Building a Fast Fingerpicking Rock Guitar Technique

[@skyhorseprice6591]

I just now found this even though it was posted 6 years ago. But i feel compelled to comment because seeing you play like this was a hugely empowering thing to me, and i mean this on a very deep level. I'm a hard rock/metal/prog guitarist who has been playing for over 50 years, and i have always played fingerstyle. I got this style from taking roughly 3 months of lessons (when i was 16) from a phenomenal guitarist named Ray Cummings, who was heavily influenced by Chet Atkins, so he got me playing fingerstyle for everything. It was pretty wild because I was into Hendrix and John McLaughlin. But Ray impressed upon me that everything can be done fingerstyle with far less strain with things like string changing. I discovered, however, that I have the worst fingernails, like, _ever!_ When I grew them out to use as 'organic picks', I was dismayed to find that my nails just broke off, split, & peeled away. I have weak nails, so I tried playing with a pick. Not good. I didnt realize that I'd already gone far down the path of developing fine motor conttol in the muscles needed to play fingerstyle, which are somewhat different than those needed to use a pick. Basically, I suck using a pick, but the fleshy fingertips really did not go well with the sound i was developing, which was much more like a cross between Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, and Brian May of Queen. So. I developed an alternative approach--a thumbpick and two fingerpicks for my index and middle finger. It's fascinating to me that I developed the same pattern of picking that you did, minus one finger. I use a Thumb/Middle/Index finger technique that, like your 4 finger style, always follows the same sort of 'whirling claw' picking technique...thumb, middle, index, and repeat. I get serious speed out of this, plus the ability to play lines that jump strings with far less difficulty than with a flatpick. So the reason Im telling you all this is, in all my years of playing guitar, you are the first guitarist i have seen who plays hard rock/metal shred solos using fingerstyle. Man...all the stuff that is available now, _How To Develop Speed With Accurate Picking Technique_ ...its all for flatpickers. Until i saw your video tonight, there was nobody doing what i do using fingerstyle. It was a lonely life, literally, until now. The only finger pickers playing any kind of metal shred stuff, basically were not nearly as good as the flatpickers. Then i saw this video, and you are badass, which is very inspiring. So straightup, _thank you!_

[@SteveGilson]

Thanks very much! I know the feeling of being the only finger picker in a sea of flat pickers very well!

[@jamesjackson384]

I’ve seen the “T21 T21 ... pattern” before but you really demonstrate how ”T321 T321” makes more sense. You also demonstrate how proficiently it can be done! Sometimes seeing is believing.

[@wonder6789]

Brilliant technical advice, and best teacher ever, with Brit charm to boot.

[@SteveGilson]

+wonder6789 Thanks very much! I'm glad you liked it.

[@adaptiveagile]

My mid has been blown. Thank you. Can't wait to start exploring this and your other videos.

[@raymonddegennaro3097]

Again, thanks. I can't believe I didn't find these videos sooner.

[@terraformingthesubconsciou7131]

I've been waiting to see someone apply this. thank you

[@chrisbehringermusic]

These videos are really great, I'm a bassist moving into learning some more guitar work and I was dreading using a pick so it's really nice to see there's an alternative for me out there. I'm surprised I haven't really seen many other guitarists play like this so I'm extremely happy I stumbled on your videos. Cheers.

[@SteveGilson]

chrisbehringermusic Thanks Chris, there are not many of us out there. You might want to check out guitarists such as Jeff Beck and Richie Kotzen - I keep meaning to create a list!

[@masterbuilder3166]

Steve, not only are you a 1st class player, you also have such a sweet gentleness about you that exceeds the former. Honored to have found your channel sir. Many blessings 💯💪

[@SteveGilson]

Very kind of you, thank you.

[@ishitagupta5191]

That right hand technique is really out of this world.. awesome

[@stylianosvoulgarakis8724]

Really amazing! Its a joy watching you play. I'm one of those too, I play my whole life fingerstyle ( but not as fast as you:) I remember in the past everyone I know said to me: you can't play fast without a pick" As you can see.. you can! You are a real inspiration and will practice more to achieve this speed and feel too! All the best

[@SteveGilson]

Thanks a lot Stylianos! Good luck with your playing!

[@fenderguy5865]

I am always appreciative of those willing to share their talents. I do wish that the close ups would have been demonstrated a bit slower.

[@patriclus83]

How does this guy not have more subscribers!? Do people not understand how amazing this shit is? For so long I thought the extent of fingerstyle electric guitar was Mark Knopfler or Lindsey Buckingham but this is a completely different level, and now I know I've been living in the shadows. How have I not seen this before in my KZbin guitar vid wanderings. The people who disliked this are a breed of the purist douchebags known to mankind.

[@SteveGilson]

Thanks a lot Patrick! It's tough to get a new channel established these days, but I'm getting some good positive feedback from people who have found me. Good luck with your playing - Steve

[@pb12661]

if he were a young, attractive, Asian female he'd have 1 million subscribers for sure. lol PS: not that you're a bad looking guy or anything. ;) you know what I mean.

[@ItsASimphonyOutHere]

Bro, you found this 5 years ago... I found it today.

[@SquirrelDarling1]

Just found this today. This guy is amazing and getting to work on this technique immediately.

[@IvanRx76]

​@@pb12661asian shemales are most prolific in guitar business

[@TruthMirrororriM]

Perfect bridge between fingerstyle technique and rock fingerstyle: bravo!!! So well done and conveyed. Priceless. Have a safe and Happy New Year!

[@adsvx]

Your right hand is amazing, truly. Thanks for the great lessons.

[@SteveGilson]

adsvx Thanks very much! I hope they're helpful to you.

[@jamesjackson384]

Awesome video for explaining how fast runs can be accomplished through fingerstyle!

[@SteveGilson]

Thanks for checking it out James.

[@DefMettle]

This is awesome. Great technique sir!

[@gothfather8741]

This is excellet work! Thanks for posting! I always try to perfect my speed-finger-picking technique.

[@al6377]

Wow, just wow!! As a huge Jared James Nichols fan, I was looking for something like this.

[@SteveGilson]

Hey, thanks for turning me onto him I wasn't aware of him until you commented!

[@aksarun4956]

Thanks sir for awesome technique

[@johnl.tidwell5042]

Since I'm more comfortable with three fingers (Travis pick)-thumb, index, middle, I'm using your idea of three notes but with a three finger pattern with the right hand. Before, I was able to achieve medium speed with a simple i-m, but thanks to this lesson I can play really fast-at least on the 1st string. So far, I find it difficult to play on the other strings this way. I'll have to practice. Thank-you!

[@SteveGilson]

Thanks John, It takes a some time and effort to play across strings like this, but if you stick with it you'll get there.

[@Haassan1]

Thank you, Steve. It was really enjoyable to watch and practice.

[@loa_loveoverall]

Thank you so much for this! Helped out immensely.

[@Spike00031]

This is awesome just what I was looking for thank you very much.

[@nachyomoney3598]

I play a lot of blues and grew up in the south and midwest. Even though I use a pick sometimes for certain styles of music like surfer music, country, and rock I perfer finger picking. While playing bottleneck slide you pretty much have to fingerpick and naturally you learn these types of paterns overtime to play faster. An old blues player once told me, "Why use a pick? Why put anything between you and the strings? The music comes from your soul and out your fingertips. If you use a pick you block that magic."

[@Alejandro12340]

Picks are for mortal creatures! Definitely gonna learn this and apply it to my metal songs. You rock man!

[@SteveGilson]

Great! good luck with it!

[@poopypanysou812]

Play some BeBop scales with this technique and you'll be the Charlie Parker of guitar. Juan Serrano was a local and the stuff you do reminds me of him. Impressed.

[@SteveGilson]

Thanks Danny! That's quite a complement, I appreciate it!

[@captainlee1]

Sun shine to you from sunny southern California, Gotta Love it... :O)

[@tamasvass1]

This is awesome, Mr. SixStrings Steve, Happy to come across it. :-)

[@SteveGilson]

Hey Tamas, you found me! Glad you liked it.

[@robbolandsvids]

I've not seen this technique before, or certainly not attempted it myself..it sort of goes against all the fingerstyle stuff I play..I'm going to have some fun working on this. Great lesson, thanks, Robbo.

[@armandom28]

I've been practicing your method of pami for arpeggios and what I like about it is that the thumb is always "travelling" and is always in the right position to hit the note.....whereas.....with pima, the thumb has to move the width of the hand to start the next sequence.

[@SteveGilson]

Great! I'm glad its working for you, it does seem to flow doesnt it. I can't take credit for the pami sequence though, its the Classical Guitar Tremolo pattern. Recuerdos de la Alhambra being the most famous example of it.

[@lcvolt1546]

SixStringsAttachedTV yeah, however, recuerdos de la alhambra doesnt alternate string positions, the thumb does the base arpeggio and the other three the tremolo. i have always played classic guitar style but choose to play electric with a pick. I have never built speed with the pick as much as i try. Maybe i should just try to play with the resources i have

[@SteveGilson]

LC volt Yes I started out playing the electric guitar with a pick too, but felt frustrated that I couldn't apply some of my classical guitar techniques to the electric. I then had the insight that the electric guitar had a very different set of characteristics to the classical guitar, which kind of gave me permission to break some of the rules and come up with something different. I quite like being different to 99% of the other guitarists out there too.

[@8ezbngn]

Thanks!

[@rafaelcasanova_scl]

Amazing channel... Thank you very much!

[@samhodge7460]

Phenomenal! Thank you for the inspiration and wonderful guidance

[@SteveGilson]

Thanks a lot Sam! I hope it's useful to you.

[@StevenJonWest]

Hi, First, WOW! That is some incredible speed there! I have been playing electric guitar for a while, and I have settled now into playing without a pick - I find you can get such a better dynamic out of the guitar that way (for example, playing softly with my fingers, or getting a harder sound with my nails), have more control over playing specific strings for chords, get all kinds of rhythmic sounds by plucking muted strings, etc. I basically found this as I am trying to develop speed with lead work with my fingers only - this method looks absolutely perfect! I will be trying this when I get hold of my guitar this weekend.. Do you have any tips on actually building the speed up? For example, you have the guitar rested across your left knee, do you find that position is better than the typical position guitarists use over the right knee? And in terms of building co-ordination between left and right hand, and speed while maintaining accuracy for both hands, are there any other hints or tips on making them work together beyond incessant practice? I had seen previously some players using only thumb and index finger, which seems like it might be less confusing at least to begin with, but the pami pattern would definitely open up more potential for speed in the long run I would suspect? Thanks - I will be sure to watch through the rest of your channel - looks excellent for the style I am trying to cultivate!

[@SteveGilson]

Thanks Steve! Left knee vs right knee. This comes from my classical guitar background. The left knee is generally preferred as you can support the guitar body between your legs and it also raises the neck of the guitar, making it easier for the left hand to reach around it. I use a variety of picking patterns depending on what I'm trying to achieve, and they all have their strengths and weaknesses, so for example... pami is very fast, but complex and a relatively quiet technique. Its also impossible to palm mute while picking like this. Thumb and Index has less intrinsic speed, but overcomes some of the weaknesses above. I grouped some picking exercises into a play list, that might help you. You might also like to research the Classical Guitar Tremolo technique if you want to understand the origins of the pami technique I use. Good luck with it!

[@souviksen7497]

After having practiced this pami technique for a while, I'm not having so much of a problem with coordination. The main problem I find is that without growing your finger nails the pads of our finger tips provide too much resistance while finger picking and thus ruins the flow of what you're playing. To hit each string and articulate it properly at high speeds your finger nails need to function as picks. I think playing without finger nails will limit the speed at which you can play and to some extent hampers the flow.

[@SteveGilson]

I occasionally switch to without nails as it changes the tone. It does take me a while to acclimatise to the new feel too, but I am able to get there with a little practice. I tried to cover the differences in these two videos... kzbin.info/www/bejne/d4eWh3uoZ7aCaJo kzbin.info/www/bejne/l5q6oq2br5eHjZo Good luck with it - Steve

[@cat3rdcaraccident726]

You're nuts!!! amazing

[@jazzguitarneophyte-christo7988]

Thanks Steve for sharing this! I started to practice this slowly of course and hoping that in as the years go by I increase speed. I basically am obsessed with ditching the pick and stay fingers! I am a jazz student for life but my other passion is playing neo soul type guitar ala Mateus Asato and Lari Basilio....this lesson will help me eventually get rid of the pick!

[@SteveGilson]

Hi there, thanks for checking the video out. This is a subject that I keep coming back to - this series may help too kzbin.info/aero/PLG6Fv3w4O1aap0liKTp-Uf7IbKZxm5uxi

[@guitarreilly]

great technique sir, i think you'd be really good as flamenco guitar with that picking style

[@SteveGilson]

Thanks Jack! I do use some flamenco techniques in my playing. There is a varient of this used as a tremolo technique in flamenco, but it doesn't work as well as you might expect for lead lines. The big issue with flamenco guitar is volume. The instrument is a relatively quiet instrument so you have to really hit the strings hard to be heard, which is why you'll see heavy use of Apoyando technique when they play melody lines.

[@guitarreilly]

SixStringsAttachedTV yeah in the lead lines they usually just you the first and middle finger to pick back n fourth and get some incredible speeds, like the late great paco de lucia

[@SteveGilson]

Hey Jack, he was an amazing player wasn't he! That index/ middle finger technique is also called Apoyando. Basically you play the string and follow through, falling onto the string below. Its used in Classical guitar too. You can really belt the string hard like that, and it'll still sound good. If you watch some of his videos you can see just how physical he gets with the instrument. The technique I use here is much easier to achieve fast speeds, but just cant compete in terms of the power of each finger stroke. So I'll use either depending on the circumstance.

[@clomino3]

This is sick! Very useful. Quick question: Do you have to use your nails to hit the strings or can you use your fingertips? Thanks!

[@SteveGilson]

Yes you can use your fingertips. In fact I did a with/ without video not that long ago, here you go... kzbin.info/www/bejne/l5q6oq2br5eHjZo

[@clomino3]

@@SteveGilson I should have looked before I commented! I found the video right before your reply. My bad, thanks a lot!

[@SteveGilson]

No problem Charlie, good luck with it.

[@MichaelHarvill98]

Thanks for the fantastic videos. I've been playing since the late 1980s. I have a pretty good grasp on modern electric guitar technique but I feel the pick is limiting my creativity. I have heard so many fantastic fantastic players that aren't using picks so I have been doing the same for a while now. Your channel will definitely come in handy.

[@SteveGilson]

Michael Harvill Thanks Michael! I'm glad you're able to get something useful from them. Good luck with your playing.

[@teresathomley3703]

You are a great guitarist

[@SteveGilson]

Thanks Teresa! much appreciated.

[@teresathomley3703]

@@SteveGilson I'm serious. Your approach has helped me improve my fingerstyle technique to a great degree and I appreciate the suggestions. Keep up the good work, sir.

[@arnulfoparra9498]

Amazing !

[@deldia]

Can you do im picado too? I switched from rock/blues to flamenco 3 years ago. I've not considered going back with my new techniques.

[@SteveGilson]

Oh yes, absolutely. There's nothing wrong with "im" - I use it myself. I cover it briefly here (through from the point of view of apoyando vs tirando) in this video... kzbin.info/www/bejne/rYS9kqOjg7etqtk

[@armandom28]

Very interesting. Thanks for the post. For ascending arps why not use pima? There's no motion in the right hand.

[@SteveGilson]

Good question and thanks. In the context of this video, I was just demonstrating the technique, in a real world situation I'd use a variety of techniques (See My other vid "Playing Rock Guitar Without a Pick" for a selection of them). I do use this though, for example when the arp is part of a longer run which includes scale type passages too, I'll maintain this for consistency of sound throughout the run. Over the years its now become an unconscious motor skill that I don't have to think about. In the case of that arp, if you do use pima, you'll need to decide how you are going to play the high g# and the decending notes too. (Its one of those situations where it feels like you run out of fingers, using a more traditional approach). Steve

[@fp-ko7vg]

Thanks!!

[@MinhPham-ly7yp]

Hi Steve, I was looking for a technique such as this! Two questions. One, why do you not use the pinky. Two, have you ever done the pattern without the thumb? If the thumb is playing a bassline, for example.

[@SteveGilson]

Hi there!, so the first thing to say is that a large reason why I play like this is because I was Classically trained from being very young. For example, the Classical technique does not normally use the pinky and therefore I don't either. That being said I've never missed not using it and so I've never bothered experimenting with it either. Pattern without the thumb... Again I'd already developed the Classical Guitar tremolo technique from when I was younger so I already had that skill in the bag. Adapting it to the electric guitar was an obvious next step. I would not rule out just using fingers though, say a rolling a,m,i technique (third, 2nd, 1st finger). There are advantages, for example the 3 fingers hit the strings in the same way, the thumb is much stronger and hits the string from a different angle. One of the problems you have to overcome with the tremolo technique is a varience of tone and volume with the thumb vs the other fingers. For me though, the tremolo is a faster technique (you basically pick times a cycle vs 3 times a cycle). I'm not sure that really matters though. I hope that helps.

[@faustoventura3050]

Just amazing! I got a question. About you fingernails, how do you handle it? Is it any long or your technique doesn't depend on it at all? I'm trying to develop that fingerstyle skill (without a teacher, what might be a huge problem) and was really suspecting that the classic guitar tremolo could be of good use. Thank you so much!

[@bluxpretion]

This is great! I have increased faith in acoustic shredding AND MUTING isn't a problem for you, I could achieve this too!! It's gonna take fakin' ages though...how long did it take you to shred like that?

[@SteveGilson]

+Brian Gachie Hi Brian, Thanks a lot. That's a really hard question to answer, because we're talking about 20 years ago. If I remember correctly, I started learning Recuerdos de la Alhambra when I was 15 or 16 (just on the Classical guitar). I must have been 16 or 17 when I first decided to experiment with it on the electric. I had no idea whether it was possible or not so kind of drifted in and out of trying it. By the time I was 18 and in University I was doing it pretty confidently.

[@bluxpretion]

I see, I see...so if I work very hard at it, I could have this skill in maybe half the time? The biggest time gap in the information you gave me is 3 years (15-18), so I reckon (since you were in and out of using this technique) it should take me maybe a year and a half of hard work to get it. Anyway, already been playing 4 and a third years so if I make a start, I'll have it in no time.... Thank you very much for your response! Many KZbinrs don't respond to comments or respond selectively, so I'm grateful for that

[@SteveGilson]

+Brian Gachie Its very hard for me to know without knowing where you are on your journey, (though I quickly checked out your video Epic and I can see you're a pretty good player already!) so I would think so. You might find this video helps as well, especially some of the ideas at the end. These work very nicely on the acoustic. (plus it'll develop your tremolo technique). kzbin.info/www/bejne/rGe9pYd_e715q7M Good Luck and I'm very happy to help.

[@bluxpretion]

I'm so glad that you can answer my questions!! One more very important one...do you use flesh or nail with your fingerstyle shredding technique (Tremolo, is it?)? Thanks again, especially for the suggested video and for watching my video!

[@SteveGilson]

+Brian Gachie Hi Brian, The technique is an adaption of the Classical Guitar Tremolo technique, you can see an example of that here... kzbin.info/www/bejne/hqLJnICdi8aCm7s Regarding my nails I do generally keep them long though there have been times when I've cut them short. It just depends on the tone that I'm in to. There's a pretty good closeup of them here... kzbin.info/www/bejne/pZvOfql3pNydoaM Glad I can help.

[@rajat.mahajan3095]

Brilliant video, just wanted to know, how would you do pinch harmonics with this technique

[@SteveGilson]

Thanks Rajat! for Pinch harmonics I'd use my index finger as a pick, so my technique is very similar to everyone else, just no pick in hand. - I talk about it here... kzbin.info/www/bejne/rYS9kqOjg7etqtk

[@rajat.mahajan3095]

Steve Gilson - SixStringsAttachedTV thanks for such a quick response. I started using this technique and I am facing some issues of accuracy (like you said, needs practice) when I play strings other than high E. Wanted to know - I am using a thumb finger pick and I use skin of other fingers while plucking.. I am growing my nails right now to use this technique. However, don't you agree that it will hurt a lot if play for hours just using finger skin while doing this technique? Also, if I use finger picks , the accuracy is compromised... I start hitting other strings, also, with finger picks the dampening is not effective (while playing with a lot of gain and treble on distortion) Sorry for such a long query :)

[@SteveGilson]

Hi Rajat, Personally I've never got on with finger picks, I never found them comfortable or stable. Nails or not is a personal choice, in the long run there's no problem with playing for hours without nails. Your right hand fingers harden up, just like your left hand fingers. For example check out videos by Jeff Beck, Richie Kotzen or Mark Knopfler, they all keep their nails short. Accuracy shouldn't be a problem too, it really is about the tone you want to produce. I tried to demonstrate this in a video about a year ago, so you might want to check that out. kzbin.info/www/bejne/d4eWh3uoZ7aCaJo

[@rajat.mahajan3095]

Thanks a lot Steve! There aren't many teaching these techniques on KZbin, you are doing a wonderful job. God bless and good luck!

[@luisguill7283]

you're my idol 🤘

[@jazzalmenasmusic]

Ok, ok, ok! This is the best subscription I have done ever. Like Knopfer on steroids

[@SteveGilson]

I put a few videos together in a play list that may help you develop this further. kzbin.info/aero/PLG6Fv3w4O1aap0liKTp-Uf7IbKZxm5uxi God luck with it! - Steve

[@jazzalmenasmusic]

@@SteveGilson thank you good sir! Got it on my library now, the topics look mouth watering!

[@josiahluethje9028]

how long should I do the first exercise before I move on to rest? should I do it till it feels natural and fast? and how hard should I pluck the strings? I'm using 9's and I'm playing an epiphone SG special and I used to do hybrid picking but it always sounded country and I wanted to play bluesy hard rock like ac dc. Will this sound country plugging into the rhythm channel with the volume up high? I do this to get a natural overdrive.

[@SteveGilson]

Hi Josiah, the goal of the first exercise is 3 fold. 1. To build accuracy so you don't accidentally hit the strings around the current one. 2. To get all the notes evenly spaced out in time, it's very easy to be uneven so it sounds more like a gallop you need to try and minimise that. 3. To get an even tone and volume between each finger. It's quite common to hit the strings relatively harder with the thumb. How Hard? its hard to answer though in some of my most recent videos I'm just plugging directly into my amp with no pedals so that may give you an idea. To be honest I would focus on an evenness of tone over trying to achieve a particular volume. How long should you do it? you're aiming for the movement to feel natural and subconscious. So introduce the second one as soon as the first stops feeling so awkward. then the others as you feel ready for them. It'll take a while to develop this technique. I still come back to these basics once in a while and I've been doing this for maybe 30 years. By the way I predominantly use 9's too.

[@karlwilson1304]

Hi Steve, great playing. do you offer private guitar lessons? I live in Liverpool

[@SteveGilson]

Thanks Karl, but at the moment I don't have the time to commit to giving private lessons. If the situation changes I'll let you know.

[@karlwilson1304]

SixStringsAttachedTV No problem at all, thanks for the reply and once again, great playing!

[@gavsrcnstuff4598]

Hi' I've just started to learn electric guitar, I really can't get on with a pick, my thumb and fore fingers find the strings much easier and it feels more natural to me , my only problem is'[ that clicking sound } I get between nail and skin when plucking the strings when I play a slow blues , any advice you could give would be great , Thanks Gavin.

[@SteveGilson]

+Gavin Clack Hi Gavin, I have kind of 2 answers to this. The first one is to experiment with the shape and length of your nails, I keep my reasonably short so they only just reach over the tip of my finger. Other people grow them much longer. It can take a while to learn what works for you. This is one of those subjects that is debated to death on Classical Guitar forums, so you might want to google it too. My other answer is to think of the type picking I use from the point of view of the texture of the note I create. In one of my other videos I talk about a host of different picking techniques. The reason why I do them is because each has its individual quality and texture, so I'll be using a whole array of them in any particular solo. This might give you some ideas too. kzbin.info/www/bejne/rYS9kqOjg7etqtk Steve

[@gavsrcnstuff4598]

+SixStringsAttachedTV, thanks Steve, will keep watching , Im a builder so not easy to keep nails nice but now in the habit of wearing gloves, what gauge strings are best, have Les paul , thanks again for advice ,, Gavin

[@SteveGilson]

No problem, glad to help. Find some youtube videos of Richie Kotzen or Jeff Beck, you'll see they don't have nails at all. As for string gauges, I prefer 10's on the Les Paul, and put 9's on the Strat.

[@ftycer4306]

hi steve, thank you for the technique and the lesson. I started learning guitar two years ago and I always wanted to make it without a pick. But, I searched my way without finding something really satisfying until you ^^. I tried it without a guitar for about one month and now with the instrument. I make a lot of mistakes but I feel the right hand more free - I was using the thumb for the thickest strings and i, m, a for g,b & e. honestly, I found your style very fluent. and by the way, could you explain your left hand technique & posture - furthermore, the thumb position. Because, I'm trying to play left hand with the classical guitar style but I don't know yet if it's a good technique for thinner neck like electric guitar ? thank you.

[@SteveGilson]

I created a video about left hand position a while ago - this may help you... kzbin.info/www/bejne/qZW1f6x9hbBoZpY Good luck with your playing, I'm glad I was able to help.

[@ftycer4306]

+Steve Gilson - SixStringsAttachedTV oups, I did not this one thanks

[@samhodge7460]

Do you try to make each finger pluck the same shared spot on the string,or does each finger pluck with natural spacing? I can hit the same spot with all fingers if I add a slight twisting/pivoting motion with my wrist which feels very fluid and fun, but I'm worried this will become a speed disadvantage in the future.

[@SteveGilson]

I do target the same area, but it doesn't make much of a tonal difference (The pick up choice has the dominant effect on tone on the electric guitar). I'm probably more careful about positioning on the Strat, purely because I don't want to clatter my fingers against the pickup poles. In the longer term, speed tends to be bottlenecked by your left hand on the neck, not by your right hand picking - what I tried to show in this video kzbin.info/www/bejne/p2XcZGWLlKeWrq8

[@deniscandido4116]

Nice videos! I'm liking a lot to see your channel. I want to get rid of the pick and start playing fingerstyle, because I really think it's a beautiful technique and of course makes a very different sound too (a lot better, in my opinion). But I have a question. I have an classical guitar and I just practice the changes of chords with the rythm P I M A I M, or just P I M A (I don't know if you use A to represent the 4th thing... for us (brazil) it's "Anelar", the ring's finger). I'm seeing that in the electric guitar the A finger isn't so much used.... I'm almost letting to train the A finger later.. because I want to play melodies with fingerstyle! not rhythm.. and I'm seeing that the exercice P I M A M works on my rhythm playing... What's you opinion about it?

[@deniscandido4116]

In other words, I don't want to do just appergios with a mounted chord. I want to develop my scale playing!

[@SteveGilson]

Hi Denis, Great! I hope the videos are helpful to you. Just to be clear, the letters I use for the right hand fingers are... p = thumb i =index m = middle a = ring finger (I dont use the little finger of my right hand at all). So it sounds like we use the same convention. Much of the technique I show in this video is based on just one picking sequence which is p a m i. If you've ever played any classical guitar tremolo pieces, such as "Recuerdos de la alhambra" you'll recognise this sequence. I've found over the years that if I use this pattern then my right hand is plenty fast enough to keep up with anything my left hand does, so dont really experiment withother picking patterns, unless I'm playing in a more traditional way. Good luck with your playing - Steve

[@SteveGilson]

Hi Denis, I just found your message - it was flagged as spam for some reason. Anyway, the answer is to play both. You need to build up the basics of the fingerstyle technique which is what you're doing by playing Hallellujah. You also need to build the specific skill needed to play scales so I would recommend you do that using i, m to start with then add additional techniques as you improve the basics.

[@deniscandido4116]

Thanks a lot for the tips!

[@Vernongilber]

you ma dude, are bad ass!

[@martinhblake]

My #1 problem are my weak nails...any advice is welkome 👍

[@MONDOCHITARRA]

ohhh my goshhhh WOW

[@armzapb281]

And part rhytum power chord stump

[@jozhaoyuansong6937]

Hello ! Do you lower the pickups extensively to avoid hitting the nails? My nails hurt so bad when I hit those non covered pickups...

[@SteveGilson]

Hi there!, No I don't. I set the pickup height to get the best tone and to try and match volume between the pickups, then it's all about accuracy. But you're right it's a pain when you hit them!

[@yoheff988]

How long does it take to break all your nails?

[@Rendoncastestudiante]

y para los tresillos? muy, muy dificil.

[@captainlee1]

AHA This is my way of picking. so much thanks to you peace be with you.......:O)

[@SteveGilson]

Glad you found it then. I'll be jamming the night away on Sunday doing this kind of thing on one of the local clubs :o)

[@stormcloakguard8521]

Im used to have my pinkie as an anchour. Is it ok with this technique?

[@SteveGilson]

Not really. Your hand needs to be able to freely float across the strings from the bottom to the top E. Anchoring tends to lock you into one position.

[@stormcloakguard8521]

Steve Gilson - SixStringsAttachedTV Okay thank you!!

[@thalesk9616]

Is it possible to do it without long nails? I get my nails kind of cut off after playing (without the technique in here)

[@SteveGilson]

It's a question I get asked a lot, so I've done a couple of videos showing with and without... here you go kzbin.info/www/bejne/d4eWh3uoZ7aCaJo and kzbin.info/www/bejne/l5q6oq2br5eHjZo Hope that helps.

[@captainlee1]

So Steve my fingers want to go thumb 123 321 thumb I've never used this patterns before , maby my nerves are switched around backwards?

[@SteveGilson]

Hi there! a few things to be aware of when you experiment with picking patterns... 1. Make sure you don't recycle fingers to quickly. For example if you're doing T12321T1231T you have 2 hotspots where you play 1T1 and 232, in the first case your index finger is involved almost straight away, in the second your middle finger is used almost straight away. 2. Avoid the "gallop". Some movements don't recycle very well. So as you speed up, every note is not even, instead it sounds more like a horse galloping. 3. Stay in control, you have to continue to time the left and right hand and keep them synchronised which means, even at speed, you're not just blurring the left hand and right hand together and hoping for the best. Hope this helps - Steve

[@captainlee1]

OK I'll make a big note of it thanks... see ya. Cap.

[@kadirduljic9217]

Hello,I have a question,i just started to play electrical guitar and I so badly want to play Slash`s songs and in his style,please,if anybody can answer me,is this achievable,and what should i practice, beacuse I already learned fingerstyle in Music School,and should I practice more classical and then electric guitar,please anybody respond

[@SteveGilson]

Hi Kadir, you get good at the thing you practice so if you want to play Slash type songs on the electric guitar then that is the thing to work on. Classical guitar technique can support the electric guitar to some degree, but they are really different instruments requiring different techniques.

[@MarkThamm]

Since there are a lot of 3 note per string pattern, why don't you use a p-m-i-pattern instead? i think it's much easier to synchronize an probably even fast ..

[@SteveGilson]

I experimented with pmi too, but in the end I didn't find it as useful as you might think. For example, once you start playing something other than scales you end up playing random numbers of notes per string not just 3. I also found that there was a strong triplet bias on the occasion when both hands were playing repeating 3 note patterns, which didn't help if I was trying to achieve straight 16th notes. (Finally for me at least I was already had good technique with the pami pattern with classical pieces like recuerdos de la alhambra so this became an extension of that).

[@MarkThamm]

Thanks a lot. It seems that the main idea is, both hands do their job independently. I still hesitate, which way to go - spending my limited time ;-)

[@SteveGilson]

pami worked for me, but equally I don't think there's anything magical about it. I would recommend experimenting with fixed picking patterns though - I go in to the reasons here, if you've not seen it yet. kzbin.info/www/bejne/g4apaadrlJZqbtk

[@cjscanlon0205]

hahaha oh my gatos this is impossible thats amazing

[@SteveGilson]

Keep trying :o) It's not something that you'll get overnight, but it will come with practice.

[@cjscanlon0205]

its really interesting too because I feel like i never see this

[@SteveGilson]

No you wouldn't, it's a technique that I evolved from a classical guitar technique and there are so few fingerstyle electric guitarists in the first place...

[@vanguard4065]

check out a youtuber named fingershred.

[@BDyoungster1997]

Officially ditching picks

[@armzapb281]

Subtitle

[@SunnyvilleMusic]

Hey, is it necessary to grow out fingernails for this or can it be done without them? Mainly because I prefer the fleshy part of my fingers...

[@SteveGilson]

+Puneet Wagh the tone is different, but you don't need nails. I tend to keep my nails longer these days, but there are times when I cut them short, just because I fancy a change.

[@SunnyvilleMusic]

Thanks so much for your answer :)

[@jeffstarrunner1]

How fast is this guy play 16ths I wonder. Sounds like it's up there. I feel like if you can play 16ths at 200 you can play just about any song. But for me it about 100 unfortunately.

[@SteveGilson]

Hi Jeff, I did this video a year or so ago, which should give you some idea of what is achievable with these techniques. kzbin.info/www/bejne/p2XcZGWLlKeWrq8

[@VellonWepa]

You do every exercise slowly except for #4 😤😤😤😤😤😤😤😤😤