...

I am sure you will get plenty of replies and may even get moved to another part of the forum, but for now I would keep going with the next books.

Except, fingerpick the material instead of plectrum... good practice! (Thumb and index finger only like Rev Davis or Lightnin' Hopkins!)

But I am thinking when you say you want to fingerpick, you really mean you want to get bopping around the guitar like Chet Atkins or the forum's Toby Walker, and not old staid Willie Leavitt...correct? Couple of clues for you there....

BluesKing777.

[emtsteve]

This is what I started with: https://markhansonguitar.com/product...-online-audio/

Have fun!

[JohnW63]

Just to be clear, do you want to play "fingerstyle" which is a complicated style all in its own, like Tommy Emmanuel and others, or do you want to learn more like finger picking, such as Travis picking where you use generally thumb and three fingers? ( Yep. Merle Travis used less, but those after used all three. )

For player with just two years behind you, moving right up to Fingerstyle would be a big jump. I would at least get finger picking down and develop all finger dexterity first.

Here is a classic example of cool finger picking, Travis style:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0E7rUemfC-A

[EZYPIKINS]

Hi Figgy:
Just to add my $.02
Books and videos are a great source of information. All things in moderation.
You must take what you learn from these books and modify it to what will become your individual style. Everybody is different. You, Me, The people who write these books. My point here is. There is no right or wrong. Some use a thumb and one finger. Some two fingers. Myself, I use everything I've got. It all depends on what I'm playing and how I might feel at the time.
My advice would be to use your ears. Listen to different fingerstyle songs. Picture in your head, which notes are being played and when. Then try to apply that within your ability.

[FiggyPudding18]

To be honest, I'm still not sure what the difference is between "Travis Picking" and "Fingerstyle", other than some people say Travis Picking uses more alternating thumb bass lines.

Here are a couple of videos of the kind of playing I would like to improve upon:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYMXwNuQNQU

Song 1 - The back of Her - my fingers are kind of all over the place if I try to play something like this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXXl8S7TPM4&t=177s

Song 2 - Christmas Time is Here - this one is definitely attainable for me since I have done some chord melody stuff in Modern Method. My only question--how do I get better at arpeggiating chords in that exaggerated jazzy way he is displaying? It's easy with a pick but he has each finger pluck a different note and does it really quickly and cohesively.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=janKkHWiP38

Song 3 - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKcQyUszdhw

Video 4 - more cool fingerstyle accompaniment from a tiny desk I saw last night


So basically, I am a singer so I want to play while I sing, but I also would really like to be able to play solo guitar pieces and more intricate fingerstyle accompaniment! I know that is possible with a pick as well, but I don't want to limit myself and think it would be good to be solid on two different approaches.

I usually have problems hitting surrounding strings when I play fingerstyle with all my fingers instead of thumb and index, lacking general coordination in the complicated/multi-taskey bits, and can't play exceptionally quickly. Using just thumb and index is more successful in these areas, but then I can't really do the whole chord melody thing as easily.

Thanks again for all your replies!

[emtsteve]

I watched the Junior Brother clip - nice song. That's pretty complicated stuff. You start by simple patterns and getting those ingrained. The Mark Hanson book I mentioned earlier is a real good place to start. Also, I suggest starting with a thumb pick. I can't get the hang of them, but if you can it opens up a lot of versatility.

[reeve21]

Hi Figgy,

I was in your shows a few years back.

Lot's of folks on AGF recommended I start with Mark Hanson's Intro to Travis Picking book/cd. It worked great for me (I don't do as well with videos). You'll need to get a grasp on tab, but it will come pretty quickly.

This book is a good foundation. If you want a video Toby Walker and David Hamburger are my recommendations, they each have fingerpicking videos that start from almost the very beginning.

Good luck, it's worth the effort!

[reeve21]

deleted duplicate post.

[SprintBob]

Another vote for Mark Hanson’s two fingerstyle course books:

Contemporary Travis Picking
Art of Solo Fingerstyle

Both are proven and solid recommendations if you want to do the deep dive into fingerstyle. Each book comes with audio samples for every song and exercise that you can download from Hal Leonard. Don’t the let the title of the first book lead you to believe it is all Travis picking. By mid-way through, you are using your thumb and all three picking fingers. I did both books and found all of the material challenging as I progressed but always very doable. Mark precedes each song with applicable exercises which really helps get you started. At least 40% of the arrangements in the first book and all of the arrangements in the 2nd book can be stand-alone performance pieces in your repertoire.

Good luck!

[Geof S.]

Since you are going through Leavitt, I will assume you are a serious student and recommend Ken Perlman's "Fingerstyle Guitar." IMO a better and more serious book than Hanson's material, and I have owned and gone through both.

[madison]

I also recommend Mark Hanson's Contemporary Travis Picking. It will bring you along in easy steps until ultimately leading to the wonderful "Over and Out Rag," which I am now learning. Along the way, you'll learn "Freight Train," which was the first fingerstyle piece I learned in my youth.

The Hanson books also include CDs, which I consider essential for any guitar instruction book.

[Andyrondack]

Acoustic Guitar private lessons series were very usefull to me, especially Solo Fingerstyle Basics which explains how to construct arrangements from melodies with lessons by Al Pettaway, Mark Hanson, Ken Perlman, Andrew Dubrock, Dale Miller and others, one of those I think rare books that aims to impart an understanding of how arrangements are constructed around a basic melody. The other books in the series include flat picking tunes but still have some great lessons for fingerpickers. Covers the stuff you need to know in order to be able to teach yourself without needing books.

[TBman]

Originally Posted by SprintBob

Another vote for Mark Hanson’s two fingerstyle course books:

Contemporary Travis Picking
Art of Solo Fingerstyle

Both are proven and solid recommendations if you want to do the deep dive into fingerstyle. Each book comes with audio samples for every song and exercise that you can download from Hal Leonard. Don’t the let the title of the first book lead you to believe it is all Travis picking. By mid-way through, you are using your thumb and all three picking fingers. I did both books and found all of the material challenging as I progressed but always very doable. Mark precedes each song with applicable exercises which really helps get you started. At least 40% of the arrangements in the first book and all of the arrangements in the 2nd book can be stand-alone performance pieces in your repertoire.

Good luck!

^This is basically how I got moving faster with learning finger style.

I have a "Fingerpicking Beatles" book that got me started with finger style, but the Hanson books kicked it into overdrive.

[FiggyPudding18]

Alright everybody, thanks so much for the replies, and sorry for the late response. I went ahead and bought both Fingerstyle Guitar and Contemporary Travis Picking. I'm also going to take the suggestion to also try and play the Leavitt material with my fingers in addition to a pick. Thanks everyone