A guitarist’s best buddy is the pick. It’s compact, easy to use, and excellent at generating a clean, sharp tone. Most guitarists will need a pick at some point, but if you find yourself without one, it’s useful to know what to do. In this essay, I’ll concentrate on another method called as fingerpicking.

Fingerpicking is a fantastic method to utilize if you don’t have a pick or don’t enjoy using one. The greatest approach to learn about it is to experiment with it.

Examine the following exercise:

The PIMA Forming

So, in the above example, the letters ‘p I m I an I m I are grouped beneath the first eight notes. This is your fingerpicking technique. Essentially, ‘p’ refers to your picking hand’s thumb, I to your index finger,’m’ to your middle finger, and ‘a’ to your ring finger. For example:

To become acquainted with the pima formation, just practice pronouncing the names of your fingers while plucking the open strings of your guitar.

Pluck the 6th string with your thumb- this is p.
Then, on the fifth string, use your index finger I
Your middle (m) finger for the fourth string and your ring finger (a) for the third string.

Repeat as many times as necessary until the names of your fingers become more known.

So, if we look closely at the first eight notes from the previous example, we can see that your left hand is holding a fundamental A minor chord construction. Then, using your right hand, repeat the pattern ‘p I m I an I m i.’ Don’t worry if you’re unfamiliar with this chord or tablature; I’ve broken out the exercises completely below.

STEP 1: FINGERPICKING EXERCISE The p under the 0 indicates that you pluck the open A string with your thumb.
Then, play the E note with your index finger (2nd fret, D string)
The following A note is played by your middle finger (2nd fret, G string)
The E note is then pluck with your middle finger once again (2nd fret, D string)
FINGERPICKING EXERCISE – STEP 2 Play the C note with your ring finger this time (1st fret, B string)
This is followed by another E note (2nd fret, D string) plucking with your index finger.
Then your middle finger plays the A again (2nd fret, G string), and lastly your index finger plucks the E (2nd fret, D string).

At first, it may feel like your fingers are tripping over each other. However, just keep repeating this fingerpicking pattern with the first eight notes of the exercise for as long as you need. Move on to the following eight notes after you feel comfortable and competent with this picking rhythm. Even if the notes change somewhat, the picking rhythm remains consistent throughout the exercise.

There you have it! Now try applying this picking pattern to some of your favorite tunes. Try not to become frustrated if it appears tough at first. It’s similar to learning a new chord: your fingers may feel weird or uncomfortable at first, but the more you play, the more natural it will seem. Fingerpicking is its own method, so mastering it will require time and practice. You may be confident that after you’ve mastered it, you’ll discover a plethora of new methods to broaden your playing.

Still perplexed? Check out this video for additional information on how to perfect the fingerpicking method!