ITunes Acoustic Fingerstyle Guitar

Acoustic Finger Style Guitar
Publisher
Spytunes Ltd
1 Wilbury Avenue
BN3 6HR
Hove, East Sussex
United Kingdom
Copyright © 2010 Spytunes
The material in this publication is solely aimed at students.
The material should be used to help the student further learn from
the mentioned songs by studying a related technique in depth.
This means that the material falls under “Fair use in education”.
First edition in 2009
Second edition in 2010
Acoustic Finger Style Guitar © 2010 Spytunes Ltd

Acoustic Finger Style Guitar – Table Of Contents
Table Of Contents
1. About This Book
2. What Is Finger style?
3. Chord Shapes & Patterns
4. 4/4 and 6/8
5. Chord Progression 1
6. Etude 1–7
8. Etude 8–12
9. S-E Etudes
10. Final Thoughts
11. Ain’t No Sunshine Etude
12. Arthur’s Theme Etude
13. Blackbird Etude
14. Close To You Etude
15. Dream A Little Dream Etude
16. Empire State Of Mind Etude
17. Fast Car Etude
18. Hey There Delilah Etude
19. Last Request Etude
20. Over The Rainbow Etude
21. Scarborough Fair Etude
22. The Scientist Etude
23. Stairway To Heaven Etude
24. Tears In Heaven Etude
25. Why Don’t You Do Right Etude

Acoustic Finger Style Guitar – About This Book
1. About This E-Book

Thank you for purchasing this E-Book.
After you have completed all 12 Etudes you

will understand how finger style guitar
patterns are built and should be able to apply
this technique to any piece of music.
You might also find other areas of

improvement in your playing such as:
• Finger Dexterity
• Co-ordination
• Understanding of bass lines
• Time Keeping
• Understanding of Chord Progressions
As always, keep track of the BPM to measure your own progress.
Song Etudes
Use the song Etude to see the rhythmical pattern as well as the
fingering of the arrangements.
With this in mind you can begin to explore the guitar arrangement
in more depth and with more focus.
Let ’Acoustic Finger Style Guitar’ kick start your journey as a finger
style player!
-Samantha Murray & Dan Lundholm

Acoustic Finger Style Guitar – What Is Finger Style Guitar?
2. What is Finger Style Guitar?

Finger style guitar is a broad subject
stretching from Simon & Garfunkels soothing
patterns to Michael Hedges percussive
techniques.
From Merle Travis style that fed a whole

generation of American Session players to
unorthodox styles like Mark Knopflers (Dire
Straits) home made solo style.
When you first see these players you might

think that what they do has something to
with extreme talent, it doesn’t, it’s just a lot
of practicing and gigging, honing their own
style which is built on repetition of certain
tricks.
Should you ever examine any of the above-

mentioned players in great detail you would find that they are
constantly “doing the same thing”. Not necessarily as each other,
but as themselves.
This e-book takes 2 basic chord progression ideas and applies finger
style patterns to them. By learning these Etudes you will:
• Understand how to build your own finger style patterns

• Improve overall dexterity, co-ordination and accuracy
• Hear movement in chord progressions better
Keep track of the Etudes using a click, write down the BPM in the
work sheet at the end of this E-Book. Aim between 90-130 BPM.
Once you have completed all etudes to a satisfactory level, start

writing your own.
Simply pick a chord progression you like, find a pattern and apply it
to all chords, gradually build up bass lines.

Acoustic Finger Style Guitar – Chord Shapes & Finger Style Patterns
3. Chord Shapes & Finger Style Patterns

To get started it is a good idea to group all
chord shapes together in terms of what strings
they use.
Am, B7 and C
These chords use string 1-5 when we strum.

When playing finger style we only use 4
strings for our basic pattern so don’t include
the top string from your patterns.
Should you want to alternate the bass you

th
would do that by playing the 5 of the chord
on string 6 (Etude 2, 4, 6 & 7).
D, Dm, F & C/E
These chords use the top 4 strings, should you

want to alternate bass you do that by adding
th
the 5 of the chord on string 5.
E, Em & G
th
These chord shapes start on the 6 string and go all the way to
string 1, since we want to be able to use a similar pattern over
these shapes.
The best 4 strings to pick are string 6 (root) and string 4-2. This
leaves us string 5 to apply the alternate bass with.
Conclusion
The secret to building a finger style pattern is to group the chord

shapes together so the same pattern can be applied to any shape.

Acoustic Finger Style Guitar – 4/4 and 6/8
4. 4/4 and 6/8

The first 7 etudes are written in 4/4 time.
This means that you count 1, 2, 3, 4 every bar.
6/8 time has a different feel to it, count all 8

th
notes: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
When you do this make sure you accentuate

beat 1 and 4. This is your half-time pulse.
To make sure you understand the difference in

feel; do the following:
Tap you foot at a slow tempo corresponding

with 1 and 3 as you count in 4/4 time.
1 2 3 4
Foot Foot
Keep the same tempo with your foot, but count in 6/8:
1 2 3 4 5 6
Foot Foot
You should in this way experience the difference of 4/4 and 6/8
time.
An example of a tune in 6/8 is House of the rising sun (The

Animals).
An example of a tune in 4/4 is Start Me Up (Rolling Stones).

Acoustic Finger Style Guitar – Chord Progression 1
The first 7 Etudes use this chord progression:
C – Am – B7 – Em – G – D – Dm – Dm7 – F
– C/E – Dm7 – G/B
If you have studied the songwriter swivel you

would be able to see that this chord
progression either modulates and/or use
variations such as Vm.
The most common misconception when it

comes to musical harmony is that there are
true/set answers to everything.
It’s not that simple, think of music theory as a

flexible tool to describe music instead.
Let’s use the above example to examine this concept in closer

detail.
Should we say that this progression is in the key of C major we

would have the following variations:
• D major would be a IIx chord

• B7 would be a VIIx chord.
We could also look at this progression as if it was in G major.
C would then be IV, Am II etc. The variations we then see are:
B7 is a IIIx chord
Dm/Dm7 are Vm chords
F is a bVIIx chord.

Modulation
A third option is also available: modulation.
• C and Am are in the key of C.

• B7 modulates to G major.
• Dm7 modulates us back to C major.
Chord Progressions with small variations like

this are everywhere in popular music.
Ultimately it is the melody that would decide

what key we are in, if we modulate or not and
how that modulation is executed.
Song Writers spend hours on refining this kind

of stuff.
As a guitarist it is very important that you always “know where you

are” in relation to the key.
Task
As you play the progression; consider the numbers as the different

options above and see which one you feel is most true.
Aim to ”hear the chords as numbers”, as well as seeing the shapes

connect on the fretboard.

Acoustic Finger Style Guitar – Etude 1-7
6. Etude 1-7
Etude #1 will get your thumb working in
conjunction with your other three fingers.
Throughout the right hand is explained using:

T = Thumb, I=Index, M=Middle and R= Ring
finger.
This first etude is picked T-RMI.
Practice with a click; keep increasing BPM.
Etude #1
10

The difference between etude #2 and the first

etude is the alternating bass line.
When notating alternate bass you don’t have

to write all chords: C C/G C C/G etc.
Just look at it as a variation.
Notice how the chord always find the 5th on

the same fret as the root note, but a string
above.
When we play chords from the 6th string we

find it on the string above, two frets up the
neck. Compare Am and Em below to see the
connection.
Use your thumb for all bass notes.
Etude #2
11

Etude #3 has a 16th rhythm pattern.
Many folk artists like Simon & Garfunkel and

Bob Dylan would have their basic playing in a
rhythmical pattern like this.
To make this feel natural, practice at a very

slow tempo for the first few days.
Keep it absolutely accurate, and then slowly

increase the BPM.
Make sure you keep the pattern sounding nice

and relaxed throughout.
Try the fingering T-T-I, T-M-T-I as well as T-T-

I, T-R-T-I, which one do you prefer?
Etude #3
Continue on next page…
12

Etude #3 continued
13

In etude #4 we have the same concept as

Etude #3; but now with an alternating bass
line.
Do not rush these exercises, come back to

them everyday instead and keep pushing the
BPM without sacrificing accuracy.
To further develop the etude consider:
• Vary the chord progression

• Transpose the progression to a new key
Which fingering will you use?
T-T-I, T-M-T-I or T-T-I, T-R-T-I?
Etude #4
14

Etude #4 continued
Once you feel comfortable with this pattern;

focus on the rhythmical placement of the
bass line.
Listen to where you place the downbeats.

Don’t rush.
15

For Etude #5 you have two choices of how to

play this pattern:
Thumb: T-TM, T-I-T-M

Traditional: T-IM, T-I-T-M.
It’s important that you try both fingerings;

which ever feels better will vary from person
to person.
Also, the more you practice both ways, the

stronger your finger independence will
become!
Etude #5
16

Etude #5 continued
The last 4 bars might be tricky.
Slow the BPM down and build it up again to

achieve results.
17

In Etude #6 we get the same idea as Etude

#5, now with the alternating bass movement.
How far can you push the BPM?
Etude #6
Continued on next page…
18

Etude #6 continued
Make sure the last 4 bars feel natural.
19

Etude #7 is a combination of previous

concepts.
Should you build your own arrangements it is

very likely they will contain combinations of
patterns you like.
Focus on the theory of the concept here and

then start building your own arrangements.
How are you going to finger this?

Well, that is the question!
Etude #7
Continued on next page…
20

Etude #7 continued
This was the final Etude in 4/4.
Can you see how to build a finger style

pattern is down to:
• Chord shape
• Rhythm
• Pattern
How far can you push the BPM in these

Etudes?
21

The last Etudes use this chord progression:
Am – Dm – F – Fm – C – G/B – Am – G – Em – E.
Two variations here determine that we are in

the key of C major.
The F to Fm has to be IV and IVm because the

other chords so clearly states that we are in C
major.
If you have played songs using the IVm

variation you should “feel” the same way
when you play these chords.
The Em to E is clearly III – IIIx since it does go

from minor to major and then leads to Am (the primary function of
IIIx is to lead to VI).
22

8. Etude 8-12
There are a few different ways you could pick
this Etude.
Guru recommends that your right hand play:

T-T-I-M-I-I to gain absolute control.
A more traditional way would be: T-I-M-R-M-I

but you might find that it is difficult to “make
it groove” with such a fingering.
Why not try both ways and see what works

best for you?
Etude #8
23

The most difficult bit when playing this

pattern is your right hand.
Guru recommends that your right hand play:

T-T-I-M-M-I-I to gain absolute control.
There are however several other options

available here: experiment and find out what
is easiest for you.
The classically trained guitarist would most

likely play: T-I-M-R-R-M-I.
Which approach do you find the easiest?
Etude #9
24

The variation for Etude #10 lies within the

order of the strings.
Guru recommends the fingering: T-I-T-M-I-I.
Traditional would be: T-M-I-R-M-I.
Notice how the different ways to pick the

notes changes your hand posture.
Etude #10
25

The rhythm here is the same as in Etude #9,

but the pattern differs.
Guru fingering: T-T-I-T-M-I-I

Traditional: T-I-M-T-R-M-I
When you practice it, focus on delivering the

rhythm with consistent accuracy.
Etude #11
26

The final etude has a different rhythm over

the second bar.
This effect is greatly used in all styles of

music. What you achieve is a pattern that
“drives itself along”.
Guru pattern bar 1: T-T-I-T-M-I-I-T

Guru pattern bar 2: T-I-T-IMR-IMR
Also notice how we are back in 4/4, but the

pattern is clearly influenced by a 6/8 feel.
Can you change it into 6/8?
Etude #12
27

Acoustic Finger Style Guitar – S-E Etudes
9. S-E Etudes
When you have grasped what number every
chord has, how the finger style patterns work
in relation to the individual shapes and you
just can not push the BPM any higher it is
time for the final step: to make these Etudes
self-eliminating.
Here’s what to do:
Transpose etude 8-12 to the key of G, E, D

and A.
Do not write down the TAB, just the chords

(or even better, the roman numerals).
Your goal should be to apply the patterns to

the new keys.
Now do the same to etude 1-7. This is much more difficult.

Make sure you have decided what to call the different chords.
Is it modulating or not? You decide.
When you feel ready; arrange some songs you like using the finger
style concept described in this eBook.
Please share your adventures with other Spytuners in the Forum.
28

Acoustic Finger Style Guitar – Final Thoughts
10. Final Thoughts

Finger style guitar is all about finding a way
that works for you.
By understanding how a pattern can be

applied to different chord shapes this should
no longer be impossible.
The next step is now to learn Etudes based on

the songs available at Spytunes.com
The song collection grows as we record more

and more songs using a finger style technique.
All future updates are free and we welcome

feedback in the forum.
29

Acoustic Finger Style Guitar – Ain’t No Sunshine
Ain’t No Sunshine Etude

This is an etude based on Spytunes
arrangement of Ain’t No Sunshine.
1. Learn this etude in order to get the

pattern to sit right, then copy the
song arrangement.
2. Write the arrangement down in the

DIY TAB section of The Guitar
Conspiracy.
3. Upload your TAB, plus performance to

Spytunes forum via Youtube for
feedback.
Ain’t No Sunshine Etude
30

Acoustic Finger Style Guitar – Arthur’s Theme
Arthur’s Theme Etude

Two etudes available for Arthur’s Theme, the
first one is a strumming pattern that doesn’t
actually appear in SpyTunes arrangement of the
song.
However, you need to play it in order to

understand the verse rhythm (shown in etude 2)
Before you play any of these, count along to the

mp3 audio to ensure you can get see and hear
the placement.
Arthur’s Theme Etude #1

Count like this: II: _ & 2 & 3 _ 4 & :II
Arthur’s Theme Etude #2
Can you see the similarity between Etude 1 and 2?
31

Acoustic Finger Style Guitar – Blackbird
Blackbird Etude
Two etudes for Blackbird, this first one deals
with the picking pattern and carries around
the scale of G major.
For a bonus ear training lesson, sing along

with the root notes: 1 2 1 2 3 2 1 2 3 4 etc
This will make your perception between the

chord number and the sound clearer.
Blackbird Etude #1
32

Acoustic Finger Style Guitar – Blackbird
The second etude for Blackbird focus on the

index finger strum that McCartney used on
the legendary recording.
We can post the release of Blackbird see this

technique being used by most acoustic
guitarists.
John Mayer for example has been known to

apply the “flick” with great success in many
of his compositions.
When you can play both Etudes at the same

tempo as the audio, move on to learning the
song.
The video lesson should be an exact replica of

what Paul plays so notate carefully and learn
it as it was played.
To get the pattern smooth, loop the etude below.
Blackbird Etude #2
33

Acoustic Finger Style Guitar – Close To You
Close To You Etudes

Two Etudes to help you learn to play Close
To You by The Carpenters.
Aim to get the first pattern a relaxed as

possible.
At first it might be difficult to get the

triplets to feel natural, just loop it and keep
focusing on the feel being as relaxed as
possible.
Once you can play both these etudes, move

on to working out the actual song.
Close To You Etude #1
The second etude use a standard pattern found in many

arrangements, practice extensively!
Close To You Etude #2
The more work you put in with these etudes, the more you will
get out of them. Try changing both shapes and keys.
34

Acoustic Finger Style Guitar – Dream A Little Dream
Dream A Little Dream Of Me Etude

This etude takes the two basic picking
patterns of Spytunes version of Dream A
Little Dream Of Me and loops them.
By learning this basic version your hands will

get more comfortable playing the song.
Once you can play the etude at the same

tempo as the audio move on to the song.
Learn all small embellishments as you go

along, carefully notating them and possibly
some of your own ideas in the DIY TAB
Upload your TAB and video performances to

Spytunes forum via your own Youtube
account.
Dream A Little Dream Of Me Etude
35

Acoustic Finger Style Guitar – Fast Car
Empire State Of Mind Etude

Spytunes version of Empire State Of Mind is
yet another piano song we arranged for the
guitar.
In order to get a big sounding arrangement,

few but effective notes are played.
Can you see how the pattern repeats

rhythms to drive it self along?
The first Etude use a quarter note triplet

followed by eight and quarter notes.
The second move between 8th and 16th

rhythms.
Put these together and you get the effect

of feeling as if there are two different
tempos.
Empire State Of Mind Etude #1
Empire State Of Mind Etude #2
36

Acoustic Finger Style Guitar – Fast Car
Fast Car Etude

Spytunes version of Fast Car is not laid out
on the fret board like Tracy plays it
herself.
She slides up to fret 7 for the Em chord and

find the D chord around fret 5.
The etude takes the basic melody and finds

it around the neck.
To put all this together you will need to

incorporate the flicking technique
demonstrated in Blackbird.
Maybe you will find yet another way to play

this song?
If you do, upload to Youtube and share it with us in the forum.
Fast Car Etude
37

Acoustic Finger Style Guitar – Hey There Delilah
Hey There Delilah Etude

This etude will get your right and left hand
to play Hey There Delilah with more
accuracy.
1. Learn the Etude to the same tempo

as on the recording
2. Copy what is in the video guitar song

lesson
3. Transcribe the song part using The

Guitar Conspiracy DIY TAB
4. Upload the TAB and your performance

of the piece to Spytunes forum
Hey There Delilah Etude
38

Acoustic Finger Style Guitar – Last Request
Last Request Etude

Two etudes available here that will help you
to play this song with accuracy.
The first etude use the simple pattern of the

verse, play this to a metronome, push BPM.
This first etude is very simple, look for

similar patterns in other songs.
The second etude is a little bit harder; the

strumming pattern is alternating the bass
line on the back beat.
Compare to Tears In Heaven.
Last Request Etude #1
Last Request Etude #2
This type of arrangement work well when playing piano songs on

the guitar and could be applied to many hits.
To find it’s roots, check Imagine by John Lennon.
39

Acoustic Finger Style Guitar – Over The Rainbow
Over The Rainbow Etude

This first Etude will teach your hands the
main pattern.
By looping this basic form of the song you

will find it easier to play the full song.
When you can play along with the audio for

the Etude you should move on to the shorter
versions.
There are a total of 4 Etudes for Over the

Rainbow available.
Over The Rainbow Etude #1
40


This is a shorter version of Etude #1, can you play it?
The third Etude for Over The Rainbow use a simple pattern found
in many other songs as well.
When you can play it, move on to the shorter version.
41

This final Etude takes #3 and puts two chords in a bar.
When you can play all four etudes, move on to working out the
song.
Use the video lesson, the pause

button and the DIY TAB from the
Conspiracy.
42

Acoustic Finger Style Guitar – Scarborough Fair
Scarborough Fair Etude

This lesson takes the concept Simon &
Garfunkel use for the first few bars of
Scarborough Fair and expands on it.
The first two chords suggest Dorian; we

consequentially move up the neck using
notes form the Dorian mode, maintaining the
picking pattern
This means that you will ingrain the pattern

more deeply into your hands.
When you can play the etude, move on to

the song. As usual: DIY TAB – Performance –
Youtube - Spytunes Forum.
Scarborough Fair Etude
43

Acoustic Finger Style Guitar – Scarborough Fair
The Scientist Etude

The Scientist by Coldplay is originally played
on piano.
By tuning the top strings to C and F we can

get some lush open sounding chords.
The first chord is a Dm, can you see how this

chord is created by using the C from the
second string?
In bar 2, the last note is played using an

open string in order to reach the low F on
string 6.
Every song you play will most likely have to

have some alterations made to it like this.
It’s not necessary to notate this as a chord, just see it as a

passing note. After all, that is what it is!
The Scientist Etude
44

Acoustic Finger Style Guitar – Stairway To Heaven
Stairway To Heaven Etude

It might be good to learn Stairway To Heaven
it in chunks using the video lesson and the
pause button.
One part that sticks out is the double time

picking, the Etude deals with this section.
As you play this you will also learn all the D

and Dm shapes on the top strings.
Stairway To Heaven Etude
45

Acoustic Finger Style Guitar – Tears In Heaven
Tears In Heaven Etude

Tears In Heaven employs many different
techniques over a sophisticated chord
progression.
Instead of learning Tears In Heaven bar by

bar, use the approach of the Etude shown
here below.
By simplifying a part like this you can focus

on getting the feel right, then add the
embellishments.
You might want to check the original version

for more licks since that version is played
using two guitars.
Ultimately, your own, slightly improvised version should be the

goal in order to sound really good.
Clapton himself would never play exactly the same thing twice.
Tears In Heaven Etude
46

Acoustic Finger Style Guitar – Why Don’t You Do Right
Why Don’t You Do Right Etude

This etude will teach you how to play
walking bass over chords in a similar way to
how ‘Why Don’t You Do Right’ is played on
spytunes.com
All eight notes need to be played as

“broken triplets” this means that you play
the back-beat later or “shuffled”. Listen to
the audio to hear it.
The reason you’d write 8th notes instead of

broken triplets is just to make it easier to
read.
Your own version of ‘Why Don’t You Do

Right’ should preferably contain an
improvised walking bass line; find out how
to do this by experimenting.
Follow arpeggios and modes for note choices.
Why Don’t You Do Right Etude
47

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Acoustic Finger Style Guitar

Copyright © 2010 Spytunes

The material in this publication is solely aimed at students.

First edition in 2009

Second edition in 2010

Acoustic Finger Style Guitar © 2010 Spytunes Ltd

Acoustic Finger Style Guitar © 2010 Spytunes Ltd

1. About This E-Book

After you have completed all 12 Etudes you

You might also find other areas of

As always, keep track of the BPM to measure your own progress.

-Samantha Murray & Dan Lundholm

Acoustic Finger Style Guitar © 2010 Spytunes Ltd

2. What is Finger Style Guitar?

From Merle Travis style that fed a whole

When you first see these players you might

Should you ever examine any of the above-

• Understand how to build your own finger style patterns

Once you have completed all etudes to a satisfactory level, start

Acoustic Finger Style Guitar © 2010 Spytunes Ltd

3. Chord Shapes & Finger Style Patterns

These chords use string 1-5 when we strum.

Should you want to alternate the bass you

D, Dm, F & C/E

These chords use the top 4 strings, should you

The secret to building a finger style pattern is to group the chord

Acoustic Finger Style Guitar © 2010 Spytunes Ltd

4. 4/4 and 6/8

This means that you count 1, 2, 3, 4 every bar.

6/8 time has a different feel to it, count all 8

When you do this make sure you accentuate

To make sure you understand the difference in

Tap you foot at a slow tempo corresponding

An example of a tune in 6/8 is House of the rising sun (The

An example of a tune in 4/4 is Start Me Up (Rolling Stones).

Acoustic Finger Style Guitar © 2010 Spytunes Ltd

If you have studied the songwriter swivel you

The most common misconception when it

It’s not that simple, think of music theory as a

Let’s use the above example to examine this concept in closer

Should we say that this progression is in the key of C major we

• D major would be a IIx chord

We could also look at this progression as if it was in G major.

C would then be IV, Am II etc. The variations we then see are:

Acoustic Finger Style Guitar © 2010 Spytunes Ltd

A third option is also available: modulation.

• C and Am are in the key of C.

Chord Progressions with small variations like

Ultimately it is the melody that would decide

Song Writers spend hours on refining this kind

As a guitarist it is very important that you always “know where you

As you play the progression; consider the numbers as the different

Aim to ”hear the chords as numbers”, as well as seeing the shapes

Acoustic Finger Style Guitar © 2010 Spytunes Ltd

Throughout the right hand is explained using:

This first etude is picked T-RMI.

Practice with a click; keep increasing BPM.

Acoustic Finger Style Guitar © 2010 Spytunes Ltd

The difference between etude #2 and the first

When notating alternate bass you don’t have

Notice how the chord always find the 5th on

When we play chords from the 6th string we

Use your thumb for all bass notes.