I was at Barnes & Noble yesterday and saw this book I really want to buy. It was 30 Beatles songs arranged for fingerstyle guitar. The only problem is that I dont know how to fingerpick. So I was wondeing if anyone has any tips. I plan on asking my instructor tomorrow, ut in the mean time any help is greatly appreciated!
Thanks!

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"I'll get up there and do my guitar solos in one of those space outfits." ~ Ace Frehley
My YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/fenderflamestrat?

Practice the thumb and finger parts separately if it's tricky, and do it slowly--then put them together and increase the tempo as you get better.

Also try practicing the picking hand by itself and the fretting hand by itself.

If you can break down the separate things you do and work on those it wll help, then put it all together.

Works for me for classical and fingerstyle blues.

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It wasn't Willy-Nilly, it was at crows.

Keep at it.

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"Persistence Is The Father Of Invention"
-Crazy Old Man In Training

I suggest learning an easy fingerstyle song like Hey There Delilah or Everybody Hurts and work your way from there. Make sure you restrict your thumb, at first mine tended to want to pluck the third string instead of just the bottom three. Simple blues licks also helped. Set about 10-15 minutes of focus on it a day if you really want to get better fast.

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use your metronome.

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63supro
"The good thing is in a club situation, most of the patrons are trashed and really can't tell the difference."

In all honesty, play a uke for awhile and resist using your thumb to play on every string.

There's some challenging enough songs on the ukulele fingerpicked that by the time you head your way back to the guitar, it'll come easily.

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1987 Fender Squier Strat - Lake Placid Blue
1981 Yamaha Eterna Folk Acoustic
2006 Peavey Bandit 112
2007 Roland HP-207 Piano

I bought the book

After learning Blackbird, Dust in the Wind, and Hey There Delilah (Thanks Negative Creep, it is a great song ) I kind of forgot about this book, but am glad I got it. Well, off to attempt an all-nighter to master one of these songs I feel like A Day in the Life is a good choice

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"I'll get up there and do my guitar solos in one of those space outfits." ~ Ace Frehley
My YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/fenderflamestrat?

I've never had a problem with my thumb wanting to hit everything - I have to watch my index finger. It tends to wander to pretty much any string.

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[08 MIM Standard Arctic White] > [Danelectro Fish n Chips EQ > Radial Texas Bones OD > Tonerider British Distortion > Electroharmonix Russian Big Muff Pi > Vox V847 Wah] > FM65R

Learn classical. I started off learning classical and it helped me no end with electric.

It's difficult at first, but it's worth it. For an example of how to do it and how not to do it within the same show, check out the Eagles' Hell Freezes Over tour. In particular, Hotel California. Don Felder's tone, articulation and technique is simply fantastic; Joe Walsh's is about as rubbish as it gets, consequently the tone and articulation suffer.

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'01 American Deluxe HSS Strat.
'87 Japan HSS Strat.
'11 Custom Shop FMT HSS Strat.

"Without music, time is just a bunch of boring production deadlines and dates by which bills must be paid."

Like Vlad, I'm a classical player first and foremost. So I can tell you there's no mystery about finger style playing. I'm afraid it's about graft - putting the hours in. It's like learning any aspect of playing - you need to generate momentum and only regular practice will do that. Even just 15mins a day is much better than playing for 3 hours one day a week. But it needs to be done productuvely - there's no point spending hour after hour on things you can already play.

Some specific points:

Use a one finger per string technique wherever possible. It promotes fluidity and balance.

Focus on your weakest finger (which is usually your ring or 3rd finger - the one next to your pinkie).

Try and straighten your plucking fingers a little rather than picking with crabbed curled fingers. You don't need to anchor your wrist onto the guitar top.

Think about growing your plucking hand fingernails a little and keeping them in good condition. File them rather cutting them to stop them splitting. Splitting? Eating one cube a day of raw jelly works wonders.

By all means use a metronome - but start it slow!! Get accurate first, then build up speed.

Good luck.

Then perhaps someone can tell me how to use these damn bits of plastic we call plectrums - I really struggle with the damn things and have ended up with a half fingers and plectrum style when playing an electric!

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Fender Highway & Classic 60s Strats, Fender Toronado, Telecaster, Gretsch Projet, Charvel 3, PRS SE Soapbar II & Custom 24, Burns Batwing and many others!

I'd try using your fingers. I find it to be the most effective method for successful fingerpicking.

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Favorite bands:

Melvins
The Jesus Lizard
Cows
Big Business
R***man
Minutemen
Flight
Minor Threat
Big Black
Shellac
Karp
Scratch Acid
Wipers
Pixies

Yes! I'm not alone!! I'm gunna try the jelly trick. My nails are brittle as hell. Nice one!

And agreed- start slow, or you'll end up frustrated, pissed off and upset. That's no way to go about fingerpicking.

And as previously mentioned- watch this so you get some idea of what is 'wrong' and 'right'...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rhl7NfdNmBs

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'01 American Deluxe HSS Strat.
'87 Japan HSS Strat.
'11 Custom Shop FMT HSS Strat.

"Without music, time is just a bunch of boring production deadlines and dates by which bills must be paid."

As has been mentioned, classical guitar lessons. I started off on electric, and then started taking classical guitar lessons. I now play both styles regularly, and love what fingerpicking has allowed me to do.

Classical Guitar is what did it for me. In particular, look into the Carcassi Studies.

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You dig?

Just to second that - because it might be very handy advice for someone out there.

It sounds like folklore but this gelatine thing is absolutely true. My dad and I both have quite brittle nails so a couple of years ago my wife recommended a cube or two a day of concentrated jelly (like you get at the supermarket for making kid's party food). We scoffed sceptically, but tried it - and as quickly as a couple of weeks later splitting nails were a thing of the past.

A miracle cure for string players!



Now if only there was a little cube to eat that would turn me into an instant fingerpicker...

Cheers - C

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