Accoustic Fingerpicking.

I have been trying to learn the four step picking pattern as shown by Lisa. I can do the basic pattern but when I speed it up it sounds nothing like the demo that Lisa does. Her example seems to have more notes and a different rhythm.I have tried it with chords and without. Bill Mc Call

Hi billmccallart,

I think I know what the problem is. Lisa teaches the 4 step picking pattern without playing any chords or notes, so she hits the low E string with her thumb, then hits the high E with middle finger, hits the G string with her thumb, and then hit the B string with her index finger.

I'm referring to this video specifically: https://www.guitartricks.com/lesson.php?input=12106&s_id=596

At about the 3:15 mark in the video she throws in some chords. Notice how she uses the same picking pattern but she's not hitting the same strings. She changes and adapts the pattern to fit the chord she's holding. For example, when she plays a D chord in the video and employs the 4 step picking pattern, she doesn't hit the low E string to start the pattern, she hits the open D string first. She essentially moved the pattern up a couple of strings to match the chord she is playing.

After she plays the D, she plays a C and then a G, and each time she changes, she adjusts the pattern so that she's hitting the strings she's holding for each chord.

I hope some of that made sense. Another important thing is to slow it way down. When I was first learning to play, my music teacher always said to slow it down as much as possible, especially if I was having problems. Doing this will help your brain process each step of a song, or pattern, etc. And slowly, very slowly, you can increase the playing speed. You want to be able to understand the small details before you go wild.

I hope that helps, and I'm looking forward to hearing your progress on this!

- Billy

Thank you Billy. I did know that Lisa changes the base note to start the four note picking pattern depending on the chord as some do not use the sixth or fifth string but she seems to have a rhythm pattern that I cannot pick up. I think she is a superb teacher - perhaps I am just thick. I will keep playing it slowly until I get there. Bill

Another thing I forgot to mention, make sure your guitar is in tune! I've tried playing a song tons of times and ended up scratching my head, wondering why it sounded so off. This happens to everyone, and this would be the best problem to have because it's easy to fix!

Billy

I now realise what is wrong I looked up the later lesson and Lisa uses syncopation to emphasise certain notes that is why the rythm seems different.