Adding Fingerpicking To 80/20 Guitar Lesson

In this lesson you'll find I'm using the chords that I taught you in the previous lesson based on a blog post I read by Tim Ferriss – How to Finally Learn Guitar. If you haven't watched my previous video or read the post output links at the bottom of this post.

I received many comments that people enjoy experimenting with these three guitar chords as well as the ease of fingering by putting the cable on the second fret. In this lesson, I pick it up a notch and fingerpicking to the chords. We'll start simple. Be sure and watch to the very end. I've added something a little more fancy at the very end.

Fingerpicking Tips 

To start with make your D chord form. Then put your right hand in the fingerpicking position. I covered this in more detail in previous videos but I'll summarize here. You're going to gently rest your three fingers on the first three strings of the guitar. Your third finger is on the first string, your second fingers on the second string in your first finger is on the third string. Then place the outer left side had of your done on the basis note… in this case the D string.

Now gently push your thumb down to strike the fourth string and rest on the third string, then pull your fingers into your palm one at a time starting with your first finger. Try to stay relaxed and even.

Getting a Smooth Fingerstyle Guitar Sound

The first trick with getting a smooth fingerpicking pattern is to stay relaxed. Keep your fingers slightly curved and pull them into your palm.

The second key to learning fingerstyle guitar playing properly is to learn to hold your right-hand at an equal distance from your guitar. Another way to say this is done pick at the strings and pull your hand out each time you strike a note. The motion is fingers moving into your palm and your hand staying steady. This makes it much easier to get your fingers back to where they belong for the next stroke.

Once you practice this with the D chord form try it with the C chord form. Then move on to the G chord form.

Fingerpicking Exercise

The entire exercise consists of playing the D chord twice using a complete fingerpicking pattern two times. Then play the C chord form twice using the same fingerpicking pattern. It's best in the beginning to use the same top three strings for the C chord form, but change the base note to the fifth string. Then do the same pattern on the G chord form changing the bass note to the fifth string.

And the exercise by going back to the D string and playing to fingerpicking patterns.

Here’s a diagram of what I described above:

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