Okay, before TG i was a pretty poor finger picker - I've gotten TONS better thanks to this site. Thanks to TG, Neil, et al, for that!
HOWEVER, Neil has mentioned several times that improvising finger patterns is sometimes preferred.
Neil, exactly WHEN is that appropriate?
Sometimes when I don't have a defined pattern I slip back into what I feel is "sloppy" finger picking technique, I get kind of tentative, and don't know exactly what string I want to play or why. I don't feel like that sounds very good.
I have been making my own arrangements by creating my own patterns for some songs. For instance, I came up with what I think is a really nice pattern for the verses on "Comfortably Numb".
For "Wonderful Tonight" and "Redemption Song" however, I just play what I think sounds good, and is quite "improvised" (more like "random" sometimes!) and I fear this really just doesn't sound good - so I'm wondering if I should be a bit more rigorous on those, and come up with a pattern for some if not most of those songs.
Neil, can you comment on this please?
Thanks!
Kevin "6 String"
orderly repetitive fingerpicking vs random???
Kevin- just an observation but if you are playing randomly I think you are playing "fingerstyle". If you are playing repetitively you are "fingerpicking".
Fingerstyle lets you play any notes you want, in any sequence. Fingerpicking generally plays the notes of a chord in a series of patterns or sequences usually with alternating bass and treble notes.
Basically, any song can be played fingerstyle but not all songs lend themselves to fingerpicking.
Just a thought. :cheer:
Fingerstyle lets you play any notes you want, in any sequence. Fingerpicking generally plays the notes of a chord in a series of patterns or sequences usually with alternating bass and treble notes.
Basically, any song can be played fingerstyle but not all songs lend themselves to fingerpicking.
Just a thought. :cheer:
This is a great question. I never learned precise fingerpicking (until now, mostly from this site), but somewhere along the line, I started picking out songs I had been playing with a pick. "Don't Think Twice," for example. And on that song and lots of others, it sounds pretty good. But though, for example, I often Travis-pick without really thinking about it, the playing is pretty random.
I'm thankful my playing evolved this way. It helped me develop a "style" (perhaps). But I was severely limited. There are lots of songs that must be played with at least some, if not total, precision. In very general terms, picking out chords can be imprecise, because whatever string you hit will at least be on key. But I'm equally thankful that I'm now learning the discipline of playing precisely.
Then there are hybrids, where you can be imprecise, but you also have to hit the right notes at the right time. I just recently picked out "Space Oddity." It's not hard (you're mostly keeping common chord shapes), but you have to hit those melody notes correctly, or it sounds off.
I guess the answer is, it depends on the song. One general hint: if the song isn't making use of a lot of common chord shapes, you probably have to play it more precisely.
I'm thankful my playing evolved this way. It helped me develop a "style" (perhaps). But I was severely limited. There are lots of songs that must be played with at least some, if not total, precision. In very general terms, picking out chords can be imprecise, because whatever string you hit will at least be on key. But I'm equally thankful that I'm now learning the discipline of playing precisely.
Then there are hybrids, where you can be imprecise, but you also have to hit the right notes at the right time. I just recently picked out "Space Oddity." It's not hard (you're mostly keeping common chord shapes), but you have to hit those melody notes correctly, or it sounds off.
I guess the answer is, it depends on the song. One general hint: if the song isn't making use of a lot of common chord shapes, you probably have to play it more precisely.
BigBear wrote:
I like what Bear says here. Gosh, he is really smart, eh? I am a fan of inventing/doing what works - for you and your relationship with the song. I personally take Neil's lessons and do it his way, but it eventually evolves to "my" way. So those out there who are purists hate my stuff because I am not doing it "exactly" the way the lesson shows. I just try not to perpetuate a bad habit. I also play a lot of classical stuff, where the fingering is very precise. On those songs I follow the music and don't let anything slide. However, if you are just doing a song you previously strummed or flat-picked, I think you can be a little more relaxed and just make it sound cool. I strive to make the melody recognizable, and of course keep the tempo. The rest is artistic license, in my mind.Kevin- just an observation but if you are playing randomly I think you are playing "fingerstyle". If you are playing repetitively you are "fingerpicking".
Fingerstyle lets you play any notes you want, in any sequence. Fingerpicking generally plays the notes of a chord in a series of patterns or sequences usually with alternating bass and treble notes.
Basically, any song can be played fingerstyle but not all songs lend themselves to fingerpicking.
Just a thought. :cheer: