The Easy 3-Step System To Master Fingerpicking Patterns On Guitar
by Simon Candy
Do you feel stuck playing the same old fingerpicking patterns on guitar?
You’re not alone. Many beginner and early-intermediate fingerpickers struggle with remembering patterns, applying them to real music, and playing fluently without frustration.
In this video, I’ll walk you through my 3-step process for creating your own fingerpicking patterns from scratch.
You learn how to:
• Build a fingerpicking pattern that works on any chord progression
• Add rhythm so your patterns sound musical, not mechanical
• Adapt and apply patterns to real songs and progressions
By the end, you’ll have the tools to confidently create unique patterns, overcome the frustration of relying only on memorised ones, and start fingerpicking with fluency and freedom.
Whether you’re brand new to fingerstyle or you’ve been dabbling for a while, this lesson will help you unlock the ability to improvise and ad-lib fingerpicking, just like strumming freely — but with far more depth and beauty.
Watch the video below to learn more:
Fingerpickng Patterns
Below is my 3-step process for mastering any fingerpicking pattern on guitar. Be sure to watch the video above for detailed breakdowns and demonstrations.
• Step 1: Pattern
Decide on how many attacks/plucks per bar you want (4 - 7 is ideal).
I am going to go with 6:
• Step 2: Rhythm
Decide on the rhythm you would like to apply to your pattern.
There are quite a few possibilities.
Here are a few:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)
(vi)
(vii)
• Step 3: Application
Apply your fingerpicking pattern to a progression, adjusting it as needed to suit each chord.
Here are some examples:
(i)
Example 1 has you applying the pattern to a chord progression in G major, along with the first rhythm from above:
(ii)
The second example has you applying the pattern to a chord progression in A minor, along with the fourth rhythm from above:
(iii)
The final example has you applying the pattern to a bluesy chord progression in A, along with the second rhythm from above:
Discover the quickest way to sound great fingerpicking guitar as a beginner