Beginner Playing Fingerstyle

[poorbs]

HarleySpirit,

Wow, I may be missing something here, but what you're suggesting is that a beginning fingerpicker start with frailing the guitar, one of the most counterintuitive things I know of. I may try this in an effort to move forward with Steve Baughman's Frailing Technique, but I've been playing and teaching fingerstyle for over 40 years, and frailing is one of the most difficult things I've tried to master. I know there are some people that this comes naturally to, but I'm not one of them, and others who try to teach this have said this also. I applaud your ability.

[Hack Amatuer]

I say if you want fingerstyle DO IT!! Would you go to a resturant and order chicken because you want steak just because that's the first time you went to that resturant?

Originally Posted by poorbs

HarleySpirit,

Wow, I may be missing something here, but what you're suggesting is that a beginning fingerpicker start with frailing the guitar, one of the most counterintuitive things I know of. I may try this in an effort to move forward with Steve Baughman's Frailing Technique, but I've been playing and teaching fingerstyle for over 40 years, and frailing is one of the most difficult things I've tried to master. I know there are some people that this comes naturally to, but I'm not one of them, and others who try to teach this have said this also. I applaud your ability.

I only wish someone had shown me this technique, 50 years ago... when I started playing!
Sorry to say, but this is not the same as Steve Baughman's technique... please look more closely! What it is... is an easy to learn picking style that lets the player play fingerstyle to most any song with ease. The key ingredient to this simple formula is, learning to use the up/down single finger stroke (in a manner very similar to flatpicking) along with a thumb bass note. Follow my signature link, read my notes and tab carefully, for a better explaination. Better still, play the 3 patterns and learn!

[bluesbassdad]

Originally Posted by HarleySpirit

I only wish someone had shown me this technique, 50 years ago... when I started playing!
Sorry to say, but this is not the same as Steve Baughman's technique... please look more closely! What it is... is an easy to learn picking style that lets the player play fingerstyle to most any song with ease. The key ingredient to this simple formula is, learning to use the up/down single finger stroke (in a manner very similar to flatpicking) along with a thumb bass note. Follow my signature link, read my notes and tab carefully, for a better explaination. Better still, play the 3 patterns and learn!

Is that the method Rev. Gary Davis used? Or did he pick only up with his finger?

[Alberto]

I just started learning fingerstyle using this DVD I got for xmas called Finger Picking Guitar by Stefan Grossman. I highly recommend it, very good all around.

http://guitarvideos.com/video/000notefromstefan.htm

Originally Posted by bluesbassdad

Is that the method Rev. Gary Davis used? Or did he pick only up with his finger?

I believe he picked only up with his finger most of the time, perhaps along with a thumb downstroke for the second note (eg. eighth notes).
"Different strokes for different folks". Its all good!

[220volt]

What Larry J said.]

Also, Tommy Emmanuel's advice: "get some good songs to play."

[spark]

Thanks for all the good advice. So would it be alot easier to learn the basic chords first while strumming them. Then move to fingerstyle with the basic chords? It seems like there are so many ways to go into fingerstyle.

[220volt]

Originally Posted by spark

Thanks for all the good advice. So would it be alot easier to learn the basic chords first while strumming them. Then move to fingerstyle with the basic chords? It seems like there are so many ways to go into fingerstyle.

I would do what Larry J said above. Use both fingerstyle and strumming as you learn chords. I would strumm the chord first and then arpeggio the same chord with fingers.

[SteeleString]

Originally Posted by spark

Thanks for all the good advice. So would it be alot easier to learn the basic chords first while strumming them. Then move to fingerstyle with the basic chords? It seems like there are so many ways to go into fingerstyle.

I'm a singer / songwriter and while learning guitar I played a ton of covers. Today, I concentrate on original material. I mention this because it is the songwriter (creativity) in me that influenced how I learned to play guitar.

Fingerstyle is what was most natural for me when I first started learning guitar. In fact, I took to it like a duck to water. No lessons, just the guitar, my ears, and a willingness to just feel my way through and experiment. It was later that I incorporated more strumming. Today, I do a mix and often use both fingerstyle and strumming in my songs.

What feels most natural to you right now? Try following that style and as you're ready, incorporate the other. Most importantly, enjoy yourself.

[bho]

I started playing in August. After about seven weeks of learning basic chords with strumming, I was itching to learn fingerstyle so I decided to tackle Fleetwood Mac's "Landslide" because I love it. Since then, I have focused more on fingerstyle songs and mix in strumming songs now and then so I grown in that area too. I like the balance of both.

[TBman]

With hindsight (which is usually has 20-20 vision) I would suggest devoting half or more of your practice time strumming with your thumb because if you start out learning fingerstyle you are trying to learn two things at once (left hand and right) and it may be very discouraging. At least with doing strumming you can progess on your chord changes and learn a few sing along sings to entertain yourself. You can then work in more right hand work once your left hand gains dexterity. Mark Hanson has a few very good beginner fingerstyle books. His Travis Picking books are good, but the second one may be too challenging for now.

[bouwman]

Just kind of curious, are you supposed to play any song fingerstyle, or just songs meant for it? I'm learning, and just moving into fingerpicking.

[poorbs]

Originally Posted by bouwman

Just kind of curious, are you supposed to play any song fingerstyle, or just songs meant for it? I'm learning, and just moving into fingerpicking.

Just about any song can be played any way you like, and the way you play it makes the song your own. Some songs lend themselves to fingerstyle or flatpicking, but nothing says you can't play them any way you want to.

Originally Posted by spark

I am a brand new guitar player just got my guitar 2 weeks ago. And I really like fingerstyle more then all the others. My question is would it be better to just start doing fingerstyle now or should I learn how to strum first? Since it seems like fingerstyle is learning two things at one time. Any suggestions will be much appreciated.

Also seeing Mark Hanson in a couple weeks since he will be in my area for 2 shows.

... so what comes first, "the chicken or the egg"? Just wondering how you are makin out, Spark! How about an update? ... and by the way... WELCOME to the forum!!!... to you and others posting here!