Learn 2 Of My Favourite Fingerpicking Riffs In The Style Of Tommy Emmanuel

by Simon Candy

In this video, I show you 2 key fingerpicking riffs in the style of travis picking/Tommy Emmanuel.

Travis picking is a great way to fingerpick guitar, and is evident in the playing of greats such as Chet Atkins, Tommy Emmanuel, and of course, Merle Travis.

In this lesson, an excerpt from a masterclass I presented live in Chicago, I break each travis picking riff down for you in detail.

I’ll show you how to play each riff before applying them in a musical context. This way you not only learn the riffs, but also how to use them to create actual music. 

Watch the video below to learn more:

Travis Picking Fingerstyle Riffs

Fingerstyle Riff 1

• The Riff

This first riff is a banjo roll. Banjo roll type riffs are very common in the style of players like Tommy Emmanual and in travis picking overall:

• Application

Here is the banjo roll applied to a chord progression: (watch the video for a breakdown of this riff)

Fingerstyle Riff 2

• The Riff

Here is the second riff, also found in various excerpts of the playing of Tommy Emmanual:

• Application

Here is this riff applied to a chord progression: (watch the video for a breakdown of this riff)

Discover the secrets to becoming a great fingerpicker with my online lessons for fingerstyle guitar