Fingerstyle guitar technique refers to a method of playing where the guitarist plucks the strings with the fingertips or the fingernails. You can use fingerstyle guitar technique in all types of styles from classical, folk and rock to David Gilmour and Mark Knopfler-style lead guitar. This article focus on fingerstyle guitar technique where you apply it to chord shapes.

Hand Labelling

In fingerstyle guitar technique, the fingers on the right hand are labelled as follows: the thumb is p, the index finger is i, the middle finger is m and the ring finger is a. The easiest way to remember it is that letters spell out pima (see the picture below). The pinky is not usually used for fingerstyle guitar patterns.

The left hand fingers are labelled using numbers from 1 to 4 as follows: 1 is the index finger, 2 is the middle finger, 3 is the ring finger and 4 is the pinky (see photo below).

The following exercises will help you develop your fingerstyle guitar technique. They feature open chords only. For more detailed information on the chords used click here.

Exercise 1 

As you play through this and all the exercises in this article, ensure that the sound of each of the plucked notes sustains. Use the same right hand fingering in every bar. Please note that each of the tracks has a 2 bar count in played on a hi-hat.

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Exercise 2

This fingerstyle guitar exercise is a variation of the previous one. Like in the previous exercise, use the same fingering in every bar.

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Exercise 3

The next exercise is in 6/8 time which is a compound time signature. Click here to learn more about compound time signatures.

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Exercise 4

The last of the fingerstyle guitar technique exercises in this article is in 3/4. This time signature is also referred to as triple metre. Note how the middle and ring fingers play at the same time.

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Hope you enjoyed this lesson. To learn more about Do Re Mi Studios music lessons click here.

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