Thumb and Two Fingers Picking

The Thumb and Two Finger Method of fingerpicking differs from the One Finger Per String Method in two ways:

– You don’t use your ring finger. All the picking is done with thumb, index finger and middle finger.
– The thumb plays notes on both the g- and C-strings.

So the fingers cover these strings:

Thumb: g- and C-strings.
Index Finger: E-string.
Middle finger: A-string.

This method of picking has a few advantages over

The big disadvantage is that it makes it harder to play patterns where the g- and C-stings are played next to each other in a pattern. So if you’re playing a pattern that has that use the One Finger Per String Method.

An Example

ThumbFingerPicking2

Links

Learn some fingerpicking patterns using this technique
Fingerpicking Notation

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2 Comments

  1. Eleanor Lebrecht January 25th, 2016 3:24 am

    It is done too fast for a beginner to follow and learn. I need slow slow so I can catch on to how you are picking. Thanks

  2. Will marona February 4th, 2017 11:33 pm

    This is a tenique that is well worth picking up. It may seem daunting but as they say
    Slow equals smooth
    Smooth equals fast!
    ( and yes it sounds great slow as well)
    So hang with this a while and enjoy!

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