Percussive Fingerstyle Groove Licks

We are looking at a percussive finger-style groove. This incorporates percussion, whilst simultaneously tapping notes.

The method detailed below, explains step-by-step what occurs in each bar.

Exercise 1 - Method

Start of the bar: First chord and notes of the first bar...

• First finger on the A string, 7th fret

• Second finger on the G string, 7th fret

• Third finger on the B string, 8th fret

Spend time getting the feel of the groove initially, that we use with this chord. Take time to really get it down and play with the duration to get a tight sounding syncopation.

Middle of the bar: Hammer-on notes in the first bar...

• First finger on the A string 5th fret

• Hammer-on to the 7th fret on the same string

To finish the bar: Kick and snare drum sounds on the end of the guitar...

• Kick drum on the front of the body

• Then, the snare sound is played...

  ...at exactly the same time as the picking hand hammers-on to 5th fret on the low E string

The same principle happens in the next bar, however there is a small variation in that we hammer-on to the 3rd fret of the low E, rather than 5th fret.

• From there, pull off to open E from the 3rd fret

• Then on the A string, hammer-on to the 5th fret, then the 7th fret

• Kick drum sound

• Then, snare drum sound while hammering-on to the 5th fret, on the Low E at exactly the same time

Finally...

• Pull off from the 5th fret on the low E, to the open note

• Another hammer-on 5th and 7th fret on the A string

• Kick drum sound

• Then, 10th fret on the Low E and snare drum together