Finger Pickin' Good!

Ha! The post title is a terrible pun, I know--but finger picking really is a great way to become a better guitarist, and a better "chord maker" on the guitar. Strumming with a pick is a wonderful thing--don't get me wrong!--but being able to finger pick adds a whole new dynamic method to your arsenal of guitar tricks!

I've had a previous post or two on finger picking, but I really want to just show you a very simple pattern today that will help you make better, cleaner chords. Because when you finger pick, there really is no way to hide buzzing strings or other fretting mistakes.

This "triplet pattern" in 4/4 time is one that is used and can be used in many songs.

Essentially, you will be using the thumb, index finger,middle finger, and ring finger on your "picking" hand to pluck the notes in a forward--backward sequence. Sometimes, you will see online that these fingers are referred to as PIMA, which is an abbreviation of their Spanish names ( thumb-Pulgar; index-Indice; middle-Medio; ring-Anular).


One important thing to remember about finger picking is that, generally speaking, you will always want to try to play the root note of the chord on one of the bottom three strings strings with your thumb.

In the video below, I will show you this pattern and demonstrate why it will make you a better guitarist in the long run.

So give it a shot, and Happy (Finger) Pickin'!

Link to Video on Finger Picking Exercise