“You Don’t Have to Play Aside From the Chords to Master the Guitar: Step Into the World of Fingerstyle Guitar Playing!”
If playing the guitar is your passion but you’re a beginner, learning the basics of how to play is an important first step. It’s easy to learn the guitar chords and play basic chord progressions. However, if you’re seeking to take your learning further and become a proficient guitar player, you should consider adding fingerstyle guitar playing to your skill set. With the simple addition of single notes, you’ll open up a whole new world of opportunities for expressing yourself and mastering the guitar!
Fingerstyle guitar is a style of guitar playing that uses picks on the index, middle, and ring fingers of the fretting hand to pluck strings. It’s a technique that requires a great deal of dexterity and accuracy, but once mastered, it can add a great deal of texture and character to a guitarist’s playing.
The goal of fingerstyle guitar is to create a percussive sound, as if you were playing a drum using the strings of the guitar. Fingerstyle guitar playing can also be used to create beautiful chords and melodic accompaniments that can’t be achieved with the traditional two-handed chord shapes.
Fingerstyle guitar playing is a popular technique not just among amateur guitar players but also among professional guitarists across many different genres. Before we jump into the details of how to play fingerstyle guitar, let’s take a look at some of the guitarists who’ve mastered the technique.
From Country Music to Rock
One of the most well-known masters of fingerstyle guitar is Chet Atkins. He was an American musician and songwriter of country and rock music, known for his iconic fingerstyle guitar playing. He rose to fame due to his unique fingerstyle guitar sound, which can be heard on many classic country and rock tunes such as Satisfied Mind and Walk Don’t Run.
Another master of the fingerstyle guitar from country music is Jerry Reed. His unique style of fingerpicking can be heard in the classic tunes such as Amos Moses, East Bound and Down, andTexas Bound and Flyin’.
If you’re a fan of classic rock, then you’re likely familiar with the iconic guitar playing of Duane Allman of the Allman Brothers Band. Allman was famous for his unique fingerstyle technique, which can be heard on tracks like Jessica and Dreams.
Fingerstyle masters from more recent times include John Mayer, John Scofield, Tommy Emmanuel and Andy McKee.
Basic Principles of Fingerstyle Guitar Playing
Fingerstyle guitar playing has many different elements, and each fingerstyle guitarist has their own particular style of playing. However, there are some basic principles that all fingerstyle guitarists must follow to create that percussive sound we talked about earlier.
First, the hand positioning is important. The right hand should be positioned across the strings in a straight line, close to the bridge of the guitar. The thumb should be placed on one of the lower strings and the rest of the fingers should be placed on the higher strings. This position of the right hand is necessary so that you can effectively pluck the strings with the correct amount of pressure.
Next, the fretting hand will be used to create the melodic accompaniments. This can be done by either fingerpicking one or two strings at a time, or by using chords. The important thing to remember here is that the fretting hand should be placed in such a way that the fingertips have maximum contact with the strings.
Lastly, it’s important to practice the different techniques, such as hammer-ons, pull-offs, slides, and so on. All of these techniques create unique sounds, so it’s important to practice them until you’re comfortable with them.
Once you feel comfortable with the hand positions, it’s time to start practicing the different techniques. We’ll start with the most common technique: the alternate picking technique.
The Alternate Picking Technique
The alternate picking technique is one of the most common fingerstyle techniques. This technique involves picking the strings with an up-down motion, using the index, middle, or ring finger of the right hand.
To practice this technique, start by picking a single string. Here, you’ll use the index, middle, or ring finger of your right hand to pluck the string, alternating between an up-stroke and a down-stroke. For example, you could pick the string with an upstroke followed by a downstroke and then an upstroke, and so on.
Next, you can start playing two strings at a time, alternating between upstrokes and downstrokes. To do this, use your index and middle fingers to pluck the two strings alternately. Make sure to keep the right hand in a straight line across the strings.
Lastly, you can practice picking three strings at a time. This can be done using the index, middle, and ring fingers of the right hand. Again, pay attention to keeping the right hand in a straight line across the strings.
Once you’ve mastered these techniques, you can begin to add other techniques, such as hammer-ons, pull-offs, and slides, to your playing.
Adding Other Techniques
The next step in mastering the art of fingerstyle guitar is to start adding other techniques. Hammer-ons, pull-offs, and slides can all add unique sounds to your playing and make the accompaniments more interesting.
Hammer-ons are a technique that involves plucking a string and then quickly pressing down on the fretting hand on the same string. This creates a smooth and quick transition between notes. You can practice this technique by plucking a string with the right hand and then pressing down on a fret with the left hand; this should be done fairly quickly so that the notes are connected.
Pull-offs are the opposite of hammer-ons. This technique involves plucking a string with the right hand and then quickly pulling off the left hand from the fret. This should create a smooth transition between notes.
Lastly, slides are an important part of fingerstyle playing. This technique involves pressing down on a fret and then quickly sliding up or down the neck without plucking the string. This creates a smooth transition between notes and can add a unique sound to your accompaniments.
Creating Melodies with Fingerstyle
Once you’ve mastered the different techniques, you can start to create melodies with fingerstyle guitar. To do this, you’ll use the techniques you’ve learned in combination with chords.
The easiest way to create a melody is to use a combination of open chords. An open chord is a chord that uses open strings, meaning strings that are not fretted. To create a melody, you’ll use the techniques to pick out a bass line and then add chords or single notes over it.
Another way to create a melody is to use fingerstyle guitar over existing chord progressions. This is a great way to practice and create interesting accompaniments to songs. Here, you’ll use the techniques you’ve learned to pick out any combination of strings over the chords.
You can also create original melodies with fingerstyle guitar. To do this, you’ll use the techniques you’ve learned as well as chords and single notes to create a melody. This is a great way to express your creativity as a guitar player and can help you develop your unique sound.
Conclusion
Fingerstyle guitar playing is a great way to take your playing to the next level. With the simple addition of single notes, you’ll open up a whole new world of opportunities for expressing yourself and mastering the guitar! Take your learning step by step and practice the different techniques and concepts. Once you’ve mastered the basics, you’ll create beautiful chords and melodic accompaniments that’ll make your playing stand out. So, what are you waiting for? Grab your guitar, and let’s start fingerpicking!
“You Don’t Have to Play Aside From the Chords to Master the Guitar: Step Into the World of Fingerstyle Guitar Playing!”.