Finger picking mandatory?

Hi I would like to know if finger picking is neccessary Thanks.

I am still quite the beginner myself but this one thing i think i can chime in on and be worth hearing.

I guess it would depend on what kinds of music are most important to you.

I have an acoustic guitar and want to learn as many styles of music as possible. My brief experience so far was that i started with a pick because it was easier to get a consistent sound as well as having one less thing to have to focus on.

I was allways losing picks and since I wanted to be able to play all kinds of music it made sense to learn how to finger pick. At first it was a small step backwards because i was adding another element but now I barely have to think about it. I can easily do anything I could do with a pick and quite a bit more.

Having said that there are great guitarists who use them and great ones who dont so really its your choice but just dont give up on finger picking because it seems a little bit harder at the start because that will pass and it will make you more versatile in the long run.

Hi - I think Damion is right in that it really depends on what type of music you want to play. Personally, I prefer to finger-pick for the most part but that's just me. All skills are good skills. It never hurts to learn anything.

Look at it this way, Mark Knopfler finger picks almost exclusively and he's a great guitarist. Chet Atkins, another great finger picker. I'm willing to bet they can both play pretty welll with a pick too! :)

Welcome to GT and enjoy!

Different play styles for different situations. Nothing is really necessary, because you can always do the alternative. But it is always beneficial to learn something else.

And (along with all of those other reasons) finger picking is fun. I like to switch back and forth between using the pick and finger picking. It keeps my practice session interesting for me. I also find that finger picking provides a more intimate sound (at least to me).

I recommend giving it a shot. There's nothing to lose by trying.

Hi R17,

As a guitar instructor, I agree with the others who have responded to your post: it is only "necessary" if you like fingerstyle guitar music and wish to learn to play it.

If you do decide you want to give it a try, I have a fingerpicking tutorial aimed at beginners that should help get you started.

Here's the link:
http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=272

Good luck - have fun!
-Lisa

Thanks for info everyone it really helps. :)