• From: BELGIUM
  • Registered: 2007-01-27
  • Posts: 3,403

Topic: FINGERPICKING versus FLATPICKING.

I am a STRUMMER (not the one from the CLASH) and now and then I use my pick to TRY!! playing the individual strings.
I play 30 years, so I have bad habits, and last but not least I CAN'T PLAY "FINGER PICKING".

DID I ACT WELL BY BUYING A "BEGINNERS" BOOK with CD & DVD about fingerpicking because I am afraid that I will return to my old habit: strumming.

[color=blue]- GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: TO CONQUER DEAD, YOU HAVE TO DIE[/color]   AND [color=blue] we are born to die[/color]
- MY GUITAR PLAYS EVERY STYLE = BLUES, ROCK, METAL, so I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT.
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  • From: Western Oregon,US
  • Registered: 2008-07-22
  • Posts: 2,498

Re: FINGERPICKING versus FLATPICKING.

Hello Gitaardocphil,

  I think it is a good thing to continue learning fingerstyle, and DVD based instructional products are a real boon to learning how to do things right.

  If nothing else it sure improves finger dexterity, which as we get older and start to see our physical abilities start to degrade, the more mobility issue becomes important.

  Every style has it's place in music and every new skill adds to the "flavour" of your music.

Enjoy and Take Care;  Doug

"what is this quintessence of dust?"  - Shakespeare

3 Reply by adrianos (edited by adrianos 2008-09-17 13:03:39)

  • Registered: 2008-09-17
  • Posts: 5

Re: FINGERPICKING versus FLATPICKING.

My advice is learn the fingerpicking pattern VERY SLOWLY....play it when you watching telly, vegging on couch, at the beach etc. but eventually YOU WILL get it... and be able to speed it up....my favourite picking pattern is ...hold day an G or E chord

play both E strings together (use your thumb for low E and middle for the high E) /  then A and B one after each other / then D  / then E high and B........play that slowly and build up to speed.  you can vary it but pick one and practice it religliously.

Try not to use a pick as if you get your fingers moving together then changes and dual picking of notes will sound much more subtle!

  • From: Western Oregon,US
  • Registered: 2008-07-22
  • Posts: 2,498

Re: FINGERPICKING versus FLATPICKING.

Very good point Adrianos,

  Practice, practice, practice!  It does not really matter what pattern you use and after awhile your fingers will learn to "connect the dots" without thinking about it..... but you have to fingerpick constantly to get the smooth motion down, and that is the most difficult part.

  I started out learning Classical and Latin guitar on a nylon acoustic almost 40 years ago, and those drills were burned into hard memory.  Now when I am learning a new tune, or playing one I am familiar with, the pattern almost appears magically to manifest itself with just a few minutes of play.  Next time that tune is re-visited, an appropriate fingering pattern "loads" automatically.

  Take Care;  Doug

"what is this quintessence of dust?"  - Shakespeare
  • From: plymouth - uk
  • Registered: 2007-11-15
  • Posts: 199

Re: FINGERPICKING versus FLATPICKING.

Try your own way of picking , strumming or whatever . Nothing is wrote in stone how you should play .  VARY IT - DO YOUR THING . If it sounds good then do it . Session musicians need to know that stuff .... but we are allowed to do our own thing .

any resemblance to my songs sounding anything like the original is highly unlikely.

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  • From: Alabama Gulf Coast
  • Registered: 2008-06-24
  • Posts: 1,819

Re: FINGERPICKING versus FLATPICKING.

Seems there are as many ways to approach guitar as there are guitar players.
I never took time to learn to finger pick because playing in a bar band necessitated learning new tunes with not much time for new techniques. I never came back and learned to finger pick.
I did try to switch to left hand playing to use my faster right hand on the fretboard. Wow that was a total failure.
I believe some players think in patterns that direct them to play lead or solo guitar and others, like me, think harmonies and are more comfortable strumming chords.
I had a bar patron walk up and ask me why our lead guitarist's hands traveled all up and down his guitar neck and my hands stay pretty much in the same place. I told him the lead player was looking for it but I had found it.

We pronounce it "Guf Coast".
Ya'll wanna go down to the Guf?

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  • dino48
  • Honoured Member
  • Offline
  • From: los banos,california
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 6,801

Re: FINGERPICKING versus FLATPICKING.

Hi phil,I think its great that you are trying different styles of playing.alot of us can learn from cds or some kind of visual/written instruction,its really up too you.I was fortunate enough too have six guitar lessons in my life and the teacher stressed playing fingerpicking so I could play songs and do chords and mix in the picking.Works well takes some practice though.                  dino

my papy said son your going too drive me too drinking if you dont stop driving that   Hot  Rod  Lincoln!! Cmdr cody and his lost planet airman
  • From: Almancil, Algarve, Portugal
  • Registered: 2006-09-02
  • Posts: 6,205

Re: FINGERPICKING versus FLATPICKING.

tubatooter1940 wrote:

I had a bar patron walk up and ask me why our lead guitarist's hands traveled all up and down his guitar neck and my hands stay pretty much in the same place. I told him the lead player was looking for it but I had found it.

.
lol I wish I had thought of that one lol

"Do, or do not; there is no try"

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