How To Master The Travis Picking Pattern Allowing You To Play Thousands Of Songs With Ease

by Simon Candy

This is an extension of a previous lesson on the number one fingerpicking pattern for guitar.

I recommend checking this out first if you are new to travis picking. However, once you have the basic pattern in your fingers, it is important to learn variations of the travis picking pattern as there are subtle differences in how it is played each time when used in songs. Although these differences are subtle, they are also very important.

Once you have mastered variations of the travis picking pattern you will be able to improvise with it on the spot, similar to strumming, allowing you to apply the technique to your playing instantly, without prior preparation.

The video below will reinforce and further train the concepts taught in this article, so bookmark it to check out after working through this lesson:

Travis Picking Pattern Variations

Let's explore some variations of the travis picking pattern so you can apply it to your playing and recognize it in music.

• Travis Picking Pattern Variation 1

One variation of this pattern is to pluck two notes out of the chord at the same time. For example, you can pluck both a bass note and a higher note in the chord together. We can refer to this as “pinching” notes:

In the example above I am pinching the root note in the bass and the octave of this note on the 2nd string on the first beat of the bar before continuing with the travis picking pattern.

You can also pinch notes together on different beats, such as the second beat like so:

• Travis Picking Pattern Variation 2

For this Fingerpicking variation, we will combine the pinching of notes with the more involved bass pattern of 5 4 6 4 on the C open chord like so:

• Travis Picking Pattern Variation 3

Another approach you can take with the travis picking pattern is to add extensions to the chords you are applying the pattern to. This brings in a melody component and adds much interest and sophistication to the sound of your fingerpicking.

Here is an example of adding extensions to a C chord using a 5 4 5 4 bass pattern:

And the same thing with a 5 4 6 4 bass pattern:

• Travis Picking Pattern Variation 4

Yet another variation is to change the order in which you pluck the higher strings of the chords. Instead of plucking the 3rd, 2nd, then back to 3rd string combination I have been doing throughout, I will now pluck the 2nd, 1st, then 3rd strings of the chord in-between my bass notes, like so:

Here is the same pattern with a 5 4 6 4 bass pattern:

• Travis Picking Pattern Variation 5

The final variation sees a straight 8th note rhythm with a higher note in the chord plucked on the off beat of 1 which I have not done in any previous example.

And with a 5 4 6 4 bass pattern:

As you can both see and hear, you can choose any combination of the higher strings between your bass notes with the travis picking pattern. With practice, you'll be able to decide on the strings to pick in the moment effortlessly.

The bass pattern remains consistent throughout, falling on the beat. This is an important reference point for you and the driving force behind the travis picking pattern.

How To Mix Travis Picking Pattern Variations Together

Once you have worked through each of the variations above in isolation, you want to be able to mix and match them. The exercise below is designed for doing exactly that.

Integrating variations of the travis picking pattern is essential if you are to master it.

The travis picking is just one element of the overall style of travis picking on guitar. To learn how to travis pick beyond the pattern, checkout the video below.

In this lesson, you learn how to travis pick in 3 simple steps:

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