How to Combine FINGERSTYLE and STRUMMING Together

Hey guys, I hope you are having a fantastic Sunday. Today I am going to show you how to combine fingerstyle and strumming together in one guitar part.

One of the awesome thing about this lesson is that you are also going to learn a really beautiful chord progression in E minor which can be literally played in any style of music.

You can check the video below and learn more about the difference between fingerstyle and strumming in the article below.

Enjoy this lesson guys.

Tab Available on Patreon.

Get the Tab here!

The Video

About the Chord Progression

Before we start talking about the difference between fingerstyle and strumming it is probably a good idea to start learning the chord progression which should be learned perfectly before everything else.

The chords I am using in this fingerstyle lesson are very popular on guitar and have been used in many songs. I am sure you will recognize some of them however if this is the first time you encounter these chord shapes I recommend practicing slowly to give your fingers time to adjust to the stretchy ones.

The chord progression goes as follows: Em7(9) | Dsus4 | Am7 | C.

Check the video to learn how to play the chords or download the tab on my Patreon page if you need the sheet music.

Difference Between Fingerstyle and Strumming

Strumming and fingerstyle are two completely different guitar techniques. The first is the most popular among beginners due to its simplicity and “easy to understand” implementation.

Fingerpicking technique, also called plucking technique, is more challenging as each string will be plucked with the fingers.

Both are extremely important approached that should be learned and improved.

Let’s check in details what is the difference between strumming and plucking technique.

Strumming

When you strum a chord on guitar, you will basically play all the strings that the chord requires. If you have to play a G major chord you will have to brush all the strings from the low E to the high E to make the chord sound good.

You can decide to strum the strings with your right hand thumb or with a pick (a plastic tool that you hold between thumb and index).

To get a good strumming sound you should run your fingertip or a guitar puck over the strings. The best position should be somewhere between the last fret of the neck and the bridge.

I recommend trying different spot to learn the different sounds your instrument can produce.

There are two types of strumming: Downstroke and upstroke.

Should you use a Pick?

A pick is plastic tool that you hold between thumb and index used to strum the strings.

At the beginning you should spend a little bit of time trying to strum the open strings only. Once you feel you grasped the basic technique, you should then position you very first chord.

The pick will give a very sharp and loud sound to the chords. Don’t worry, with time you will learn how to control the volume and tone of your strumming.

Alternatively, you could also strum with either the thumb or index finger however it can be painful on your strumming fingers to strum without using a pick. The pain will go after few sessions and once you build up calluses.

The Strumming Pattern in This Lesson

The good thing about this lesson is that the strumming patterns are very simple as they are mainly downwards.

I don’t use a pick. When I switch between fingerstyle and strumming I position the index finger on the strings before strumming. Switching between plucking and strumming will be way more challenging if you had to hold the pick between your fingers.

Fingerpicking Technique

Fingerstyle guitar is the technique of playing guitar by plucking the strings with the the fingers.

I consider the plucking technique one of the most creative way of playing guitar because the music arranged in this style often includes chords and melody together.

This way of playing guitar can be quite intimidating and it explains why a lot of beginners prefer strumming over plucking.

There are three rules you should always follow if you want to achieve a balanced fingerpicking technique: