Helpful tips

Can you finger pick with just your thumb?

Can you finger pick with just your thumb?

Some guitar learners attempt to play fingerstyle with just the thumb and index finger, which puts them at a disadvantage. Fingerstyle guitar requires the use of the picking hand thumb (p), index finger (i), middle finger (m), and ring finger (a). In addition, the pinky is sometimes used—although rarely.

Is finger picking and fingerstyle the same thing?

When you refer to the particular style, it’s more common you’ll hear the word fingerpicking. “Fingerstyle” term is more often used as a term for plucking strings with fingers, in general.

What fingers do you use for finger picking?

In classical fingerpicking the thumb is used to play the bass strings (4, 5, and 6). The index finger is used for the 3rd string. The middle finger is used for the 2nd string. The ring finger is used for the 1st string….Picking Hand Finger Names.

English Thumb
Spanish Pulgar
Abbreviation p
Strings Plucked 4, 5, 6

Is a thumb pick better?

The thumb pick easily allows you play chords (clawhammer style), which will provide you with a clean, controlled sound that is especially clear on octaves. You can use your fingers to pick difficult strings while you’re playing a solo, instead of having to learn a unique picking technique.

Is it bad to pick with your thumb?

It’s OK to play with your thumb but that could limit you quite a lot later on. Like your friend said, it’d be much harder to try to play a fasy some with your thimb. Also if you use a pick it can increase your accuracy and you’ll be able to play faster.

Is strumming with your thumb bad?

Strumming with the Thumb will give the player a much rounder sound compared to the brighter sound they can expect with a pick. With the down strums, one uses the fleshier part of the Thumb, but on the up strums, the nail might catch the string, resulting in a brighter and more accented up strum.

How many fingers should I use for fingerpicking?

There are two well-established methods for fingerpicking. In classical guitar technique, one uses four fingers: the fingertips and fingernails of the thumb and the index, middle and ring fingers.