finger picking

This is a technique I feel I need serious improvement on. I looked on the "Exercises" page and I just had a few questions.

When playing on the 2 high strings B/E, are you going to use finger and thumb in most cases?

Also, there's not like alternate picking for the fingers are there? You just basically have to return your fingers to the same position again before you pluck right?

[font=trebuchet ms]As a place to start, that's all good. I use my thumb to run the bass part while I do the chords and melody lines with my fingers. I'm pretty sure that advanced classical and flamenco techniques involve picking the strings in both directions. That's what the long nails are for.[/font]

I dont even use apick anymore. I play an alternate bass line with my thumb and play the lead lines with my middle and index fingers. You're not going to get the blazing speed that you get with alternate up/down with the pick but I dont play that type of music so it suits me just fine. Finger picking really lends itself to playing partial chords and jazz type chord/melody style of playing. It also is a good way of playing a delta style of blues that is my bread and butter.

Peace my brothers!!

delta style blues? sounds interesting! wanna give me a brief description?

Originally Posted by: ScottMoneyAlso, there's not like alternate picking for the fingers are there?

In my introductory experience to classical, for ascending/descending runs and taken to the extreme with the tremelo effect (see Tarrega's "Recuerdos de la Alhambras") there is quite literally alternate picking, only you're alternating your fingers on the same string. Usually they sit on designated strings and pluck when called upon, but for quicker notes on the same string this is used. This is quite difficult at first, and only with practice will you gain the muscle memory needed.

This thread got my attention because I just posted my 1st song contribution and it happens to be a great introduction to breaking in those usually unused fingers. This isn't a same string alternate picking example, but it will fairly immediately break in unused fingers. There's a nice rolling motion, that quickly becomes natural. See my lesson below.

Allegro-lesson with song example

Check out tricks by Benoit Nadeau and Doug Fearman.

Also check out flat-picken (a la Doc Watson).

I started off with a two finger and thumb (like Earl Scruggs (http://www.earlscruggs.com/) but not anything like as good) and moved that across to a flat picking style. I really like it and find that it is very versatile !

If you go to the Earl Scruggs link be sure to have the sound up on your computer and you will be treated to a bit of free foggy mountain breakdown ! Wonderful!

Originally Posted by: ScottMoneydelta style blues? sounds interesting! wanna give me a brief description?

The Original manifestation of blues as we know it, also known as Mississippi Delta blues. Check out Robert Johnson for an example.