Fingerstyle

from SPRING 23

Scratch
Part 1
By Allie Harris
Intro to Fingerstyle

m
i a

Right Hand

P = Thumb (pulgar)
i = Index finger (indice)
m = middle finger (medio)
a = ring finger (anular)

Right Hand Position

Accompaniment Fingerstyle Guitar
Fingerstyle, also referred to as fingerpicking, is a great way to add contrast and a
different feel to the songs that we play.

This style of guitar accompaniment uses arpeggios (broken chords) instead of

strumming

There's some basic guidelines that we will follow for these accompaniment patterns:

The Thumb (P) will pluck strings 4, 5, and 6 (depending on the root or
bass note of the chord)
The index finger (i) will pluck string 3
The middle finger (m) will pluck string 2
The ring finger (a) will pluck string 1

Free Stroke
This is the stroke commonly used in accompaniment-style fingerpicking, because it
allows the strings to ring out.

To do a free stroke, the finger or thumb plucks the string and moves in a curved path
to avoid hitting the string next to it.

The finger plucks the string and then is The thumb uses the same motion. Pluck
slightly pulled up to avoid touching the the string with the thumb and pull up
next string slightly to miss the next string.

*avoid pullling too far from the string, or you’ll get a sapping sound

Free Stroke First Exercises

The following exercises will develop right-hand coordination, and are a great way to
warm up and be intentional about our technique.

The numbers written indicate the strings.

The letters written below the numbers indicate which right-hand finger to pick the
string.

Let's do this!
Make sure that when you play this exercise to move your thumb in a
downward motion, while just missing the next string
6th string

|6666|6666|6666|6666 |
pppp pppp pppp pppp
right-hand thumb

In the next exersize, your thumb will rest on 6th string while the fingers play
1st, 2nd and 3rd string.

a |1 1 1 1 |1 1 1 1| 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 |
m 2222 2222 2222 2222
i 3333 3333 3333 3333
right-hand fingers

Next, add your thumb on 6th sting at the same time as your fingers

a |1 1 1 1 |1 1 1 1| 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 1 |
m 2222 2222 2222 2222
i 3333 3333 3333 3333
p 6666 6666 6666 6666
Now alternate between your thumb and fingers

a 1 1 1 1
m 2 2 2 2
i 3 3 3 3
p 6 6 6 6
This next exersize is a pattern that we we will be using in our next song.
Start with the thumb, then will work through all the fingers. Repeat this
exersize until there is a nice consistent flow.

|63216321 |63216321| 63216321| 63216321|

p i m a p i m a p i m a p i m a etc.
 Fingerpicking Patterns
Pick a song and determine the time signature, then pick a fingerpicking
pattern that matches (The time signature s on the far left)

6 string chords 5 string chords 4 string chords

4 63216321 53215321 43214321

4 pimapima 1+2+3+4+

4 41424142
62636263 52535253
4 papmpapm
pmpipmpi 1+2+3+4+
OR *p m p i p m p i

4 63231323 53231323 43231323

4 pimiaimi 1+2+3+4+

3 632123 532123 432123

4 pimami 1+2+3+
Chord Categories and Practice Progressions
Use this as a reference and practice for your fingerstyle accompaniment patterns.

6 string chords 5 string chords 4 string chords

G, G7, E, E7, Em A, A7, Am, B7, C, C7 D, D7, Dm,

F Barre Chord Mini-Barre F (simple F)

Pick a fingerpicking pattern from the list provided and practice the
pattern with the chord progressions below
Repeat as needed for each category

G Em

Ex: 6 3 2 1 6 3 2 1 6 3 2 1 6 3 2 1 ... etc

C Am

Ex: 5 3 2 1 5 3 2 1

D D7

Ex: 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1

G Em C D7
 Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
G C D7

G C D7
|6321 6321| |5321 5321| |4321 4321|
pimapima pimapima pimapima
1+2 + 3+4+

play each chord with the pattern and repeat until a consistent, even sound is acheived

Each chord gets 1 measure= 2 patterns

unless indicated by *= 1/2 measure= 1 pattern

G C* D7* G D7
Swing Low, sweet char-i-ot, coming for to carry me home
G C* D7* G* G
D7*
Swing Low, sweet char-i-ot, coming for to carry me home

G C* D7*
I looked o- ver Jordan, and what did I see,
G D7
comin for to car-ry me home?
G C* D7*
A band of an-gels comin' af-ter me,
G* D7* G**
comin for to car-ry me home?
6321 6(End)
 We're Going To Be Friends
The White Stripes

G C D A

G C and A D7
4 |62636263| |5253 5253| |4142 4142|
4 pmpipmpi pmpipmpi papmpapm
1+2 + 3+4+ or p m p i p m p i
play each chord with the pattern and repeat until a consistent, even sound is acheived
Each chord gets 1 measure= 2 patterns
unless indicated by *= 1/2 measure= 1 pattern

Intro

G G
Verse 1
G G
Fall is here, hear the yell Back to school, ring the bell
C G
brand new shoes, walking blues Climb the fence, books and pens
D* C* G
I can tell that we are gonna be friends
D* C* G G
I can tell that we are gonna be friends
Verse 2

G G
walk with me, suzy lee through the park and by the tree
C G
we will rest upon the ground and look at all the bugs we found
D* C* G
Safely walk to school without a sound
D* C* G G
Safely walk to school without a sound
Verse 3

G G
Here we are, no one else we walked to school all by ourselves
C G
there's dirt on our uniforms from chasing all the ants and worms
D* C* G
we clean up and now it's time to learn
D* C* G G
we clean up and now it's time to learn
Verse 4

G G
Numbers, letters, learn to spell Nouns and books and show and tell

C G
playtime we will throw the ball Back to class, through the hall

D* C* G
Teacher marks our height against the wall

D* C* G G
Teacher marks our height against the wall
Bridge

C G C G
And we dont notice any time pass We dont notice any thing

A A
We sit side by side in every class

C D
Teacher thinks that i Sound funny But she likes the way you sing
Verse 5

G G
Tonight I'll dream while I'm in bed When silly songs go through my head

C G
About the bugs and alphabet and when I wake tomorrow I'll bet that

D* C* G
That you and I will walk together again

D* C* G
Cause I can tell that we are going to be friends
D* C* G(Hold)
Cause I can tell that we are going to be friends
 The Water Is Wide

C F* Am Dm Em G

G, Em C, Am F*, D
4
|63231323| |53231323| |43231323|
4
pimiaimi pimiaimi pimiaimi
1+2+3+4+

play each chord with the pattern and repeat until a consistent, even sound is acheived

Each chord gets one pattern

C F* C
The wat-er is wide,---------- I can-not cross o’er----------

C Am Am Dm
and nei-ther have----------- I wings to fly-------------

Dm Em Dm C
Give me a boat --------------- that can car-ry two,--------
F* G G C
And boat shall row ----------- my love and I.----------
5323 1323 5(End)
 The House of the Rising Sun

Am C D F* E

E Am, C D, F*
3
|632123| |532123| |532123|
4
pimami pimami pimami
1+2+3+

play each chord with the pattern and repeat until a consistent, even sound is acheived

Each chord gets one pattern

Am C D F*
There is--- a house------- in New Or- leans

Am C E E
they call ----- the Ris-ing Sun ------------

Am C D F*
It’s been the ru-in of many a poor gal,
Am E Am
and Lord, ---- I know---- was one. -----------
532123 5(End)
 You Are My Sunshine
Jimmie H. Davis and Charles Mitchell
C F G

Standard tuning
= 88

1 2
C 3

You are my sun shine my o- nly

s.guit.

0 0 (0) 0 0
1 3 4
0

F
4 5 6

sun shine you make me hap- py

0 1 5
1 1 (1) 1 3

C
7 8 9

when skies are gray You'll nev- er

(5) 5 3 1 0 (0) 0
1 3

F C
10 11 12

know dear how much I love you

1 5 (5) 5 3 1 0
1

13 14 15
G

please don't take my sun- shine a-

0 1 0
(1) 1 3 3 3

16 17
C

way

1 (1)

1/1
 Scarborough Fair
Am G C D

Standard tuning
= 90
Am G Am
1 2 3 4 5
s.guit.

Are you go ing to Scar- bor- ough Fair? -------

0 0
0 1 0
2 2 2 (2)

C Am D Am
6 7 8 9 10

Pars- ley, sage, rose- mar- y and thyme- ----- Re-

0 3 5 3 0 2 0 (0) 5
3
(2)

C Am G
11 12 13 14 15

mem- ber me to the one who lives there -----

5 5 3 0 0
3 1 0
0 (0)

Am D G Am
16 17 18 19 20

She once was a true love of mine.

0
3 1 0
2 2 0 2 (2)

1/1