GUITAR FINGERPICKING

Guitar fingerpicking is used by classical, country, rock, blues, jazz guitar players of all styles. For example guitar rock ballads, jazz chord progressions, classical guitar etudes all may use fingerpicking. Guitar Fingerpicking refers to the use of the fingers to play the strings on a guitar as opposed to using a pick.

A combination of the thumb and other fingers are used with the thumb generally picking the lower strings and the index, middle and ring fingers plucking the higher strings.

No particular finger needs to be exclusively limited to certain strings. For example, the thumb may be used to alternate between the index and/or middle fingers on just a single string or two higher strings, or other strings. For certain guitar fingerpicking styles or as a general rule, the index finger is assigned to the 3rd string, the middle finger to the 2nd string, and the ring finger to the 1st string while the thumb covers the 6th, 5th and 4th strings.

Some guitar fingerpicking players prefer to have the nails of their picking fingers longer to get a nice, clear picking sound, as if using a pick. However, others prefer to use their skin rather than the nail which can sometimes get caught on the string. Some fingerpickers also like to use a "thumb pick" that wraps around the thumb. This gets into the area of hybrid picking where a pick is used with the fingers.

Pure guitar fingerpicking uses no pick at all and for some styles a pick of any type could affect the ability to properly fingerpick to the necessary degree of proficiency required for the style or piece of music.

You will probably find that it is a good idea to have some proficiency with guitar fingerpicking because it isn't that difficult to at least acquire a working skill with it and it can expand your playing horizons.