One of the most common questions I receive here on Blitzguitar is about learning fingerstyle. From beginners to intermediate, the problem is always the same: What’s the best way to learn fingerstyle guitar. Is there a formula to follow to maximize your practice time so that you can improve faster? How do I practice so that I don’t hurt my fingers and tendons?

How did I start?

I consider myself quite lucky because I started playing guitar when I was ten years old. I started with the classical guitar, so I didn’t have a choice between fingerstyle or pick. Classical guitar requires a super accurate and advanced fingerstyle technique. I was practicing a lot, and that helped me to build up my technique slowly but firmly. When I finished my degree in classical guitar at age twenty, my fingerstyle was quite good. When I picked up the acoustic guitar, it was quite natural for me to play it. The approach is the same!

Which Guitar?

If you are starting now, you have to make a decision. You can begin by learning fingerstyle on Classical Guitar and Acoustic Guitar. The technique itself is the same, but both guitars behave differently.

• The Classical Guitar: Because the classical guitar has nylon strings and a wider neck, the fingerstyle is kind of straightforward. The nylon strings are quite soft to play with. You will be able to play the chords and melody easily with the left hand. The neck is wider, so you have more space between the strings. You can pluck freely. Also, the nylon strings respond quite well with dynamics. If you grow just a bit of fingernail, you could work on different tones and make your playing more unique. Also, the classical guitar has a really “step by step” method that will allow you to improve daily without struggling.
• The Acoustic Guitar: This is a different ball game. The acoustic guitar is equipped with still strings. For that reason, the tension is higher. You will need to press harder if you want the chords and melody to sound good. You also have a smaller range of dynamics and tones as the still strings respond quite flat to the plucking. Also, the neck is smaller than the classical. You have less space between the strings, so you are more likely to touch the other strings when you start plucking. This won’t last forever, though. I am sure that with a bit of practice, you will overcome the problems and start playing fluently after just a few weeks. There are a lot of books on acoustic guitar. The only downside here is that I always struggled to find something for intermediate guitar players. There are many books for beginners and some cool stuff for advanced, but not many for intermediate. Share some books if you want. I would be delighted.

 Do I start with Classical or Acoustic Guitar?

It depends. I usually recommend classical guitar for kids and any student who likes classical music. If you want a reliable fingerstyle technique, the ability to play different dynamics and tones, learn how to read music, and play solo guitar repertoire,  the classical guitar is probably the instrument you want to pick up. The acoustic guitar is also an excellent instrument for beginners. If you want to learn how to play like Tommi Emmanuel, Don Ross, Chet Atkins, Preston Reed, Michael Edges, and chord melody and play modern songs in fingerstyle, you better start with an acoustic guitar.

Once you define which guitar, you need a good teacher!

It would help if you started straight away with a good teacher. When you start playing guitar, you will need someone who will guide you step by step. Why do I need a teacher?

• If you want to learn faster, you need a fingerstyle guitar teacher.
• If you want to avoid bad habits, you need a fingerstyle teacher.
• If you want to progress faster, you need a fingerstyle guitar teacher.
• If you want tailored guitar lessons, you need a fingerstyle guitar teacher.
• If you want to become a pro guitar player, you need a fingerstyle guitar teacher.

What about Youtube and Online Courses?

YouTube and Online Guitar Courses are grand. I have learned a lot from watching tutorials online, and I have regularly done free lessons on YouTube. If you want to have more material and more personalized lessons, you can subscribe to online courses. Nowadays, there are a ton of them. They are cheap, effective and you can use them whenever you want during the day. Private lessons are more expensive, but you have better feedback because the guitar teacher can customize your music path based on your needs! Try both!

Let me give you some practical stuff you can use today to start improving your fingerstyle!

• Books
• Online Courses
• Three Killing exercises I use. With tabs! Check down below 😉

Books.

The best way to start learning a fingerstyle guitar with books is to find the one that will help you improve your technique as well as your musicality. Books like “Pumping Nylon” are great but too mechanical for me. I like to have exercises that are more practical and “song-like” type of thing.

These three books are super useful if you want to start using fingerstyle on classical guitar.

• Julio Sagreras is one of my favorite books because it combines both technique and technical exercise. You will start by learning the notes on position one. Then, you will begin playing straightaway some simple classical guitar pieces. The book is obviously for classical guitar fingerstyle, but acoustic guitar players can be used with a “Classical” taste. I highly recommend this book.
• 120 Arpeggio is a book by Mauro Giuliani. This book will learn 120 different arpeggios that will help you improve your fingerstyle technique. I like this book because, at some point, the exercises turn into proper short pieces. The right hand will gain control, accuracy, and speed. A good book if you want to start playing in the fingerstyle technique.
• Melbay Classical Guitar Book: This book is a simplified version of the Sagreras. I highly recommend this book for beginners. I don’t use it that much because I think it is too simple, but please check it out.

The three books for Acoustic Guitar

Check on Amazon for Acoustic Guitar Book, and you have almost 7000 items. Which one is the best? I have used these three books a couple of times, and I think they are quite helpful. When it comes to fingerstyle, I would instead use my exercises, but just because they are better organized.

• Fingerstyle Guitar Essential: In this book, you have lessons from different teachers. It is entirely organized, although I think the book is too simple. You can learn some basic chords and arpeggios. Entirely suitable for beginners.
• Fingerstyle Guitar by Hal Leonard: This is one of the most popular books for acoustic guitar. In this book, many exercises will help you with fingerstyle and chords. I quite like it, and I used it several times for beginners.
• Fingerstyle Standards: This book is quite a practical book for fingerstyle. You will learn 17 songs in fingerstyle. I like this book because I think it is easy and well written—definitely an excellent book to start learning fingerstyle guitar on a new level.  

Books are great! But there is a massive difference between using a book on your own and go through the book with a teacher. The thing is, a book itself can give you useful exercises and tips on how to start playing fingerstyle, but you never know if you are playing it the right way. I usually always recommend having a private teacher. If it’s too expensive, try one lesson a month to review the exercises and making sure you are on the right track!

Online Guitar Courses

Online guitar courses are another valuable way of learning fingerstyle guitar. You have millions of webpages available covering any style and genre. What is so amazing about Online Guitar Courses?

• Quantity: You can find anything you want in a vast number.
• Flexibility: You can pay on-demand or a monthly fee and watch the video when you want.
• Price: Online guitar courses are cheap!
• Tested: You can try them out before you start paying. Some webpages give you a “3 days trial”
• Interactive: Some webpages allow you to book skype lessons with the teacher to have private lessons.

Online Courses are one of the most significant trends of the 21 century. Try it!

Let me give you some practical exercises!

If you have been on BlitzGuitar long enough, you probably know that I always like to give some practical tips. I want to give away exercises that I write and use because I know they work. For this lesson, I will give you three amazing exercises that I consider to be “The best way to start learning fingerstyle guitar.”

Exercise 1 – Accuracy –

In this exercise, I am going to give you the key to accuracy. When you start learning fingerstyle, you have probably noticed that you have to be precise and accurate when you pluck the strings. It would be best if you learned how to balance your fingerstyle. The best way to do that is to create an exercise with:

• A constant right-hand movement.
• A simple left-hand approach.
• Rhythmic variation (even just one syncopation would be enough).

Exercise 2 – Strength –

Strength is everything. You won’t get far if your fingers get quickly tired. If you want to build muscle, you need an exercise based on repetition. Repetition is the key to power and control. Make sure you can hear the different voicing on the top strings. If you don’t use nails, you will probably struggle with volume. Don’t grab and pull strings but pluck the strings smoothly. Form over speed. Practice this exercise slowly and rest if you feel pain. Remember: You don’t want to stress your muscle and tendons. Good luck!

Exercise 3 – Tone –

The tone is a crucial aspect of your playing. You must be able to achieve the type of sound you want. When it comes to fingerstyle, a different tone can be achieved by plucking the string in a separate area. Play close to the neck if you want to make a mellow and rounded sound. Star shifting towards the bridge, moving closer to the bridge, will be a more sharp and brighter sound. I am sure this exercise will help you with improving this area of your playing.

Thank you very much for reading, guys. I hope this article helps you out with fingerstyle. 

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