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| Fingerpicking |
Fingerpicking is an awesome technique that really adds flavor to acoustic playing. It also allows you to do things that is practically impossible with a pick.
Obviously, your right hand is what's most important to this technique. There are Spanish names for your thumb, index, middle, and third finger, but using those names would only serve to make learning this technique harder. If you get really into fingerpicking, I suggest you find a book or website that goes more in-depth than I do here.
To get started, you need to know that your thumb will pluck the E, A, and D strings on a down stroke, and your index, middle, and third pluck the G, B, and high E strings on up strokes.
Now, before we get to an actual Metallica song, there are some exercises and chords you should play and practice to get the hang of it. The letters beside the tab represent what fingers strike what string.
e-0-- 3 (third) B-0-- M (middle) G-0-- I (index) D---- A---- E-0-- T (thumb) e-0-- 3 B-1-- M G-0-- I D-2-- T A-3-- T E---- e-2-- 3 B-3-- M G-2-- I D-0-- T A---- E----
Strum each string individually and make sure they ring out, use any pattern that you want to make it sound cool. Make sure you practice doing this with any other chords you know. If you need some refreshing in some chords, please visit the chords tutorial.
Here are two exercises in fingerpicking for your enjoyment and practice!
e-----------------------0-----0------------------ B-----------------0--------0--------0------------ G-----------1--------1-----------1--------1------ D-----2--------2-----------------------2--------2 A--------2-----------------------------------2--- E--0--------------------------------------------- t t t m t m i 3 m 3 i m t i t t e-----------------------0-----0------------------ B-----------------0--------0--------0------------ G-----------2--------2-----------2--------2------ D-----3--------3-----------------------3--------3 A--------3-----------------------------------3--- E--0--------------------------------------------- t t t m t m i 3 m 3 i m t i t t
And now, what you've all been waiting for, we will apply this technique to Metallica's music.
Fingerpicking isn't greatly important to Metallica's music, but there is one great song that will give your fingers a hell of a workout, and it's none other than Nothing Else Matters. Almost the entire song is fingerpicked (minus some guitar parts and the solo). Practice the opening at your own pace, gradually increasing the speed.
Nothing Else Matters Opening 1a) e--------0-----------0---7-7-----7p0---- B------0---0-------0---0-----0-------0-- G----0-------0---0-------------0-------0 D--------------------------------------- A--------------------------------------- E--0-----------0---------0-------------- 1b) e------7-8-7-5-7p5-0-----------------0 B------0-0-----0-----5---5-7-5-----5-- G----0-----------------5---------5---- D------------------------------------- A----------------------0-------0------ E--0---------------------------------- 1c) Harm....* e--------------3--------------0h5p0--------------12 B--5-5-5---5-----5----7---7---------7---------12--- G--5-5-5-5---5-----5--7-7---7---------7----12------ D-------------------------------------------------- A--0-2-3--------------5---------------------------- E----------------------------------------0--------- 2a) e--------0-------------0------------ 2 B------0---0-----------8-----7-----5 t G----0-------0-------9-------7-----5 i D------------------9-------7-----5-- m A----------------7-------5-----3---- e E--0-----------0-------------------- s 2b) e--------0-------------7---5----------3----------3--------2--------- B------0---0-----------8-----7----------5----------3--------4------- G----0-------0-------9---------7----------5----------4--------2--2p0 D------------------9------------------------------------------------ A----------------7-------5----------3-------------------2----------- E--0-----------0-------------------------------3-------------------- *Harmonics Tutorial
For an even greater finger picking challenge, here are the opening clean riffs for The Call of Ktulu. Have fun!
The Call of Ktulu 1) e----5---------5--- ---6---------6--- ---8----------8--- ---5---------5---- B--------6---5---5- -------6-------6- -------8--------8- -------6---5---5-6 G------7----------- -----7-----7----- -----9------9----- -----7------------ D--0-------7------- -0-------8------- -0-------10------- -0-------7-------- A------------------ ----------------- ------------------ ------------------ E------------------ ----------------- ------------------ ------------------ Intro, play each part 2 times 2) 0:32 e---------0----------------0------- B-------0---0------------0---0----- G-----5-------5--------5-------5--- D---7----------------7-----------7- A-0-------------7--6--------------- E---------------------------------- 3) e-------1- -------1- -------1- -------5- B-----3--- -----3--- -----3--- -----3--- G---2----- ---3----- ---4----- ---5----- D-0------- -0------- -0------- -0------- A--------- --------- --------- --------- E--------- --------- --------- ---------
So you learned an all new technique just for a couple of songs? Not really, you can apply this to other acoustic songs like Fade To Black, and it's a great technique all guitarists should learn.
| Fingerpicking |