Getting Your Fingers In On the Action

Transcription

1 Rry Garfrth Getting Yur Fingers In On the Actin Once yu are able t strum with yur fingers, yu can begin fingerpicking! The first task is t learn yur hand psitin and t learn which fingers are used n which strings. Fr simplicity, I am assuming that yu are righthanded, s left-handed peple shuld reverse these instructins. (I m left handed as yu knw!!) 1. Place the heel f yur right hand n the bridge f the guitar. Yur fingers shuld extend almst t the sundhle (if yu have an acustic guitar). Yur hand shuld be in a very relaxed psitin, with yur fingers sftly tuching the strings. Yur hand shuld nt feel uncmfrtable. 2. Frm a nrmal C chrd with yur left hand. 3. Place yur fingers n the apprpriate strings as fllws: Thumb n the 5th string Index finger n the 4th string Middle finger n the 3rd string Ring finger n the 2nd string 4. Nw, practice picking with each finger. Fr the thumb, pick dwnwards using the inside edge f yur thumb. 47

2 Rry Garfrth Fr all ther fingers, pick upwards using the fingertip. Yu can use the flesh f yur fingertip r yur fingernail; whichever yu prefer. Practice each finger fr a minute r tw, never allwing the finger t leave its assciated string mentined abve. Keep yur hand planted n the bridge thrughut this exercise. It shuld nt be uncmfrtable while picking. 5. Eventually yu will want t change yur hand psitin s yu are nt muffling the bridge. By resting yur hand n the bridge it deadens the sund, s yu will want t mve yur hand ff f the guitar tp. T d this simply keep yur pinkie sitting n the guitar tp belw the strings and pick like yu nrmally d. Yur pinkie will brace yur hand t allw yu t pick. This may be uncmfrtable at first, but yu will get used t it. If yu find it difficult, yu can always cntinue using the first methd. Yu dn't need t change yur hand psitin immediately; just change it when yu feel cmfrtable changing it. Prceed nly after yu feel cmfrtable picking with each finger. 48

3 Rry Garfrth Yur First Picking Pattern After yu have learned t assciate yur fingers with particular strings, yu can begin t develp a cherent pattern f picking. The first pattern yu will learn is an arpeggiated C chrd. This pattern can then be varied t fit any musical requirement. 1. Play the fur strings listed n the previus page, in rder, frm lw t high: 5th, 4th, 3rd, 2nd, as shwn in Figure 1 belw. Always use the crrect finger fr each string. The crrect fingers are shwn belw the tab: T=thumb, I=index, M=middle, and R=ring. These designatins are used thrughut the rest f the lessns. Use these same fingers fr each repetitin. Start very slwly at first. After the last exercise yu shuld be cmfrtable picking each string, but yu must nw train yur hand muscles t perfrm this pattern. Play this pattern repeatedly, until yu can play it at a mderate speed. The nly way t learn this pattern and t train yur hand is t repeat this exercise many times. Remain n the C chrd, because ther chrds require yu t use ther strings. 49

4 Rry Garfrth 2. Once yu have learned this first picking pattern, yu can begin changing yur pattern. Reverse this picking pattern; that is, play chrds frm high t lw, as in Figure 2. This pattern will require a bit mre cncentratin because yu must nw train yur hand t d the exact ppsite mtin. If this exercise is difficult fr yu, repeat the tp exercise until yu are cmfrtable with it. Pick the chrd frm lw t high and back dwn, as in Figure 3. Once yu have learned the abve tw exercises, this shuld be a bit simpler t d. Hwever, it des require integratin f the abve exercises, s if yu can d this pattern yu will be able t play almst anything else yu want. 50

5 Rry Garfrth Mre Cmplex Picking Patterns Once yu have learned hw t pick, yu can begin t learn new chrds and t make up yur wn picking patterns. Basically I will utline patterns n cmmn chrds, and allw yu t invent different nes and t play arund n mre bscure chrds. 1. Nw we will study a pattern fr the D chrd. This pattern is very similar t the C chrd pattern except different strings are used. Simply shift yur fingers up ne string, s the thumb is playing the 4th string, as shwn in Figure 1. This pattern shuld be relatively simple, because it is just a repeat f the previus pattern. Hwever, it may take sme time t get used t the feel f the new strings. Once yu feel cmfrtable playing this, mve n t the next step. This shuld sund like the first measure f R.E.M.'s Everybdy Hurts, just s yu knw. 2. Nw I will intrduce a new pattern, based n the C and D chrd patterns learned abve. This new pattern is shwn in Figure 2. Ntice that in the middle f this exercise yu must change yur finger psitin t switch between the C and D chrd. 51

6 Rry Garfrth After yu have played the C chrd thrugh nce, as shwn in the figure, yu must mve yur thumb up ne string (t 4th string), and mve yur ther fingers up in the same manner. This exercise is nt cmplicated except fr the transitin between chrds. Cncentrate n this transitin, because it will be very imprtant when yu begin t play sngs. 3. Once yu feel cmfrtable changing chrds, yu can learn a new pattern f picking, shwn in Figure 3. Start slwly, and wrk up t speed; yu have never seen this pattern befre. When yu play this exercise, play the bass nte f the chrd (e.g. C fr a C chrd, D fr a D chrd, etc.) n the strng beats, as is ntated. Play this exercise slwly, because it is the first time yu will be playing strings ut f rder. The mst imprtant thing t ntice abut this exercise is the repeated use f the bass nte f the chrd. Mst picking patterns that I d try t 52

7 Rry Garfrth emphasize the bass nte f the chrd, because I believe it is imprtant fr a slid-sunding chrd. Changing Strings While Picking Once yu knw hw t change chrds and mve yur fingers t accmmdate the new chrd, we will begin t mve yur fingers arund during chrds. This becmes necessary when a chrd requires yu t play mre than fur strings (such as G r F). 1. We will lk at the F chrd first because the nly finger that mves while picking it is the thumb. Try t make the F chrd shape shwn in Figure 1. Place yur fur fingers n the first fur strings as in a nrmal F chrd, then bring yur thumb arund the neck and thumb the first fret n yur sixth string. This methd f chrd frmatin is better while picking because it is easier and faster than using the barre chrd F, and has a fuller sund than the simple fur-string F. Mst fingerpickers wrap the thumb arund t the sixth string fr chrds which use the sixth string. This is a very helpful technique, which saves a lt f time and hand strain. I use it n D/F# (200232), F (103211), and lts f ther chrds. 2. Nw play the picking pattern shwn in Figure 2 using the frm f the F chrd shwn in Figure 1. 53

8 Rry Garfrth Pick bth the 6th string and the 4th string with yur thumb. The purpse f this exercise is t get yur picking fingers used t mving n the strings, because mst chrds require yu t d this, and if yu want t make yur patterns musically interesting yu will want t change strings. Once again, start slwly and wrk up t speed. This exercise shuld nt be difficult, but it shuld take time t get used t. 3. Nw play the pattern fr a G chrd as shwn in Figure 3. Like the F chrd, G requires yu t play mre than fur strings t get a decent sund. Hwever, the main difference is that instead f mving yur thumb, yu mve the three fingers. Play this exercise like all the thers. Use the fllwing fingers: thumb n 6th, then the remaining three fingers n the tp three strings. 54

9 Rry Garfrth These three strings will change during the measure s yu must mve yur fingers back and frth t accmmdate the change. Obviusly, start this ne very slwly and wrk slwly up t speed. D nt get frustrated; keep at it and yu will learn the pattern. Tw- and Three-Nte Chrds Befre yu play the sngs, there is ne mre technique that yu need t knw. This ne shuld be pretty self-explanatry, but nt necessarily bvius at first. Mst sngs use tw- and three-finger chrds at ne time r anther; they dn't always use the brken picking patterns we have studied. As an example, I am ging t use the pening t Tears in Heaven, by Eric Claptn, s check that ut befre we start. 1. Use the shape shwn in Figure 1 fr the pening chrds t Tears in Heaven. Play the 2nd and 3rd strings with yur middle and index fingers, respectively. They are picked at the same time, s use the same picking mtins yu have been using but pick them simultaneusly. This pattern is used thrughut mst f the sng. When yu encunter three-nte chrds, use yur index, middle, and ring fingers. Once yu have cmpleted this exercise, yu are fficially a fingerpicker! Yu can nw practice and refine yur skill, wrking with different chrds and sunds t create the musical style yu want. The nly way t imprve yur picking is t practice. Gd luck, and have fun with yur newfund skill! 55

10 Rry Garfrth 56