3 Quick Fingerstyle Tips & 3 Things To Practice!

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3 Quick Tips For Learning Fingerstyle Songs

1. Practice Slowly: When learning these songs, start slowly to ensure accuracy in both the bass and melody parts.

2. Use a Metronome: A metronome can help you maintain a consistent tempo, crucial for the steady alternation of bass notes.

3. Thumb Independence: Focus on developing thumb independence by practicing the alternating bass pattern separately from the melody.

3 Exercises for Fingerstyle Technique

1. Basic Fingerpicking Patterns:

   • Travis Picking: Thumb alternates between bass strings (usually 6th and 4th strings) while fingers pick melody notes on higher strings.

   • Example Exercise:

     E|-------0-------0-|-------0-------0-|
     B|---0-------0-----|---0-------0-----|
     G|-----------------|-----------------|
     D|-----0-------0---|-----0-------0---|
     A|-----------------|-----------------|
     E|-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------|
     
     

2. Arpeggio Patterns:

   • Exercise: Practice simple arpeggios with common chord shapes (e.g., C, G, Am, F).

   • Example Exercise: Nothing else matters, Everybody hurts Wherever you will go, Landslide

3. Chord Melody Integration:

   • Exercise: Practice playing chord shapes while picking out individual notes within the chord.

   • Example Exercise: Super simple version of Freight Train, Falling Slowly, Dust in the wind

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