This month’s RGS Live features an introduction to a style of fingerpicking known as Travis picking. Travis picking entails alternating bass notes played by the thumb while the fingers pluck the higher strings.

Once you’ve become comfortable with Travis picking it’s a great technique to use across the genres of folk, blues, and even ragtime.

We learn the basic picking pattern as well as a 3-chord progression which is the basis of the song Landslide by Fleetwood Mac.

For more advanced players, we showed how to add a bit of flair and color with a pull-off while Travis picking.

Questions Asked During the Session:

[9:04] Aimee - When alternating the bass, how do you keep the thumb from muting the other strings?

[16:50] Youtuber - Please show an example of palm muting while playing fingerstyle…

[18:26] Britt - How long does it take to get this down?

19:43 Susan - Can you please show the G/B chord again?