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Learning fingerstyle

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(@seanseanseannnn)
Active Member
Joined: 9 years ago
Posts: 3
Topic starter  

Hello everyone. I've been on my guitar for two years as of now and am thoroughly enjoying it. For the past two years I have been strumming and singing along to songs that I like, but as of late I wanted to learn how to play fingerstyle as well. I kind of know how to read these tabs, the major problem is I cant seem to pintpoint what chords they are and how my fingers should be placed.(I've noticed that some people do not play a full C chord when the original chord for that part in the song is a C. They kind of play maybe 2 strings out of the 3 strings, or even add an extra string to it.) I would like to know how am I supposed to go about this as I believe this will be my next major step in guitar playing. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance! :)


   
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(@alangreen)
Member
Joined: 22 years ago
Posts: 5342
 

That's the nice thing about fingerstyle; sometimes it's obvious that you need a chord shape, and other times you'll need to play scale-based melodic lines.

If I play two notes at the same time - C and E for example - I have played enough to convey that a C chord is what's required. I don't need to play that third note. Have a look at the number of times partial chords are used in jazz and remember that E and G can mean a chord of Edim or Gdim as well as Em.

As to which fingers to use and when - the picking hand is easy, it's whichever finger is best placed to play that note. For your fretting hand, it's a question of which finger did you use for the previous note and which finger will you need to use for the next note. Think it through - get it right and the tune will flow, get it wrong and your hand will end up looking like cat's cradle.

"Be good at what you can do" - Fingerbanger"
I have always felt that it is better to do what is beautiful than what is 'right'" - Eliot Fisk
Wedding music and guitar lessons in Essex. Listen at: http://www.rollmopmusic.co.uk


   
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(@seanseanseannnn)
Active Member
Joined: 9 years ago
Posts: 3
Topic starter  

Thanks for the prompt reply! I guess it's more or less looking like a cat's cradle like you said. I haven't learnt anything about scales before, much less music theory, therefore I wouldn't really know about stuff like those. Playing the guitar was something I liked since young but was unable to afford until the past few years where I started saving up to buy my first guitar. I have never taken any music lessons prior to this. Is it necessary to pick up music theory before being able to play fingerstyle?


   
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(@alangreen)
Member
Joined: 22 years ago
Posts: 5342
 

Not necessarily in any huge amount. You will pick up some theory in any case as part of your learning process.

Try the lesson pages here, both for fingerstyle and theory. David has written some easily digestible theory lessons and you always have expertise on tap in the forum pages if there's anything you don't get.

"Be good at what you can do" - Fingerbanger"
I have always felt that it is better to do what is beautiful than what is 'right'" - Eliot Fisk
Wedding music and guitar lessons in Essex. Listen at: http://www.rollmopmusic.co.uk


   
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(@seanseanseannnn)
Active Member
Joined: 9 years ago
Posts: 3
Topic starter  

Didn't realise there was a lesson button. Thanks a bunch!


   
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