Right Hand Position for Fingerpicking

In this lesson, D'Arcy explains proper right hand positioning for acoustic guitar fingerpicking. For more information visit darcywickham.com.

[@sarahreck7421]

Hi! My name is Sarah Reck and my dad (Folkert) used to take guitar lessons from you in Toronto. He just wanted to say hi!

[@Ykkk173]

I giggled when he flicked and introduced his middle finger...man am I silly

[@laurasanchez7105]

omg I didn't even notice it haha

[@woodfamily5229]

This was the best, most well explained, and most enjoyable video I’ve seen on the topic yet. You’re calm and concise. You make sense. You’re like the Bob Ross of guitar lessons. Thank you. I’ll look into more of your lessons.

[@larryheller6963]

"Progress, not perfection" - fantastic philosophy which applies to so many areas of human endeavor!

[@colincolin7237]

I really enjoy your approach to teaching. you're very informative and get right down to the heart of the information that we need. Thank you for taking the time to do this.

[@jml16]

Awesome tutorial! Been struggling/stumped for years to get good tone out of my ring finger. Turns out I just needed to angle the attack, and now it sounds as warm and full as the others. Got something new to work on--thanks so much!

[@Fuzzietomato1]

Great video. This is something thats overlooks in many tutorials and it is vital to building a good foundation. Glad I found this when I did

[@thanhtungbui7823]

Finally, a technique that works for me. Thank you so much!!! Please make more videos!

[@ickylark5354]

thanks so much for this, been wanting to learn fingerpicking and finally got it today by repeatedly going back to this tutorial. its v easy to slip into bad habits

[@dakyanddena]

Thank you so much! My right hand position was terrible, and my tone was squeeky and my wrist used to hurt, now the tone is amazing and it feels so good. You are awesome!

[@dakyanddena]

+totalna laganica one question Darcy. Would you be so kind to make video for the left hand as well. Thanks!

[@10kmilesy]

I was learning guitar by myself, and while watching a recording of myself playing, I found my right hand quite unnatural and ugly. This video is of great help! I'll try and get my positions better, thanks!

[@tranquocminh4033]

One of the most basic guitar theory i miss, thank you very much, sir!

[@3xplor3lif32]

old school can be cool!!! Love the video and lesson. Especially your advice on how to see progress (not perfection). Two thumbs up

[@JesusMartinez-fp5yh]

Very good video. No other video explained how the index, middle and ring fingers are supposed to be at a slight angle to get a better sound.

[@richgrilli9199]

Thank you!! That was EXTREMELY helpful.

[@davidlindgren6858]

Thank you! This was helpful - just what I was looking for.

[@jasper_north]

Bob Ross of guitar... great lesson.

[@74hodag]

Thank you! I know this has been my main problem. You've explained it beautifully.

[@jameso2610]

Been looking for something like this, really helped, thanks

[@MrJosehermoza]

I keep saying that technique is the essential of all learning, bravo!!!!!!!

[@mrcolin]

thank you. immediately this makes a big difference.

[@stevenburton7922]

Thanks for posting....good stuff!

[@jakemilley4058]

Anyone else confused on how he can hold just his ring finger up without holding his other fingers down at 0:52?

[@Ace_52]

Jake Milley i just tried doing that my hand broke

[@radhinnabilalauna3997]

Just realize it lmao

[@hansuhlin9418]

why can i do that with my left hand but not my right hand

[@leeonardodienfield402]

@@hansuhlin9418 left hand is used to moving to make chords and play scales. right hand has to be trained to be independent too

[@Zweiheit]

thanks for that video and especially for your last "progess not perfection" advice! ;)

[@joejakubowski9499]

Thank you for the set up!

[@KitKatnotthecandylol]

This was great. Thank you and God bless!

[@geralynpalacol9295]

Looooooove this lesson!!! THANK YOU!!!

[@tessel6834]

Ah thanks a lot! Just the right information that i needed

[@whirap]

Fantastic instruction. thanks so much

[@jscibilia]

Great lesson. Thank you.

[@Xappreviews]

Hey, thanks for the advice at the end :)

[@ericrajendran3242]

Youre an excellent teacher.....Thanks

[@chevalgal]

This is very cool!\. Who knew there was so much to know just about hand position?

[@asifali9559]

i much more like it from floating hand finger picking also that wrist lose,quite and flexeible assist to move hand with knuckle simulutaniously.absoluteley nice lesson.

[@eugeneobrien9064]

great teacher, thank you.

[@AlexZeBeast]

Fantastic, thanks man!

[@DC180]

excellent, helps a lot!

[@MinThitHtoo-vx1mt]

love this vid ❤

[@sanjayraveendran2964]

Great video

[@charles-edouardderothschil9923]

thank you very much!!

[@donghyukkim6317]

Thank you 😊

[@Kaudri]

Thank you

[@Oli-Oli911]

Thank you!

[@nyanyambisi3824]

From me to You, May the Good Lord bless your seed for the generations that lay ahead of you.

[@mptful]

thanks you!

[@Pramodkumar-bb8mj]

Awesome

[@kelumperera........]

Thanks 👏👏👏

[@paulnienhaus5359]

Thanks D"Arcy. Just starting my journey into fingerstyle. Do you recommend steel fingerpicks( my nails are a little on the weak side) ? Progress over Perfection! Love it. Many Thanks Paul Nienhaus

[@ianroberson2191]

Verry good

[@ptsmith4660]

funny in a way ,, I get on u tube to find guitar info/lessons/help , and the teacher I like is in Toronto, or Jamaica, or New York City or ?? what can one do .. anyway, I like the approach here .. thanks for the info , and lesson help

[@mozartrosie]

I enjoyed this lesson and as you say it is a very different hand position from classical . Is it possible to play both styles do you think? Also, do you give lessons via Skype? Would love to learn some more songs from you again. Joy

[@gdup1728]

4:40 Thank you very much. I’ve just started to play guitar. I’ll keep you comments at the time stamp in mind

[@manmaanmishra6763]

thax sir

[@daysend7]

Thank you for the video, i do have one question. I noticed that your wrist is really straight which is not the case when im practicing. My wrist always bends down especially when i try to move the thumb in front of the other fingers. Does anyone have an idea what i could improve to always have a straight wrist?

[@snowfall2515]

im doing it differently... I pick the b,e with my index,g with middle finger and d with ring and e,a with thumb. Is that wrong? It feels much better for me its a lot easier.

[@NinjaAal2on]

hello, thanks for the lesson! would you be so kind to tell us what's that song that you were playing at the end?

[@francis2246]

H

[@zahubshahid7944]

Should we try to keep the wrist of our right hand as straight as possible?

[@lanecirks9334]

Do I use my thumb for string 5 and 6? Then finger 1 for 3 and 4. Then the rest of my fingers for the rest of the strings

[@AnotherproblemOn]

what is the little song you're playing at the end? is there a longer version?

[@rishidiwute3604]

Progress not perfection. Ask yourself to be better than yesterday or last week. If you try to be perfect you will end up feeling bad about your playing. -d'arcy wickham Very crucial advice.

Am I doing the wrong thing? I stick my wrist to the guitar body. That gives me anchoring and accuracy. I find it hard doing it with the floating right hand.

[@miguelhernandezmercado1332]

When I anchor my pinky my ring finger doesn't work. Having trouble with that.

[@univuniveral9713]

That position is pretty hard for me. And I have not experienced thumb blocking my fingers in the easier position

[@johnjack470]

pause it at 0:51....

[@josephbaker3945]

Savage.

[@EternalSearcher]

Maaaan my thumb always hits this extra string bellow and touches the one above, giving me 3 problematic strings!

[@31rafa]

I have difficulty letting the right hand in classical guitar position. I realized that in classical guitar position the nails don't need to be so long to hit the strings, but this position is uncomfortable to me. How to put the right hand like this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/g5bZnoyOl7p9iJI ?

[@dagmerrie]

Do I place the palm on my hand on the guitar? (The spot right above the wrist)

[@ravivaliveti8724]

Generation Isolation I do that and it’s comfortable so i think so

[@leeonardodienfield402]

place something on it. i do forearm on the top of the guitar and sometimes palm on bridge which is a good spot to palm mute and get a chug going

[@Light-zr1ny]

what song is in the very first intro and the outro of video? mann, it was really good, wanna know so bad ;(

[@darcywickham8891]

this is an original composition called 'Underway' I can teach it to you by Skype 416 975 9035

[@Light-zr1ny]

is this for real? skype? okayy, oh my God so excited :D

[@darcywickham8891]

Light Yagami call me to set up $30 CAD/ half hour sent by email transfer

[@BulletProofCupid7]

Thanks! I had this horrible habit of putting my hand on the bridge of a guitar which really screwed up my fingerpicking. Now I see that It's just a bad habit of playing electric guitar with a pick. Ya know, chuggah chuggah and stuff :D Time to make a new one!

[@darcywickham8891]

yea , the steel string right hand is not the same as classical and BTW I play lots of electrice with fingerstle too ala Mark Knofler t+BulletProofCupid7

[@jrlon2]

How did switching go for you? I'm trying to decide whether to stop anchoring my palm on the bridge too, but I'm undecided.

[@BulletProofCupid7]

certainly go for it! especially on classical and acoustic guitar. Also growing your fingernails and picking with them tremendously improves the sound.

[@jrlon2]

Thanks for the reply! Yes, it just feels so unnatural that I suppose part of me doesn't quite believe it will ever feel as good as having my palm on the bridge. I guess it's all just habit, consistency and time though. And yes I more or less only play steel string..

[@BulletProofCupid7]

yea it feels awkward at first. It took me acouple of weeks to accomodate but it wasnt that hard since I once again become addicted to classical guitar :D the sounds this technique gives are so rich and full and overall everything became much easier to play. Give it enough work and time and your sound and technique will certainly improve. Especially if you're homegrown guitarist like myself.

[@loyaluwang4228]

My pinky rest automatically on the guitar when i dont need to use my middle finger, and when i do need it comes off automatically, i dont know why.

[@Ohmagat69420]

Why do I struggle to pick with my ring finger ? Its like I don’t even have muscle in there , Help me pls 😔

[@hawkcage9816]

It's 2020 and we live in a society

[@evangangstad5537]

0:51

[@BrandonCousino]

I definitely need to focus on progress, not perfection haha. I like that.

[@MrAnonymous878]

Are you supposed to have clean fingers with this position? It feels weird doing this with my usual long nails

[@Elraurko]

I use a similar approach but my thumb lines up for the 5th string and instead of floating my pinkie it lines up with the 1st string. Why waste that extra finger..

[@RandomStrangerDanger]

0:50

[@abylayalt5543]

I was offended and left the video at 0:50 (I know this is a stupid joke, video is very useful)

[@yutyubtsanel673]

..that exercise is pretty hard for me.. Cuz im left handed

[@smolchungus9213]

I'm here 9 years later just to say that I play with my pinky, have a nice day.

[@harshkushwah5132]

0:51 this is what u came for

[@Zworri]

is long nails needed for that fingerstyle position?

[@heartsoulmusic1975]

nope

[@slykhajiit2]

0:53 I'm more surprised he was able to lift his annular finger independently than the fact that he flipped off everyone watching.

[@bohemian46]

One observation: Many "fingerpickers", especially those not classically trained, do not use the ring (a) finger. Travis used only the thumb and index finger as did Rev. Gary Davis.

[@jaym8808]

It just depends on the song. For example John Mayer's neon actually only use the thumb and index as well but several other songs quite literally require more fingers. There's no reason at all to not learn it. You're limiting yourself vastly that way

[@mickhanmore2269]

Dude flipped me off at 0:52

[@Iknowyoumadnow]

Snowflake ❄️

[@VinylOutsider]

There is absolutely nothing natural seeming about this strange claw-like hand position. I developed my own style of finger picking, but I would love to learn the "right" way. Thanks. I'll try to get over the very bizarre, to me, appearance and feel of the "proper" hand position.

[@WhysSing]

Guy just flipped me off! Good vid tho :)

[@JuGGerJuGGs]

I can't do the Dracula hand. I don't grow my nails, I just pluck with fingertips

[@josephkennedy1954]

He sounds like Jordan Peterson

[@markmanning2921]

planting the pinky is the EXACT WRONG thing to do. No clasical guitarists ever do it, in fact Juliam Bream learned to play that way and had to RELEARN because he understood that it was holding him back. it is a HORRENDOUSLY bad method because it FORCES tension in the hand. I cant take anyhting you say about left hand positioning seriouysly as long as you are advocating for planting the pinky finger.

[@finne6286]

0:51