Guitarator » Fingerpicking

Skip to my Lou – easy fingerpicking

eddie — Mon, 05 May 2008 21:20:11 +0000

As promised, here is another easy fingerpicking song: the old children's song, Skip to My Lou. It's a melody almost everyone knows, and in terms of chord progression, you can't get much simpler than this. This arrangement is in the key of D, and it's composed of only two chords: D and A7. In addition to making it easy to focus on the fingerpicking technique without worrying about a complex arrangement, the simplicity of the chord progression leaves a whole lot of room for improvisation around the basic melody, if you so desire.

Dropped D tuning

The one little twist I've added is that the song is in an alternate guitar tuning called dropped-D tuning. Don't let that scare you off, though, as this is one of the easiest alternate tunings to use and one that all guitarists should familiarize themselves with.

Dropped-D tuning (also sometimes spelled "drop D") is the same as standard guitar tuning except that the low E string is "dropped" down a whole step to D. The easiest way to get there from standard tuning is to pluck the D on the open fourth string, then pluck the E on the open sixth string and loosen the sixth string until the sound is one octave below the fourth string. If you're not used to recognizing octaves by ear, it may take a little practice. You can check yourself by fingering the seventh fret on the sixth string, and it should sound the same as the open fifth string. The first few times you may want to also check yourself with an electronic tuner, but it's good to be able to do this by ear, so keep practicing that. (There are also some ear training exercises on this site.)

Dropped D tuning is great for playing songs in the key of D, because it gives you that great low low looow D on the bottom string. When playing in the fingerpicking style, you can just alternate between the open sixth and fourth strings, which are both D but an octave apart. This creates a wonderful droning sound, while leaving all your fingers free to play the melody line.

Here's how to play an open D chord in dropped D tuning. Notice you can use all the strings, giving the chord a really full sound. Use your index finger to form a bar across the three highest strings (the G, B, and high E strings) at the second fret. Then use your middle finger to play the second (B) string, third fret. This way of playing a D is slightly different from what most people learn, but it is important to use your index finger to form the bar because it frees up your pinky to reach down to the fifth fret on the first string, which we need to do for this song's melody line.

D A D A D F#

See more ways to play a D on guitar in dropped D tuning, using the Chorderator.

The open A7 chord is typically played the same in dropped D tuning as it is in standard tuning, since the low sixth string is not involved.

A E G C# E

See more ways to play an A7 on guitar in dropped D tuning, using the Chorderator.

The lazy man's dropped D

If you have a quick-change capo, you can acheive a similar effect to dropped-D tuning without actually turning any pegs. By placing the capo in such a way that it holds down the first five strings at the second fret but leaves the low E string open, you are in effect raising all except the low E string by a whole step. This will be the same as dropped-D tuning except everything will be a whole step higher.

The song

You can hear me playing this easy arrangement of Skip to my Lou, along with some simple variations. Don't be afraid to play around with the melody line and the rhythm.

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

Download as mp3 file

And now, the tablature


  D                                                                 A7
+--------------------------------+-----------------2==============+-0==============----------------+
|-3==============----------------|-3======-3==-3==----------------|-----------------2==============|
|-----------------2==============|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|---------0======---------0======|--------------------------------|---------0======---------0======|
|--------------------------------|---------0======---------0======|-2======---------2======--------|
+-0======---------0======--------+-0======---------0======--------+--------------------------------+

                                   D
+-0======-0==-0==-3==============+-2==============----------------+-2======-2==-2==-5==============+
|--------------------------------|-----------------3==============|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|---------0======---------0======|---------0======---------0======|---------0======---------0======|
|-2======---------2======--------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
+--------------------------------+-0======---------0======--------+-0======---------0======--------+

  A7                               D
+-0======-2==-3==-2======-0======+--------------------------------+
|--------------------------------|-3==============-3==============|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|---------0======---------0======|---------0======---------0======|
|-2======---------2======--------|--------------------------------|
+--------------------------------+-0======---------0======--------+

Oh When the Saints (difficult fingerstyle)

eddie — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 16:17:00 +0000

Previously, I presented an easy fingerstyle guitar version of When the Saints Go Marching In. Now I'll try and take it to the next level, by adding some synchopation, bass runs, and a slightly more complex chord progression. I make no claim to be a fingerpicking virtuoso, but I believe this demonstrates some useful techniques. I find it lots of fun to play, and to my ear it sounds pretty good. If you haven't learned the previous version, I suggest checking it out now, as this lesson builds on that. If you find this one to be too big of a jump from the last one, stay tuned, as I will be posting some more intermediate songs, or check out some of the books listed below.

Timing is everything

One of the things that make this song so interesting is the rhythmic structure. The song is in 4/4 time, but the musical phrases don't seem to quite line up with the four-beat measure length. In one sheetmusic version, the first measure has only three beats, while the last measure only has one played beat. That's one way around the trickiness. In my last arrangement, I started the melody on the third beat of the first measure. That's another way. To my ear, neither of these approaches fits well with the alternating-bass style of guitar playing. So this time, I decided to start the melody right on the first beat of the first measure. This leads to some tricky fast chord changes a little later on, but since this is the advanced version of the song, that's just what we want. And the added synchopation makes it more fun to play and adds to the swinging feel.

Some things to note

Well, the first measure looks pretty straightforward, doesn't it? It's not too different from the easy version, in fact, it may be even easier. But right away in the second measure you can see things are changed. The bass line there can be played all with the thumb, and works as the "repeat" part of a call-and-repeat motif. Try to keep your pinky on the first string, third fret to let that high G keep ringing out. I've notated that with a squiggly line ~ in the tablature. Next the same melodic phrase is repeated two more times, but this time with a little more synchopation. Then the bass notes are changed up a bit for the second repetition of "saints go marching in." This adds a nice harmonic element to the arrangement. The next tricky spot is the transition to the F chord in measure 12. In fingerstyle guitar, the F chord is typically played with the left thumb hooked over the fretboard to fret the sixth string, first fret, while the index finger bars the first two strings on the first fret, the middle finger holds the third string, second fret, and the ring finger holds the fourth string third fret. The fifth string is left open and usually not played. This can take some practice to get right. You may be used to the classic barre-chord style F, but the thumb-hooked version provides a little more flexibility for fingerstyle because it leaves the your pinky finger free. After that, it's pretty straightforward. I hope you enjoy learning and playing this arrangement!

Hear them marching

You can hear me playing the more difficult arrangement of Oh When the Saints. I play this with my capo on the fourth fret, to give the guitar a nice ringing sound. You'll also notice I don't follow the tablature exactly. And niether do you have to. Don't be afraid to skip notes or play extra notes or to hit more than one string at a time. As long as you finger the whole chords, it should sound fine. And that's the spirit of fingerpickin' guitar! Get the Flash Player to see this player. Download as mp3 file

And now, the tablature

  C
+---------0======-1======-3======~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~+-----0======-----1======-3======~
|-1======------------------------|--------------------------------|-1==---------1==----------------|
|--------------------------------|-------------------------0======|--------------------------------|
|---------2======---------2======|---------2======-3======--------|---------2======---------2======|
|-3======---------3======--------|-3======------------------------|-3======---------3======--------|
+--------------------------------+--------------------------------+--------------------------------+

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~+-----0======-----1======-3===========-0==============------------+
|--------------------------------|-1==---------1==----------------|-------------------------1=======
|-------------------------0======|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|---------2======-3======--------|---------2======----------------|-2======---------2======--------|
|-3======------------------------|-3======---------3======--------|-------------------------3======|
+--------------------------------+-------------------------3======+---------0======----------------+

                          G
=====-0==================--------+--------------------------------+-0==-0==========----------------+
|-------------------------3======~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|-----------------3======-1======|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|-2======---------2======--------|-3======-2======-0======--------|-2======---------2======--------|
|---------3======----------------|-------------------------3======|---------3======---------3======|
+-------------------------3======+--------------------------------+--------------------------------+

                                                                    F
+-------------------------0======+---------3======---------3======+-1======================--------+
~~~~~~~~~-------------1==--------|-----1==-------------1==--------|-----------------------------1==|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|-2======---------2======--------|-2======---------2======--------|-3======---------3======--------|
|---------3======---------3======|---------3======---------3======|--------------------------------|
+--------------------------------+--------------------------------+---------1======---------1======+

                          C                                G
+-1======-0======-1======-3===========-0==================--------+--------------------------------+
|--------------------------------|-------------------------1======|-----3==============-----1======~
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|-3======---------3======--------|-2======---------2======--------|-0======---------0======--------|
|-------------------------3======|---------3======----------------|-------------------------3======|
+---------1======----------------+-------------------------3======+---------3======----------------+

+-----------------0======-0======+
~~~~~---------------------1======|
|-----0==-----------------0======|
|-2======---------2======-2======|
|-------------------------3======|
+---------3======----------------+

Reference

There are a lot of great books about fingerpicking guitar out there. Here are a couple of my favorites.

Fingerpicking Styles for Guitar by Happy Traum - a classic and the first fingerpicking book I ever bought. I found mine at a yard sale, and it changed my life forever.
Folk and Blues Fingerstyle Guitar by Dave Van Ronk, or anything from Stefan Grossman's Guitar Workshop. A great series.

Oh When the Saints (beginners fingerstyle)

eddie — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 20:01:58 +0000

One of my favorite ways of playing acoustic guitar is country-blues fingerpickin'. Also known as Cotten pickin' (after Elizabeth Cotten) or Travis pickin' (after Merle Travis). The style consists of a steady bass line played with the thumb, accompanied by a synchopated melody line played with the fingers. The combination of the driving bass and the melody that seems to float in space over it creates a sense of movement and lets a solo guitar sound like more than a solo guitar.

The best way to learn a technique is to learn songs in that technique, so that's what this lesson is for. A good song to start with is Oh When the Saints, because it has a simple melody that we all recognize, but still has a lot of room for elaboration. That way, we can start simple and add embellishments as we go along.

The alternating bass

The most important part of playing the fingerpickin' style is to maintain the steady alternating bass with the thumb. To start, try holding down a C chord with your left hand and just play the fifth and fourth strings alternately in rhythm. Back and forth, fifth string, fourth string, THUMP-thump, THUMP-thump. With your right palm, you can dampen the strings a little bit to give it a more forceful sound. And don't hold back; make sure that thumb-playing is forceful. Remember, this has to provide both the rhythm and bass line.

Now switch to a G chord. Play the sixth string and the fourth string, or the sixth and fifth, or mix it up, as in the example below. Remember to finger the whole chord, not just the bass strings. This will come in handy when you start adding the melody line.

Here you can listen to my alternating bass audio lesson.

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

Download as mp3 file

  C
+--------------------------------+--------------------------------+
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|---------2======---------2======|---------2======---------2======|
|-3======---------3======--------|-3======---------3======--------|
+--------------------------------+--------------------------------+


  G
+--------------------------------+--------------------------------+
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|---------0======---------0======|---------0======---------0======|
|-----------------2======--------|-----------------2======--------|
+-3======------------------------+-3======------------------------+

Oh When the Saints Go Marching In

Got that steady bass-line down? It's not rocket science, but you should practice it until you can do it without thinking about it. Now comes the tricky part, though. It's time to add a melody line on top of it. It's time for the saints to come marching in!

I love this song. It just reminds me of good times. This arrangement is about as simple as it can get. A basic chord progression and minimal synchopation. It still sounds good, though, and we can use it as a base for more complicated versions.

Some important points to remember:

Keep that steady bass.
Keep the chords fingered. Play the melody line by adding your left hand's pinky finger or moving your index finger.
Start slow. As you become more comfortable, increase the speed.
Keep the steady bass.
And last but not least... keep that steady bass.

You can hear me playing the easy arrangement of Oh When the Saints.

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

Download as mp3 file

And now, the tablature

  C
+--------------------------------+-0======-1======-3======--------+--------------------------------+
|-------------------------1======|--------------------------------|-------------------------1======|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|---------2======---------2======|---------2======---------2======|---------2======---------2======|
|-3======---------3======--------|-3======---------3======--------|-3======---------3======--------|
+--------------------------------+--------------------------------+--------------------------------+


+-0======-1======-3======--------+--------------------------------+-0======-1======-3======--------+
|--------------------------------|-------------------------1======|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|---------2======---------2======|---------2======---------2======|---------2======---------2======|
|-3======---------3======--------|-3======---------3======--------|-3======---------3======--------|
+--------------------------------+--------------------------------+--------------------------------+

                                                   G
+-0==============----------------+-0==============----------------+-------------------------0======+
|-----------------1==============|-----------------3==============|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|---------2======---------2======|---------2======---------0======|---------0======---------0======|
|-3======---------3======--------|-3======------------------------|--------------------------------|
+--------------------------------+-----------------3======--------+-3======---------3======--------+

                  C                                                                 G
+-0======------------------------+--------------------------------+-0==============-3==============+
|---------3======-1======--------|-------------------------1======|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|---------0======---------2======|---------2======---------2======|---------2======---------0======|
|-----------------3======--------|-3======---------3======--------|-3======------------------------|
+-3======------------------------+--------------------------------+-----------------3======--------+

          G7
+-3======-1======----------------+---------1======-0======-1======+-3==============-0==============+
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|---------0======---------0======|---------0======---------0======|---------0======---------0======|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
+-3======---------3======--------+-3======---------3======--------+-3======---------3======--------+

                                   C
+--------------------------------+--------------------------------+-0==============================+
|-1==============-3==============|-1==============================|-1==============================|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|-0==============================|
|---------0======----------------|---------2======---------2======|-2==============================|
|--------------------------------|-3======---------3======--------|-3==============================|
+-3======---------3======--------+--------------------------------+--------------------------------+

What's next

Next, we will start expanding on the points covered in this lesson. We can add synchopation, maybe a more complicated chord progression, a more varied bass line, hammer-ons, pull-offs, and so on. That's one of the amazing things about playing guitar: there is always another thing to learn. I hope you had fun this lesson, and I look forward to lots more.

Reference

There are a lot of great books about fingerpicking guitar out there. Here are a couple of my favorites.

Fingerpicking Styles for Guitar by Happy Traum - a classic and the first fingerpicking book I ever bought. I found mine at a yard sale, and it changed my life forever.
Folk and Blues Fingerstyle Guitar by Dave Van Ronk, or anything from Stefan Grossman's Guitar Workshop. A great series.