jedzep Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 Thanks for the E Hawkins clip, Rambler. One finger-one thumb, ring finger and pinky layin' on the p'guard. All the bad habits I learned modeled from staring at John Prine. I'm inspired again...at least for tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 We love Gary Davis picking and Ernie Hawkins too! But I think his Thumb and Index Only picking is more like something to aim for later on! Really, really hard to start with.....you need to strum or pick all strings with your thumb on the downstroke and strum or pick with only your index finger on possibly all strings on the upstroke and all the possible variations....I can't tell you how many years that has taken me to use my index as the 'leading finger' (like the leading foot in dance steppin')- instead of using 3 fingers and thumb, you substitute the index for all the fingers and do a wonderful little dance on the strings, but....probably better to keep it in mind while you go through a few more basics? BluesKing777. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedzep Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 We love Gary Davis picking and Ernie Hawkins too! But I think his Thumb and Index Only picking is more like something to aim for later on! Really, really hard to start with.....you need to strum or pick all strings with your thumb on the downstroke and strum or pick with only your index finger on possibly all strings on the upstroke and all the possible variations....I can't tell you how many years that has taken me to use my index as the 'leading finger' (like the leading foot in dance steppin')- instead of using 3 fingers and thumb, you substitute the index for all the fingers and do a wonderful little dance on the strings, but....probably better to keep it in mind while you go through a few more basics? BluesKing777. VG descriptive...VG point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J200_2013 Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 This may go without saying, but for inspiration I always listened to John Hurt. But then...I did hear John Fogerty say once that it took him about ten years to get syncopated crossing picking down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry K Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 Contrary to what some have said, I really suggest starting out basic. If you try to learn a fancy alternating bass piece right off the bat you'll get discouraged because you are trying to take too much on board at once. In the beginning you have to build up muscle and coordination in your right arm and hand. EA, your flatpicking style involves a lot of arpeggiated chords. Do similar things with your fingers to start: arpeggios and patterns with same chords you used before. Once you build up some chops you can take on the rhythmic problems of bass and treble voices. Learning ways to position your hand and always find the right string are a big issue but you will work that out with practice. Keep your fingers very close to the strings. As you gain strength your hand won't go off position after plucking. I started anchoring the little finger and later went to free floating with some difficulty. To my mind, free floating is far preferable. One way to help build up your hand is to play chords four to the bar by pinching the thumb and three fingers all together, playing four note chords. Use the left hand to sustain or cut off the sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vincentw Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 no pinky anchoring aloud. bad form. tape your pinky and ring fingers together and get your pinky used to just shadowing the ring finger. Finger strikes should generally be the thumb for EAD and first 3 fingers for GBE. No pinky, but please don't use it to anchor your hand. Learn this one. Tune to open E or open D. It's easy, and it demonstrates the form that I mentioned. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXtuti5e7pg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted May 30, 2012 Author Share Posted May 30, 2012 Guys, think of me as a dribbling baby when it comes to fingerpickin', really beginner level ....so, right now its just about the basics and trying to get some sense of stability. Fingerpicks look like torture devices for me right now, but I hope that will change eventually .. btw: love the Ernie Hawkins vid and must say the J-150 is my favourite picking guitar, love the clarity and projection I get when picking with this guitar, as basic as it may seem. My picking ability as at about this level, based on this track we recorded sometime back. Actually its probably worse as this is a bit misleading as I rehearsed this passage quite a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlutter Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 How I learned was to master picking 4/4 time and 3/4 time. Use thumb to pick the base of any chord and the first three fingers play G,B, and E stringss at the same time for 4/4 timing. Doing this and you will find a good position for your right hand. For 3/4 time, just pick base note then G,B,E the same time twice. Once you have mastered this then for 4/4 timeing pick base, G, B and E together and then G again. For 3/4 time pick base the G,B,E,B,G in a run. The idea is to master then move a different combination then another. Don't worry where your pinky is at for your hand will be in a natural position for picking. Now you are ready to pick out the melody with base support as you play the song. Easy as one two three Dlutter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vincentw Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 I'm not much on structured theory, don't even know the pentatonic scale. Theory has never interested me. Probably to my demise, but it is what it is now at this stage in my life. If you show me how to do it, with practice, I can usually figure it out to some acceptable level of proficiency. Along those lines and if that approach might suit you, you might try www.dancholloway.com. Pretty awesome finger picker. Grab his beginner lessons, learn travis style on kansas' Dust in the Wind, Dylan's It's Alright. Some songs like that. It's only like $13 US$ a month, and you have access to his full repertoire. Once you get your levels up, you can play something like this, which I find quite entertaining. This guy is a great player. But the pinky anchor really bugs me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 And another thing.... Except for the incredibly talented few, looking at how old all the fingerpickers are should be a bit of a clue how long it can take.... I don't mean to be depressing - it is a great ride! BluesKing777. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 Except for the incredibly talented few, looking at how old all the fingerpickers are should be a bit of a clue how long it can take.... Well, you obviously have not been to Nashville to attend the annual gathering of the Chet Atkins Appreciation Society! :) The place is filled with youngsters (and oldsters) who are great finger pickers. Talk about depressing! (and inspiring) As for fingerpicking technique, there is only one right way to do it: the method that works for you. There are great players who anchor their pinkies and great players who don't. Great players who use one, two, three, or four fingers. One other option to consider is a thumb pick. If your right had is uncomfortable, a thumb pick will allow you to hold your had parallel to the guitar strings. I am much more comfortable playing with a thumb pick. As for anchoring that pinky, I spent some time with the guy who may be the greatest living finger picker, Tommy Emmanuel. He advised me that I really needed to anchor my pinky. But, it's simply too uncomfortable for me to do so. While trying to anchor my pinky, I started to develop carpel tunnel issues. In any event, I finally prevailed upon Tommy to lend a helping hand ... or two: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Afraid I can't or won't come up with ideas here. Tried once before many pages back and I had the feeling it got too complicated. Besides it's primarily something between you and your tutor – especially your own ways when some techniques have been established. All I can say is that you have to throw a lot of man-hours into it. It'll be like water dripping a spoon-shaped trough in a granite boulder, so regard it as meditation. But once it's done, , , once you can make it through every chord you know, all kinds of birds will come by. Your world will have changed – even you will have become another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rambler Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 I think his Thumb and Index Only picking is more like something to aim for later on! Really, really hard to start with.. I dunno, B. Sure, Rev Davis, true, was in the stratosphere, but that style also worked for 'folk' pickers like the late lamented Doc Watson, Lightnin' Hopkins, Mance Lipscomb and a host of others. You do have to let go of the bass to do a roll (thumb-finger), but banjar guys do that all the time. Plus it keeps the bass from getting mechanical. With 2, I find myself doing more strum thrus as well. More variety. Anyway, the main thing is to get to where you can hold that bass rock steady while working in the lead notes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guth Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 As for fingerpicking technique, there is only one right way to do it: the method that works for you. There are great players who anchor their pinkies and great players who don't. Great players who use one, two, three, or four fingers. I'm with jt on this one. Take in all the advice you receive and try out the various techniques until you find something that resonates with you. Like jt, I prefer to use a thumbpick. I can get along without one just fine in a pinch, and didn't start out using one initially, but my hand now feels naked without one while playing. When I started to learn how to fingerpick many years ago, my instructor had me focus on just using the thumb for quite a while. The goal was to get my thumb used to cranking out an alternating bass line without even thinking about it. Once that was tucked away in my subconscience, it was much easier to start adding other fingers into the mix while the thumb just did its thing. That's not to say that it was all smooth sailing as it still took quite a bit of work, but in the end I really appreciated the approach that he took with me. This may or may not help you, but it's worth considering. For what it's worth, I stick my pinkie most of the time. Guess I'm going to have to stay with posting just the audio clips around here. Good luck finding your own way EA! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobouz Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 As for fingerpicking technique, there is only one right way to do it: the method that works for you. There are great players who anchor their pinkies and great players who don't. Great players who use one, two, three, or four fingers. Totally agree. For some reason, from day one it felt natural to brace my ring finger, Scruggs style, and use the thumb & two fingers. Imho, the right hand is the primary vehicle for creating your own unique sound. If it works, enjoy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest J-Doug Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Nothing wrong with planting your ring and pinky fingers. Stefan Grossman does it and that's good enough fo rme. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerohead Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 I'm with jt on this one. Take in all the advice you receive and try out the various techniques until you find something that resonates with you. Like jt, I prefer to use a thumbpick. I can get along without one just fine in a pinch, and didn't start out using one initially, but my hand now feels naked without one while playing. When I started to learn how to fingerpick many years ago, my instructor had me focus on just using the thumb for quite a while. The goal was to get my thumb used to cranking out an alternating bass line without even thinking about it. Once that was tucked away in my subconscience, it was much easier to start adding other fingers into the mix while the thumb just did its thing. That's not to say that it was all smooth sailing as it still took quite a bit of work, but in the end I really appreciated the approach that he took with me. This may or may not help you, but it's worth considering. For what it's worth, I stick my pinkie most of the time. Guess I'm going to have to stay with posting just the audio clips around here. Good luck finding your own way EA! Very nice tracks Guth! You have a new fan here! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 I'm with jt on this one. Take in all the advice you receive and try out the various techniques until you find something that resonates with you. Like jt, I prefer to use a thumbpick. I can get along without one just fine in a pinch, and didn't start out using one initially, but my hand now feels naked without one while playing. When I started to learn how to fingerpick many years ago, my instructor had me focus on just using the thumb for quite a while. The goal was to get my thumb used to cranking out an alternating bass line without even thinking about it. Once that was tucked away in my subconscience, it was much easier to start adding other fingers into the mix while the thumb just did its thing. That's not to say that it was all smooth sailing as it still took quite a bit of work, but in the end I really appreciated the approach that he took with me. This may or may not help you, but it's worth considering. For what it's worth, I stick my pinkie most of the time. Guess I'm going to have to stay with posting just the audio clips around here. Good luck finding your own way EA! Yeah, my "hand now feels makes without" a thumb pick, too.. Nice picking, as usual, Guth. thansk for sharing it with us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Now the downside of fingerpicking: I was doing a lot of playing, but somehow I just split the skin between my right hand thumbnail and the nail and it is very sore, so the thumb picking is a bit excruciating. So I was persisting and playing with the thumb taped and I was about to give up and got a 'fret splinter' piece of metal stuck into the guitar playing callous of my left middle finger.....glad I'm not playing at The Sands tonight..... Three steps forward, two steps back. BluesKing777. P.S. A couple of the computer keys have little bumps for the touch typists - youch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rambler Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Now the downside of fingerpicking: somehow I just split the skin between my right hand thumbnail and the nail Ouch! Thumbpick? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Ouch! Thumbpick? Yep, thumbpick, but it is rubbing the sore spot a bit....may have to hang up my spurs for a few days. BluesKing777. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guth Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 While I've never felt any desire for body art of any sort, suddenly I find myself entertaining the thought of having a tiny little tattoo of an anchor ink'd on the pinkie finger of my picking hand. Such a rebellious act. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissouriPicker Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 Well, here's video that's fully supports why you should not rest your little finger on the pickguard. If you focus on the close-ups of the right hand of each of these guys, you'll see them resting their pinkie on the pickguard almost the entire time. One guy, the guy named Mark, even adds his ring finger to the pinkie and picks with the index and middle finger. Shame!,,,,,,, And the old dude, Chet some-thin-or-orther, was notorious for resting the pinkie. There's no mystery to why their fingerpicking skills are limited. Think how good these guys might be if they didn't rest their pinkie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 There's no mystery to why their fingerpicking skills are limited. Think how good these guys might be if they didn't rest their pinkie. HA! Yep - those guys are real awful examples.... BluesKing777. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nodehopper Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 I don't rest my pinky on the soundboard. alt-bass picking usually requires resting the fatty muscle below your thumb on the bass strings to "palm mute" the bass so you get a nice thunk instead of long ringing bass notes that end up making the song sound muddy. I use the palm mute to orient my fingers over the strings and keep my place. I started out using thumb and 3 fingers, but a couple years ago transitioned over to thumb and 2 fingers (just index and middle fingers) which I think gives the picking hand a little more flexibility to move around rather than always playing the same three treble strings with the same fingers. As far as a great learning DVD. Homespun has some great beginners DVD lessons. fingerpicking guitar These lessons are much more beginner oriented than Stefan Grossmans. Stefan ramps up difficulty very quickly while Happy Traum will spend a whole 3 DVD lesson staying very basic and giving you a lot of very easy songs. hope it helps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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