Since Im now playing more acoustic than electric, I have started to try to get my head, hands and fingers around playing fingerstyle... and even though I am crap, Im loving the challenge.
Some comments first of all...
Fingerstyle is great to play quietly when all my girls are tucked up in nigh nighs, as just using my fingers (no picks or nails) is much quieter than when I play with a flatpick, which is usually pretty loud. So, it is a 24/7 thing that I can do anywhere in the house and doesnt need to happen at a reasonable time in my music room.
Using a metronome has already proven helpful in getting more consistency with my picking. I just set it to quarter-notes and wind the tempo back to a pace that I can actually get it down... then as I improve I bring the tempo incrementally up.
Fingerstyle really highlights when you dont fret all the notes correctly, particularly in chords. With chord strumming, the badly fretted note just doesnt sound and the other notes cover the clam up. With fingerstyle it just goes thung ... very yucko.
My Wife for some reason loves me playing fingerstyle... so, maybe my flat-picking sucks, although I think she just loves the delicacy and flowing-ness... is that a word?
Since I have only made fingerstyle an actual mission a few days ago, I just typed how to play fingerstyle into google and done a few lessons off there. In a few weeks I go in for a hip operation, and I'll be off the bike for six weeks minimum, so I think it would be great to capitalise on that downtime by making fingerstyle a goal while layed up.
OK, now the questions...
Whats the best way to approach it? Ive never had a guitar lesson but have had many drum lessons, so Im not adverse to lessons, though finding the right teacher may be hard. Is there a standard set of patterns, like drumming rudiments, for fingerstyle? Are there certain patterns that are like building blocks? Im not in any rush, so Im happy to really focus on a couple of things and really get on top of it rather than being all over the place. Are there any classic songs that employ the right patterns, so that I can use them as an aid to get it all down?
Sorry for the barrage
Some comments first of all...
Fingerstyle is great to play quietly when all my girls are tucked up in nigh nighs, as just using my fingers (no picks or nails) is much quieter than when I play with a flatpick, which is usually pretty loud. So, it is a 24/7 thing that I can do anywhere in the house and doesnt need to happen at a reasonable time in my music room.
Using a metronome has already proven helpful in getting more consistency with my picking. I just set it to quarter-notes and wind the tempo back to a pace that I can actually get it down... then as I improve I bring the tempo incrementally up.
Fingerstyle really highlights when you dont fret all the notes correctly, particularly in chords. With chord strumming, the badly fretted note just doesnt sound and the other notes cover the clam up. With fingerstyle it just goes thung ... very yucko.
My Wife for some reason loves me playing fingerstyle... so, maybe my flat-picking sucks, although I think she just loves the delicacy and flowing-ness... is that a word?
Since I have only made fingerstyle an actual mission a few days ago, I just typed how to play fingerstyle into google and done a few lessons off there. In a few weeks I go in for a hip operation, and I'll be off the bike for six weeks minimum, so I think it would be great to capitalise on that downtime by making fingerstyle a goal while layed up.
OK, now the questions...
Whats the best way to approach it? Ive never had a guitar lesson but have had many drum lessons, so Im not adverse to lessons, though finding the right teacher may be hard. Is there a standard set of patterns, like drumming rudiments, for fingerstyle? Are there certain patterns that are like building blocks? Im not in any rush, so Im happy to really focus on a couple of things and really get on top of it rather than being all over the place. Are there any classic songs that employ the right patterns, so that I can use them as an aid to get it all down?
Sorry for the barrage