[southrnsam]

hey all, this is my first post. i was wondering what fingers to use when fingerpicking. i use the thumb a lot and some tabs say only to use the other four fingers. i dont want to start a bad habit using the wrong fingers if its possible.

[Claptonman]

I'd say any fingers will do. Its all a matter of prefence. (sp?)

[dogpoo]

it depends what music you're playing. the general rule is to use your thumb for the three bass strings and your second, third and fourth fingers for the treble strings. this is not strictly to be observed because different pieces require different fingering, but its a good place to start.

if you only use your thumb you're going to have a lot of problems when you start playing pieces with two notes being played at the same time. best you start utilising your fingers for fingerpicking. i've never used my little finger ever to play the guitar though, but i'm sure some people do. most people who don't play classical music will usually just use their thumb, pointer and middle finger to pick though.

[BaasLian]

Welcome to GTU!

There is no wrong or right when it comes to fingerpicking. At the end of the day you just want it to be efficient, so that it doesn't hamper your playing (if one can put it that way)

As Jessica said, there are a variety of ways that you can approach fingerpicking. When you do decide on a certain technique, make sure that you practice a lot, so that your head can 'forget' about which finger plucks which string. It should become second nature.

Good luck!

[diebrucke]

All the stuff I learnt when I was playing classical style, I used thumb and three fingers, with my hand arched above the strings - to play what is termed fingerstyle I had to unlearn a lot of the classical stuff, flatten my hand out so that its much closer to the guitar, a lot of the time the palm is resting on the bridge and little finger touching soundboard. Most of the time I just use thumb and first two fingers when using this style, for chords and single note stuff. If I play something classical, the hand goes back to the old classical position and I use thumb and three fingers again. I had to just check what I'm actually doing - similar to the previous guys.....both styles have become second nature, I hardly think about it now.Fingerpicking didn't come naturally though, it was really hard for me in my old plastic pick days. But who needs a pick when you've got fingernails? (Ok - so I still keep a pick nearby if I break a fingernail!)

This post has been edited by diebrucke: 26 May 2005 - 05:40 AM

[dadfad]

All the stuff I learnt when I was playing classical style, I used thumb and three fingers, with my hand arched above the strings - to play what is termed fingerstyle I had to unlearn a lot of the classical stuff, flatten my hand out so that its much closer to the guitar, a lot of the time the palm is resting on the bridge and little finger touching soundboard. Most of the time I just use thumb and first two fingers when using this style, for chords and single note stuff. If I play something classical, the hand goes back to the old classical position and I use thumb and three fingers again. I had to just check what I'm actually doing - similar to the previous guys.....both styles have become second nature, I hardly think about it now.Fingerpicking didn't come naturally though, it was really hard for me in my old plastic pick days. But who needs a pick when you've got fingernails? (Ok - so I still keep a pick nearby if I break a fingernail!)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Basically, as Diebrucke has explained, there are a couple of basic styles. Each is best for the style you are playing. I did a post not long ago about it. It was asked about playing a 12-string, but the same information applies to 6-string as well. I'll copy that post below. And welcome to GTU.

Dominant-Finger Style (and 12-string)

Twelve-string fingerstyle is abit more difficult than six-string, as you've found out. In fingerpicking in general there are two technical approaches... the classical approach and the dominant-finger approach. Classical, as the name implies, is based on the old European classical style of playing which is the one-finger/one-string approach. Dominant-finger style is not. Dominant-finger is the informal style, used by country-pickers, old-time bluesmen, etc. It evolved as guitarists who were un-trained formally developed their own approach to fingerstyle which seemed right for them and for the music they played. The advent of the steel-string acoustic (more string-tension) added even more practical justification to that style. Classical guitars had gut-strings (now nylon) or wound-silk strings which are very soft with little tension. Even a pinky-finger could play a good solid note. The dominant-finger approach is basically that the thumb is dedicated (more or less) to the bass-line and the other finger or fingers are dedicated to the treble-line. They are used in order of importance and stength, or dominance. The index, being the strongest, is the most dominant. The middle is next in importance and dominance,  etc. The pinky is least dominant and is rarely (if ever) used. It is more of just an anchor or pivot-point laid on the pick-guard. When approaching a tune in this style, the thumb of course is dedicated to the bass-line (generally), the index plays the treble strings. The middle is added only when necessary (like if a treble line is just too complex for the index only or easier played using two fingers). The ring can used as well, again when the complexity or ease of playing requires it. The "order of dominance" (finger-strength and dexterity) dictates if and when another finger besides the index (which is by far the strongest and has the most dexterity) is used.

Most tunes of these informal styles like blues, trad, folk, old-time, Celtic, Appalachian, etc can be played with only the thumb and index, occasssionally adding the the middle maybe, and even more rarely adding the ring. (The pinky is the pivot-point of the hand). Extremely complex fingerstyle can be played using only the thumb and index. A friend of mine's mentor was the great fingerstylist the Reverend Gary Davis. He asked him once why he never used any other fingers beside his index. The reverend said "Cuz I ain't needed to yet." My mentor, John Jackson (in my sig pic below) was probably the finest traditional blues fingerstylist alive at the time of his death a few years ago. He used thumb, index and middle (only the thumb and index over 90% of the time). Blind Blake, possibly the greatest steel-string fingerstylist who ever lived was said to have used four (the ring only rarely). I was told this by Mr. Jackson, who was taught how to play in the style of the great Blind Blake by Blake's former "leader-boy" (in those days a blind musician often had a "leader-boy"... a young guy who would help a blind musician through his daily life, making sure he played on the right street-corners, that no one would steel his earnings, that he didn't get hit by a street-car, fetch his moonshine, etc, etc, whatever. In exchange he would get to learn the style of his mentor. Brownie McGee for example was Blind Boy Fuller's "leader-boy" for awhile, etc, etc.). Anyway, that's how the finger-dominance technique varies from the classical technique.

This relates to playing a 12-string in many ways. The 12-string is a relatively new addition to guitars compared to the six-string. It first started to become popular in the 1920s in the Atlanta area. There were several 12-string manufacturers located nearby (Tonk Brothers, etc) and so they were common and relatively inexpensive. Most guitars in that day were sold mail-order (the US was still largely rural) and so having a source of relatively inexpensive guitars right on hand and available made them popular in the Atlanta area. The great Atlanta 12-string bluesmen like Blind Willie McTell, Peg-Leg Howell, etc were part of this movement, as was Hudie Ledbetter (Leadbelly) a bit farther southwest.

The steel 12-string developed as an informal instrument for playing the informal styles (as opposed to "classical" music). The string-tension of the steel six-string was increased even more dramatically with twelve strings, so the 12-string was the ideal instrument to be played with the finger-dominance style as many of these old traditional guitarists began using the 12-string. In other words, the classical one-finger/one-string style is not the right approach for playing the 12-string. The finger-dominance method is.

Now here's where some people will jump in and say "Oh, yeah? So-and-so plays 12-string classical-style and ...(blah-blah-blah)..." True, there are exceptions. Especially on a simpler, less-tension six-string guitar, but all of these informal styles (blues, trad, Appalachian, folk, etc)... these styles were originally developed (and all the great old original recordings done) in the informal finger-dominance style. Today, many acoustic guitarists were originally trained by teachers who were familiar with the formal European classical style (one-finger/one-string), who were taught by teachers before them who played the same way. As these more contemporary (originally formally trained) guitarists became interested in acoustic blues and trad, etc, they generally used the formal style they were trained in and applied it to these informal styles. And so you'll see and hear lots of great tunes of the informal-genres played in the formal (classical) style of picking.

On a 12-string this becomes much more difficult because of the greatly increased tension and additional picking strength required to sound a course (string-pair) instead of a single string. As I said, there are a few (rare) exceptions. Some twelve-string guitarists who do great work using the classical style (but I can't think of any names off-hand!). You are  much better off to approach playng 12-string using the finger-dominance style. It's the style I use, it's the style I was taught to use by other great 12-stringers. It's the style the great 12-stringers of the past used.

In my opinion (shared by many) a guitarist named Paul Geremia is probably the best traditional 12-string fingerstylist around today (yes, Kottke is great too but he's contemporary-styled). Paul plays it flawlessly with thundering alternating thumb-bass lines and extremely complex treble-lines. He's a master of (probably THE master of) 12-string slide, which I was lucky enough to learn to play directly from him. (Twelve-string slide, for those who like slide) is beautifully rich, deep and "throaty.")

So anyway, try using the finger-dominance approach. And here are a few tunes of Paul Geremia playing fingerstyle 12-string using that method...

Paul Tune 1

Paul Tune 2

Paul Tune 3 (using a slide)


...and here's one more where he's only playing a 6-string, but it's a great tune so I added it anyway!...

Paul Tune 4


Enjoy your 12-string. I have five of 'em and love 'em like children (even when, like my children, they misbehave! ).

[southrnsam]

Thank yall.
I guess ill keep on with the thumb, index, and middle like ive been doin.

[Mikky04]

Welcome to GTU!
I'd say there's no right or wrong way.
Whatever you find easier/most comfortable

[PingerFicker]

technically you shouldnt really use your pinky. its shorter and much weaker than the rest of the fiungers and trying to incorparate it can cramp your hand up and make it awkward. that said, i have been known to use it but only very very occasionally.


other than that there is a "right" way you would be taught if you took classical lessons. all down to hand position and elbow and arm shape, but i'd say just play how it suits you best. try and use three fingers and your thumb though as it will help later as you get better.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have been taught that the thumb(t) is used for the bottom three strings, the pointer finger(1) is used on the g string, the middle finger(2) is used on the b string, and the ring finger(3) is used on the high e. This is standard "fingerpicking" technique where the pinky pressed against the top or anchored. I would say this is the most common. To say it is "the" way would be a lie, but it is very convenient. There is also travis picking style, which uses thumb, 1 and 2. It is named after merle travis, of which kinda made the style popular, and also tommy emmanual plays alot of this style. The pinky is again also anchored in this style. I am not too sure on how the fingering on classical guitar is, but I would assume it is like travis and standard, except for the fact that you float the pinky. You might ask, what is so important about the pinky? It is actually fairly important. When anchoring while playing fingerstyle, there is a bit more support which then means more volume, stability.

[SlowFingers]

Allow me to make a recommendation here. Mark Hanson has some wonderful fingerpicking books and videos on his website (Google Accent On Music). These will explain what fingers to use where, show you examples of where to break those rules, give you lots of fingerpicking exercises that will then be applied to some songs. Overall, it gets a big recommendation from me (as well as many others who told me to get it). The books come with a CD that will let you hear examples of how the songs are played. If I have a complaint, it is that the CD that accompanies the Travispicking book has vocals that are just horrible to go with the song selections. I think that was unnecessary to put in there, and a hassle because the vocals get in the way of what I want to hear (the guitar). Still, these books are a good investment if you want to get started with fingerstyle.

[deadgirlzlikeme]

The guy who teaches guitar at my school is a trumpet player who only really taught us to read music and then tells us if it sounds right, so for this last week of school hes had 'guest artist' from our community come in. We had a jazz guy, a guy that was still living in the eights (long, big hair, tank tops, and torn up jeans ) who did alot of shred stuff. The latest guy that came in, though palys alot of flamenco (sp?). He was using all ten fingers. I was really amazed by the stuff he could play.

Anyway, before I'm to off topic, I use my thumb and first three fingers. In our book they're labeld p, i, m, and a. P=thumb, I=index, M=middle, A=Ring. the letters are from whatever the spanish words are for each finger, I think.

[Stormy Pussy]

it depends what music you're playing. the general rule is to use your thumb for the three bass strings and your second, third and fourth fingers for the treble strings. this is not strictly to be observed because different pieces require different fingering, but its a good place to start.

if you only use your thumb you're going to have a lot of problems when you start playing pieces with two notes being played at the same time. best you start utilising your fingers for fingerpicking. i've never used my little finger ever to play the guitar though, but i'm sure some people do. most people who don't play classical music will usually just use their thumb, pointer and middle finger to pick though.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree. Although i just started learning how to fingerpick this year...its good to use every finger(except the pinky if you don't want to) to fingerpick.

[grzegorz_panek]

it depends what music you're playing. the general rule is to use your thumb for the three bass strings and your second, third and fourth fingers for the treble strings. this is not strictly to be observed because different pieces require different fingering, but its a good place to start.

if you only use your thumb you're going to have a lot of problems when you start playing pieces with two notes being played at the same time. best you start utilising your fingers for fingerpicking. i've never used my little finger ever to play the guitar though, but i'm sure some people do. most people who don't play classical music will usually just use their thumb, pointer and middle finger to pick though.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There's one style when I think pinkie can be pretty useful, it's not propper fingerstyle, nor classical (usually most things can be done with 4 fingers, some do use 5).

I'm thinking about jazz solo guitar chord melody arrangements, when you need a 5 note chord. Most of this stuff is plucked rather than strummed.

That's why, while chord melody is not a very complex technical fingerpicking, and can be done the hybrid way, fingerpickers has that advantage over hybrid pickers that they can pluck 5 note chords, not just 4 notes. (And of course you have more control of the volume of each note)

[dogpoo]

grzeg: you're right. i completely forgot about jazz moving chords. mostly three to four note chords sometimes with the added top note to make it five. i've used them, but i don't usually add the top note, probably why i don't remember using my fifth finger much (or at all )

as i recall someone once told me that when doing rasguedos you're supposed to use your pinky as well, which i don't agree with most of the time, but it's another place where the little finger is used.