Install Thousands Of Fingerpicking Songs Into Your Fingers With The Travis Picking Pattern - Part 1

by Simon Candy

In this video, I show you the most useful fingerpicking pattern you are likely to learn. It is known as the travis picking pattern and can be found in literally thousands and thousands of fingerpicking songs.

In this lesson, I break the travis picking pattern down in a way that helps you not only play it, but understand it, so you can use it in your own playing.

Learning the travis picking pattern is like installing thousands of fingerpicking songs directly into your fingers, due to its vast use throughout so much music. It will seriously increase your fingerpicking repertoire, fast!

However, it’s in understanding the pattern, not just blindly copying someone using it, that will enable you to apply it to your own playing. Too many people begin at the end, trying to play the pattern without breaking it down and understanding it. It’s doing this that will have you master the travis picking pattern.

In this tutorial, I take you through a number of travis picking exercises that deal with each component of the pattern. The most important part is the bass, and developing the independency between your thumb, that will be playing the bass, and the fingers of your picking hand.

I will show you very effective ways to develop this independence before looking at a number of very common travis picking bass patterns. This will set you up well for part 2 of this lesson series where we will look at common travis picking patterns and how to apply these to music.

Check out the video below to learn how to play the travis picking pattern:

Travis Picking Bass Patterns

Bass Pattern 1: G Chord

This pattern is known as a 6, 4, 6, 4 pattern in reference to the strings the bass is played on:

Bass Pattern 2: C Chord

This pattern is known as a 5, 4, 5, 4 pattern in reference to the strings the bass is played on:

Bass Pattern 3: G Chord

This pattern is known as a 6, 4, 5, 4 pattern in reference to the strings the bass is played on: 

Bass Pattern 4: C Chord

This pattern is known as a 5, 4, 6, 4 pattern in reference to the strings the bass is played on:  

Travis Picking Thumb Independence Drills

The drills below are very effective in getting your thumb working independently from your fingers. This is of upmost importance with the travis pickng pattern and fingerpicking in general. 

Drill 1

Pluck the first string on beat 1 of the bar, and at the same time have your thumb pluck the open 6th string on each beat:

Drill 2

Pluck the first string on beat 2 of the bar, and at the same time have your thumb pluck the open 6th string on each beat:

Drill 3

Pluck the first string on beat 3 of the bar, and at the same time have your thumb pluck the open 6th string on each beat:

Drill 4

Pluck the first string on beat 4 of the bar, and at the same time have your thumb pluck the open 6th string on each beat:

Drill 5

Pluck the first string on the "+" of beat 1 of the bar (ie. the offbeat), and at the same time have your thumb pluck the open 6th string on each beat:

Drill 6

Pluck the first string on the "+" of beat 2 of the bar (ie. the offbeat), and at the same time have your thumb pluck the open 6th string on each beat:

Drill 7

Pluck the first string on beat 2 and the "+" of beat 3, and at the same time have your thumb pluck the open 6th string on each beat:

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