Ultimate Guitar Training Tip: Fingerpicking
For most songs, try to use the following right hand fingering rule – thumb plays any note on Low E, A, and D strings, index plays any note on G string, middle plays any note on B string, ring plays any note on high E string. No pinkie. Try playing around with this on some chords for a bit and get used to the positioning and plucking. By using this method, your right-hand fingerpicking is already determined for you and will help avoid confusion and error. Try this on “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin and “Nothing Else Matters” by Metallica.
Sometimes you may need to adjust the finger-picking to a different set of strings. Try “Babe, I’m Gonna Leave You” by Led Zeppelin and adjust your thumb, index, middle, ring down a string (thumb gets low E and A, index gets D, middle gets G, ring gets B and high E). Give it a try.
richards@richardsguitarstudio.com
nate@ultimateguitartraining.com