How to Play Finger Style Guitar

Summary: What is fingerstyle guitar? It is the method of plucking the guitar strings directly with the fingertips, fingernails, or picks that are attached to individual fingers. There are different styles of fingerstyle, or fingerpicking, including Travis picking, American primitive guitar, ragtime guitar, Celtic guitar, slack-key guitar, percussive fingerstyle, and jazz fingerstyle. This style of guitar playing is believed to have been inspired by a ragtime piano. Fingerstyle guitar playing is seen in a range of musical genres as it can range in application, tone and melody.

In this series of expert videos, you will learn how to play the guitar using fingerstyle or fingerpicking techniques. Watch as our expert demonstrates picking patterns for you to try. Get tips on the basic open chord shapes and then challenge yourself with the moving chord shapes. Learn combination picking and get information on what to do with your left hand while fingerpicking. You’ll be an expert in no time after performing the practice drills shown in these videos. Challenge yourself more with the inside-out picking pattern and other picking patterns. Get tips on altered tuning and working with your fingernails. Our expert helps you to find your way around the guitar in these videos!