Finger-style Accompaniments: Theme and Variations

Here is a collection of finger-style patterns for many musical occasions. The patterns are broken into two categories: Patterns in 4/4 time and patterns in 3/4 time. Even though music can be played in many different types of time signatures, 4/4 and 3/4 are among the most common. These patterns can be starting points for even more exploration.

Alternating Thumb and finger pluck:
    


Arpeggios:

 







Plucking Arpeggios:
An arpeggio is also known as a broken chord. Rather than strumming the notes of the chord together, an arpeggio breaks them up.

Reflect on the Music: A Guitar Forum

Rudolph the Red-Nosed (alternating bass note - guitar arrangement) Reindeer

This arrangement of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer makes use of the alternating bass style we have been exploring as a finger style technique, and makes it work in a pick-style manner.

The opening uses some nice chords in the intro. These should be strummed and made to ring behind the vocal line.

You can follow the chord changes because they are lined up with the familiar vocal line.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Arrangement

Seasonal Music for Finger-style Guitar

This time of year is a great time for music. To that end, I have written you a short finger-style arrangement of a seasonal classic, Jingle Bells.
This arrangement is just for the chorus section and not the verse. Perhaps I can add that at a later time, but it is slightly more complicated and I thought this would be a good starting point. Technically this arrangement is meant to challenge you to keep your thumb moving and alternating. The thumb is such an important part of "driving" the rhythm in finger-style playing. I have added an audio clip of this arrangement to give you an idea of how it could sound.
Audio

Techniques and Concepts to review

We have been studying a lot of techniques and concepts over the past few months. While all the posts that have been presented in the blog are important in their own way for helping you develop as a guitarist and a musician, I wanted to compile a few that will be the basis for assessing your progress as we head to 2nd quarter progress report time.

Finger Style Pattern

E minor Pentatonic

The Major Scale (G)

Reggae Style (left hand muting)

Primary Chord Round-up

I will be asking you to play some or all of the musical examples from these posts. In addition, I will be asking you questions about the techniques and concepts to help me get a sense of your understanding beyond the playing.