6 Expensive Fingerpicking Pattern

The Art of Plucking

Let me show you the 6 fingerpicking patterns that I played nonstop since I started playing guitar.

No matter how many new things I learn, I always find myself going back to the same few fingerpicking patterns I have played for years. It could be because they are my favorite or because I know them really well.

The fact is, you don’t need to know hundreds of fingerpicking patterns. I honestly think you don’t even have to know fifty or even thirty patterns.

Ten fingerstyle patterns are the number that really works for me. If you add a few variations for each pattern, you can develop a lot of useful fingerpicking weapons that you can use every time you need it.

In this video, I am going to show you the six fingerpicking patterns I love the most.

I am not only going to show you the pattern. You know I wouldn’t say I like this type of teaching approach.

Instead, we will put it into practice and play something musical that you can learn immediately. The tabs are on the screen and a close up on the right hand to show you the fingerpicking pattern.

Let me tell you. This is probably one of the lessons I love the most.

Let’s get started.

Get the Tab here

 

The Video

The First Gallop

Thumb, index, middle, and ring.

Definitely, one of the most important fingerpicking patterns you will ever learn. This pattern is of paramount importance if your goal is to get started with fingerstyle or improve your plucking technique.

The secret sauce isn’t the pattern itself but the chord progression you are about to play with the fingerpicking pattern.

Fmaj7(#11) – Amadd9 – Am/G

This chord progression works perfectly with this fingerstyle pattern for two reasons.

The chords maintain a constant spaciness that really makes this pattern sound different and more complex.

The open strings also make this chord progression great for a simple fingerpicking pattern like this one. Clusters and semitones sound harmonically beautiful, so there is no need for busy plucking.

Harmony does it all!

Get the Tab here

The Happy Friend

Thumb, and – mid – rin together, Thumb slap, Thumb.

This is one of my favorite fingerpicking patterns for many different reasons.

First of all, it’s a happy pattern that sounds quite jumpy and groovy even if you play it with muted strings.

The thumb slap adds a lot of rhythm and fancy percussion without really changing the dynamic and integrity of the chord progression.

I honestly think that one of the most difficult things to control when using fingerstyle is the ability to stick with the pattern and try to reproduce the same dynamic and tone for each chord or melody you play.

This fingerpicking pattern is an example of how important it is to balance the thumb movement with the fingers and the percussive approach.

Chord progression: G – G/B – Cadd9 – D

Get the Tab here

 

The Piano Pattern

Plucking the Strings Simultaneously

One of the most interesting fingerpicking patterns is the “plucking together” movement, usually based on the sixteenth note rhythmic value.

It sounds so easy to play when you listen to it,  yet it isn’t easy to get it right if you don’t have fingers dexterity and dynamic control.

The chord progression is in D minor, and I am using the 153 chord shape I talk about in the “Easiest Chord on Guitar”  I wrote a while ago

Dm – Bb – F – C/E – Dm – Bb – F – Gm – Dm 

Get the Tab here

 

Spanish Romance Style

Thu – rin together, middle, ring.

Another famous fingerstyle pattern that you will probably use a lot.

I was inspired by the famous Classical piece Spanish Romance which is played with a beautiful fingerpicking pattern in E minor.

I really like this one because it really forces you to work on your timing.

The pattern is in triplets, so you really want to focus on getting a constant, fluid, and groovy movement that sounds smooth and vibrant.

It beautiful fingerpicking pattern but really difficult at first.

Get the Tab here

 

Spanish Vibe

Index, the – mid together

Another fingerpicking pattern that I borrowed from classical music.

A beautiful book by a guitar teacher called Sagreras, “First guitar lesson for beginners,” that I used when I first started playing guitar.

In this book, you’ll find and a ton of these fingerstyle patterns for beginners that can really help you with your technique and musicality.

Pluck the strings with dynamics and really try to keep the G string as quiet as possible.

Get the Tab here

 

Alternating

Thumb, index, thumb, index

Did you ever try to play Asturias by Isaac Albeniz? If yes, you will notice that this pattern is the same one used at the beginning of the piece.

I personally love this fingerpicking pattern because there are so many things you can play with it, from Pop chords to Classical music, all done with one pattern only.

In this example, I am using a thumb, index, thumb, index, but you could also make it more interesting and go for a thumb, middle, thumb, index, which allows you to work on a wider pattern.

One of my favorite patterns.