How to Finger Pick Folk Music on Guitar

Many beginner guitar players have wondered how to get that airy style that troubadours of decades past have used to support their crooning melodies. Finger picking is natural in folk guitar. It not only accentuates the "homespun" sound folk artists want, but reinforces a softer sound that doesn't jar the listener. Here are some tips for effective finger picking when you're playing folk guitar.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

1. Find your key and chord progressions. A lot of folk artists don't have fancy chord progressions, but some (think James Taylor) throw in some seventh chords or augmented chords once in awhile. Your chord progression is your map for folk guitar. Don't leave home without one.

2. Assign fingers to strings. Most folk guitar finger picking includes using a specific finger for each string, so that you can pick nearly all of the guitar strings in quick succession.

3. Pick chord structures. Hold a chord pattern with your left hand, then take your assigned fingers and pick your assigned strings. You'll hear the cascading, almost lugubrious sound of full-chord fast picking. As opposed to strumming, it has a quieter, more sophisticated sound.

4. Finger pick a bass line. While holding your chord pattern, if you alternate between the bottom and next to bottom strings with your thumb or index finger, you can get a rolling bass line, an alternating line that adds a little structure to your chord finger picking.

5. Do hammer-ons and pull-offs with extra notes. For chords like an augmented or diminished, you can add flair by plucking the extra note as you release your finger. Adding these techniques gives your finger picking a little more style, whether you're riffing on the tunes of Dylan, or creating your own folk melodies.