Fingerstyle arpeggios with jam track - Week 7

We take a look at two essential fingerstyle topics; arpeggios & the thumb tap technique! In just one lesson we cover beginner & higher level exercises, which we can use interchangeably with the audio jam track available for this lesson.  

Exercise 1 - Fingerstyle Basics

• Assign thumb to string 5

• Index to string 4

• Middle to string 3

• Ring/3rd finger to string 2

For this exercise play a C major chord. Root note starting at string 5 to ring finger on string 2. 

Make a ‘thumbs up’ & put it on the side, similar to a bass player technique, which ultimately sets us up well for fingerstyle too. 

Use the thumb to ‘tap’ the thickest three strings (6,5 & 4) & if this ‘tap’ is completely new to you, just mute the strings at the right time for now, as this still works rhythmically.

Exercise 2 - Beginner & Intermediate Options

Along to this jam track at 70BPM, the beginner count is 1 - & - 2 - & - 3- & - 4 - &, which is nice & steady for each finger to play the strings from beat 1 & then tap (on beat 3) - The last ‘& - 4 - &’ is left silent.  

The intermediate option is the same technique & fingering, just twice as quick with the same jam track. The audio track just helps us stick to a groove & is a great opportunity to switch from beginner to intermediate as we play along!