Install 1000’s Of Fingerpicking Songs Into Your Fingers With The Travis Picking Pattern - Part 2

by Simon Candy

In this video, I show you common variations of the travis picking pattern.

Once you have the bass down and have developed independence between your thumb and fingers, it’s time to move in for the kill and truly master travis picking.

Learning one instance of the pattern is by no means mastering it. More is needed.

To truly master the travis picking pattern you must be able to play variations of the pattern, on the spot, with your index (i), middle (m), and ring (a) fingers on the top 3 strings, whilst maintaining a steady bass on the beat with your thumb (p) on the lower 3 strings.

Do this, and you are at the gateway of literally thousands of fingerpicking songs.

It is truly liberating to master the travis picking pattern and in this lesson I show you how.

The great news is, it’s not hard to do at all if you approach it the correct way.

On the contrary, it can feel near on impossible to do if you go about it all wrong.

This means it is not your skill level, or your “natural” talent, or lack thereof, that will decide whether or not you master the travis picking pattern.

It is the approach you take, the strategies, the method.

It’s always about this when mastering skills on guitar.

Check the video out below to learn common variations of the travis picking pattern, plus examples of applying these patterns to create music:

Travis Picking Patterns

Pattern 1

This first pattern uses a single note approach with notes played on the offbeats of 2 and 3:

Pattern 2

This pattern is a variation of the first travis picking pattern:

Pattern 3

This pattern has you plucking notes together whilst maintaining the bass on the beat:

Pattern 4

This tarvis picking pattern has you pinching notes together on beat 2:

Travis Picking Application

Progression 1

This progression has the first travis picking pattern applied throughout:

Progression 2

This progression has the third travis picking pattern applied throughout: 

Learn how to master the art of fingerpicking guitar