Taste freedom by Fingerpicking

Short Description: When you use your fingers to pick the strings you get an unlimited freedom to improvise.

How many picks do you use when you fingerpick? Well when you fingerpick, you are using all five fingers as picks and instead of one you actually have five picks at your disposal. So, you can play more than one string at the same time. This is the benefit of fingerpicking.

Many classical guitarists assign each finger a letter. Thumb is known as P, index finger obviously is called I and the middle finger gets the name M. A is the ring finger and your little finger is lovingly called C. In case you forget, just remember "Poor Idiots' Memories Are Crap".

Before you begin to fingerpick be sure you know the position of the strings in your guitar (E-A-D-G-B-E). The thinnest string is the first or high E string and the thickest is the sixth or low E string. Thus high E is the lowermost and low E is the uppermost string in your guitar. In between, from bottom to top, lie the four strings B-G-D-A.

Place your right arm over the guitar and let your fingers hang loosely over the sound hole. Gently curl your fingers so that the thumb rests on low E. Let the index finger rest on G, the middle finger on B and the ring finger on E. Usually the little fingers is not of much use. As it is you can't really pick strings effectively with your pinkie - it's too weak for that.

Now bend your thumb a little and pick E A and D slowly downward. Touch the strings with the fleshy part of your thumb. After you're through with this simple exercise and feeling reasonably confident, start picking G B and high E with the fingers poised over them. Start to pick downwards first and as you feel more and more at home you can start the upward strokes as well.

There are certain important things to remember when you fingerpick. Never straighten your fingers - always keep them curled, and, as soon as you have picked a string, let it return to its original position. Use your fingers only while fingerpicking, try to keep the palm as still as possible. And if you find the strings ringing softly, try to pick harder for a louder sound.

A small word here for your pinkie. Some players keep it free while some others rest it on the bridge of the guitar for an additional support. I feel you should try out both and see what suits you best.

It isn't really a bad idea to grow nails on your picking hand. It gives a brighter sound.

Before you go spending a ton on 1-on-1 guitar lessons, make sure you check out Crazy Dave's review of the absolute best instructional video guitar lessons on the net - learn and master guitar. Dave's site offers 35 free guitar licks!

Title:
Taste freedom by Fingerpicking
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