Introduction to Fingerstyle Guitar

”Fingerstyle” guitar is one of the most challenging and rewarding styles of guitar playing. Fingerstyle guitar differs from traditional “pick-style” guitar playing in several ways, most notably the absence of a pick (though a thumb-pick is often used) and the ability to play two or more independent lines simultaneously. This technique is found in all musical styles from jazz to rock to Classical and beyond. 

In the last 40 years, the Fingerstyle guitar genre has expanded from the traditional Classical guitar model into the use of alternate tunings, fingerboard tapping, percussive elements, and other extended techniques that have turned the guitar into a self contained ensemble of instruments, allowing the skilled player to present the melody, harmony and rhythm of the song on one instrument. 

This opens up new worlds of musical possibilities for the modern guitar player to explore playing multiple lines simultaneously, but many guitar students are reluctant to throw away the comforts of the pick due to the extensive time and practicing involved in effectively developing the right hand technique. That is the main focus of this book: to introduce the correct right hand performance practices and develop the right hand in the student that already has experience playing the guitar, but very little to no experience with Fingerstyle guitar.

Many guitar students who have studied traditional pick-style playing might have a difficult time adjusting to the absence of the pick, and this book is designed with the pick player in mind, and offers several right hand exercises that will help you transition away from using the pick and developing your right hand techniques in a variety of musical styles. 

The techniques in your right and left hand require a lot of patience and practice, but the diligent student will be able to effectively integrate this technique into their repertoire and explore a whole new way of playing the instrument. It is important to remember that these are new muscle movements for your right hand, and take a long time to develop in the beginning player, so do not rush through these initial steps. 

Like a tree, strong roots are vital to growth, and for the Fingerstyle player, a strong foundation on proper technique will lead to successful performances.