Folk fingerstyle guitar pieces are often made up using a combination of finger-picking patterns. This not only generates consistency within a piece, but it also adds a unique feel to the way the rhythmic sense of the piece operates. Learn the secrets behind playing folk fingerstyle guitar in this detailed two-part lesson plan…
Q: My favorite type of guitar playing is folk fingerstyle. I watched your YouTube Fingerstyle Guitar Primer video lesson that you posted in March of 2009.
I have purchased your Accelerated Learning ebook and I am practicing using the learning how to learn techniques. In the last few weeks, I have made a proper practice schedule and I must say I have developed a lot of the techniques in your first video on fingerstyle guitar.
In short, I am ready for more fingerstyle! Can you please re-visit the world of fingerstyle guitar once again? If so, can you please focus on some pattern playing in the Folk Fingerpicking style?
Thank you – Dillan, Ireland
A: Thanks Dillan! The video lesson I have organized for you covers a piece from my 1996 Acoustic Guitar album, Acoustic Highway.
This song is a very good example of how any beginner or intermediate finger-style guitarist can use a few simple patterns and compose a complete piece of music.
Part One, of the lesson covers the verse of the piece in detail. And, part two (for sale in the shop) breaks down the bridge and the chorus.
I hope you enjoy working on this material. It was a lot of fun to put the lesson plan together.
All the very best – Andrew Wasson
FOLK FINGERSTYLE LESSON:
Fingerstyle guitar is extremely popular in the world of Folk music. This finger-picking lesson plan is a two part lesson that works through a full-length folk guitar pattern picking piece.
Learn part one of the song, (shown in the video lesson above, with the TAB and notation provided within the PDF download).
Once part one is developed, you can purchase the “part two lesson-plan,” for continued learning of the second half of the song.
PATTERN PICKING:
The pattern picking structure which is used throughout this lesson, operates around a recurring 2-measure phrase with separate ending statement.
Study each of the folk pattern picking guitar phrases on their own at first.
NOTE: It is important to memorize the picking pattern, the technique, and to comprehend the feel of the groove.
Once a section of the piece becomes well rehearsed, practice combining it alongside other song parts. Set a goal of performing all of the picking pattern parts in conjunction.
The long-term goal will be to connect all of the patterns and form the complete structure of the lesson’s entire musical piece.
- Click the button below to download the lesson handout
(access to lesson material will require a FREE membership)