Fingerpicking is the technique of picking the strings with your fingers versus a pick. Finger picking allows you to pick the strings in different patterns or all at once. It is mostly used with acoustic guitar but there are some players who also use this method for the electric guitar. There is also a techniques called hybrid picking we will discuss in another lesson. Fingerpicking can produce a very beautiful sound the repeating patterns of string picking can just capture you in its beauty. A good example is Jimmy Pages song "Bron Yr Aur".

Try to practice the below examples to get a good feel for some simple finger picking patterns. In the examples below the following letters below the notes stand for the right hand fingering. (Thumb=t, Index=i, Middle=m, Ring=a, Pinky=o) For some reason this is what the software programmers used for the finger lettering.

Finger Picking Example 1

Finger Picking Example 2

Finger Picking Example 3