FINGERSTYLE

Fingerstyle guitar is a technique that uses the thumb and fingers to sound individual strings instead of relying on a pick. The ability to leverage individual fingers allows guitarists to play multiple parts at once, with separate bass lines, melodies, and accompaniment, often leading those who first hear a fingerstyle recording to think they are hearing more than one guitar.

Like all other styles of play, there are some tips that can make learning and playing fingerstyle guitar a little easier.

Pay attention to patterns. Patterns sound really good, but they also make it easier to play. Practice patterns until they become second nature, building muscle memory. Once you have this down you can vary it, or stay with the pattern.

Picking Hand Position

Proper positioning of the picking hand could mean the difference between success and failure. Make sure your hand is relaxed and in a natural position to keep from cramping or getting too tired.

Lightly rest the outer edge of your palm on the bridge of your guitar, where the strings end.

Proper Position

Lightly rest the outer edge of your palm on the bridge of your guitar (where the strings end).

Keep your wrist relaxed. Let your arm rest comfortably on the body of your guitar and everything else should follow naturally.

When you pluck a string, your fingers will move diagonally to the strings.

You can use your pinky as an anchor by letting it rest of the body of the guitar, close to the highest string.

Each finger has a role of its own so you can easily pick your guitar strings with a quick flick of a finger.

Finger Assignments

Thumb	-	6th string, 5th string and 4th string
Index	-	3rd string
Middle	-	2nd string
Ring	-	1st string
Pinky	-	rarely used except as anchor

Finger Assignment

Thumb - 6th, 5th and 4th strings
Index - 3rd string
Middle - 2nd string
Ring - 1st string

Each finger has a role of its own so you can easily pick your guitar strings with a quick flick of a finger.

Finger Assignment

Thumb - 4th, 5th and 6th strings
Index - 3rd string
Middle - 2nd string
Ring - 1st string

Sometimes the index, middle, and ring fingers will shift down as a unit to cover the 4th, 3rd, & 2nd strings.

It's recommended to never play consecutive notes with the same finger. So, if you have two notes on the G sting, you'd play the first with the index finger and the second with the middle finger. This helps speed up your picking.