May 13, 2024
Updated July 20, 2025
11 minute read
Fingerpicking is a guitar playing technique in which the guitarist uses only their fingers to pluck the strings, rather than using a pick. It is a versatile technique that can be used to play a wide variety of musical styles, from folk and blues to classical and jazz. Fingerpicking can be a challenging technique to master, but it is also a rewarding one. With practice, you can develop the dexterity and coordination needed to play complex and beautiful fingerpicking patterns.
Why Learn Fingerpicking?
There are many reasons why you might want to learn fingerpicking. Perhaps you are interested in playing a particular song or style of music that requires fingerpicking. Or, you may simply want to expand your musical skills and learn a new technique. Whatever your reasons, learning fingerpicking can be a great way to improve your guitar playing.
How to Learn Fingerpicking
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Find a path to becoming a Fingerpicking. Learn more at:
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Reading list
We've selected 26 books
that we think will supplement your
learning. Use these to
develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a
deeper understanding of the topics covered in
Fingerpicking.
Masterclass in fingerpicking guitar from one of the world's leading acoustic guitarists. It covers a wide range of techniques, from basic fingerstyle patterns to advanced percussive techniques.
Provides a comprehensive guide to fingerpicking guitar techniques, covering everything from basic fingerstyle patterns to advanced travis picking and beyond. It is an excellent resource for guitarists of all levels who want to improve their fingerpicking skills.
Included in a list of 50 greatest guitar books, this book significant resource for solo fingerstyle guitar. It's suitable for those looking to expand their repertoire and technical skills in solo arrangements. The 30th-anniversary edition includes new material.
Comprehensive guide to fingerpicking guitar, covering everything from basic fingerstyle patterns to advanced techniques. It is an excellent resource for guitarists of all levels who want to improve their fingerpicking skills.
Stefan Grossman renowned authority on country blues guitar. valuable resource for those wanting to delve into the authentic sounds and techniques of this genre.
This method book provides a good overview of both accompaniment and solo fingerstyle guitar playing. It includes popular tunes to practice with and offers a structured approach to learning fingerstyle. is suitable for beginners to intermediate players.
Written by the master of Travis picking himself, this book classic for learning his influential style. It's suitable for beginner to intermediate players interested in country and Этот текст на английском языке. Я не могу предоставить перевод на русский. blues fingerpicking in the style of Chet Atkins.
Focuses specifically on fingerstyle blues guitar, covering techniques and soloing. It is recommended for intermediate and advanced players interested in the blues genre and improvising within it.
Focusing strictly on alternating-bass or Travis picking, this book is largely about training the picking hand. It well-regarded resource for delving deeper into this specific technique after mastering basic finger control.
Described as a great all-around book for learning solo fingerstyle guitar, this book covers various approaches like Travis picking and arpeggiation. It offers good organization and a decent difficulty progression, making it suitable for beginner to intermediate players.
Highly recommended method for learning Travis picking, a specific and important fingerpicking style. It progresses logically with exercises and performance pieces, making it excellent for complete beginners to intermediate players interested in this style.
Focuses on advanced modern fingerstyle techniques, including percussive approaches, altered tunings, and advanced harmonics. It's aimed at experienced players looking to push their technical boundaries and explore contemporary sounds. It includes video lessons.
Provides instrumental solos from the beginning, incorporating various fingerpicking patterns beyond just Travis picking. It's designed to help developing guitarists play nice-sounding pieces while building technique. It good follow-up to introductory methods.
Focuses specifically on introducing fundamental fingerpicking patterns. It is designed for beginners and provides exercises to build dexterity and coordination in the picking hand. It's a practical guide for those just starting with fingerpicking.
This highly recommended starting point for learning fingerstyle blues guitar. It helps develop thumb independence and allows players to quickly sound good playing blues material.
Comprehensive guide to fingerpicking jazz guitar, covering everything from basic chord voicings to advanced improvisational techniques. It is an excellent resource for guitarists who want to learn how to play jazz on the guitar.
This songbook focuses specifically on fingerstyle arrangements of blues songs in various styles like country blues, ragtime, and boogie. It's an excellent resource for players interested in applying fingerpicking to the blues genre.
Ken Perlman respected author in the fingerstyle community. likely covers a range of fingerpicking techniques and styles, offering a solid resource for players looking to improve their overall fingerstyle playing.
Great resource for guitarists who want to learn how to play fingerpicking blues guitar. It includes a collection of classic blues songs, as well as lessons on basic fingerpicking techniques.
Explores fingerpicking within the context of indie folk music, covering altered tunings and creative techniques used in the genre. It's suitable for players interested in contemporary folk styles and expanding their harmonic and technical palette. It includes audio examples.
Blends traditional classical guitar techniques with fingerstyle approaches in various genres, including jazz, blues, and bossa nova. It provides a systematic technical foundation while exploring diverse musical styles, suitable for guitarists with broad interests.
Similar to 'Fingerpicking Standards,' this book offers arrangements of various songs for fingerpicking. It's a practical resource for practicing fingerpicking in a musical context and expanding one's song list.
While primarily a classical guitar technique book, Pumping Nylon is highly recommended for developing fundamental right-hand fingerstyle technique that is applicable across genres. It focuses on building strength, control, and tone. is commonly used in academic classical guitar programs.
This resource provides a wealth of exercises for developing classical guitar technique, which directly translates to fingerstyle proficiency. It focuses on scales, arpeggios, and other technical building blocks crucial for developing clean and efficient fingerpicking. It includes video lessons.
For more information about how these books relate to this course, visit:
OpenCourser.com/topic/x2a1rt/fingerpickin
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