How To Create Beautiful Sounding Music Using The Fingerstyle Tremolo Technique

by Simon Candy

In this video, you learn the awesome fingerstyle technique known as tremolo picking.

Tremolo picking is no doubt one of the more beautiful sounds you will get from the guitar and will add much sophistication to your sound as a fingerstyle guitarist.

In this lesson, you learn tremolo picking from the ground up. If you are new to this technique, you are in the right place.

I’ll show you 3 steps to tremolo picking, each a great way to fingerpick guitar in and of itself, but ultimately leading up to the full tremolo fingerstyle guitar technique.

You also learn the following 4 key strategies for practising tremolo picking ensuring you get the technique down:

1. Staccato for efficient finger movement
2. Speed bursts
3. Accenting isolated fingers
4. Relaxing the pinky

Plus, I show you examples of tremolo picking in actual music.

Watch the video below to learn more:

Fingerstyle Tremolo Technique

Below are 3 levels leading to the full fingerstyle tremolo technique.

Watch the video above for a detailed breakdown of each level.

Tremolo Technique: Level 1

The first level has you using only your index finger to pluck the top string. This is more of a pedalling technique than tremolo but a great starting point:

Tremolo Technique: Level 2

The second level has your middle finger (m) joining the index finger (i) in plucking the top string as you arpeggiate the E chord with your thumb:

Tremolo Technique: Level 3

Level three is the full fingerstyle tremolo technique in action. You continue arpeggiating the E chord as you have done in the previous examples, however, you now have your ring finger (a) joining the middle (m) and index (i) in plucking the top E string throughout:

Tremolo Technique Example 1: Malaguena

Here is an example of applying the tremolo technique to a popular flamenco piece called Malaguena.

I have arranged this excerpt via each of the 3 levels of tremolo picking from above: (watch the video for a detailed breakdown)

• Level 1:

• Level 2:

• Level 3:

Tremolo Technique Example 2: Master Of Puppets

The second example is a little different. Here I have created an arrangement of an excerpt from “Master Of Puppets” by Metallica using the tremolo technique.

See if you can pick it: (watch the video for a detailed breakdown)

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