16 Legendary Fingerpicking Patterns
For tabs see below.
Fingerpicking style is a technique that is used in many famous and legendary songs over the years. The 16 examples in this post are a good source to learn the most common fingerpicking patterns you will ever come across. The fingerpicking patterns can be applied to almost every folk, pop, country or rock song.
Try and figure out which pattern suits your favorite song. Maybe you’ll already recognize some of these patterns from songs you heard before.
I personally think pattern #12 is a really nice one. It’s a Travis fingerpicking style arrangement named after Merle Travis. The Travis fingerpicking style is known for it’s steady bass pattern played with the thumb while the rest of the fingers fill out the rest of the pattern on the treble strings.
Right hand finger positioning
Now let’s take a look at the finger positioning assuming you are a right handed guitar player.
For my right hand position I use my thumb to pluck the low-E, A and D-string. The index finger is on the G-string, the middle finger on the B-string and the ring finger on the high E-string.
For each different chord, you play the corresponding bass note with your right hand thumb.
Whenever you play an A or Am chord with your left hand, you pluck the A-string ( A root note) with your right hand thumb.
For an E or Em chord pluck the E-string (E root note) with your right hand thumb.
D or Dm chord = D-string (D root note).
G chord = E-string (The G root note is played with your left hand on the low E-string).
C chord = A-string (The C root note is played with your left hand on the A-string) and so on.
In the video lessons above the tabs I show you what each pattern sounds like and explain the pattern slowly in close up.
Practice each and every one of them thoroughly. It’s really good for you.
Enjoy!
PATTERN #1
A E
e:-------0-------|-------0-------|-------0-------|--------0-----------|
B:-----2---2-----|-----2---2-----|-----0---0-----|-----0----0---------|
G:---2-------2---|---2-------2---|---1-------1---|---1--------1-------|
D:---------------|---------------|---------------|--------------------|
A:-0-------------|-0-------------|---------------|--------------------|
E:---------------|---------------|-0-------------|-0------------------|
PATTERN #2
A E
e:-------0---------|-------0---------|-------0---------|-------0---------|
B:-----2-----2-----|-----2-----2-----|-----0-----0-----|-----0-----0-----|
G:---2-----2-----2-|---2-----2-----2-|---1-----1-----1-|---1-----1-----1-|
D:-------------2---|-------------2---|-------------2---|-------------2---|
A:-0-----0---------|-0-----0---------|-----------------|-----------------|
E:-----------------|-----------------|-0-----0---------|-0-----0---------|
PATTERN #3
A E
e:-------0---------|-------0---------|-------0---------|--------0---------|
B:-----2---2-------|-----2---2-------|-----0---0-------|-----0----0-------|
G:---2-------2---2-|---2-------2---2-|---1-------1---1-|---1--------1---1-|
D:-------------2---|-------------2---|-------------2---|--------------2---|
A:-0---------------|-0---------------|-----------------|------------------|
E:-----------------|-----------------|-0---------------|-0----------------|
PATTERN #4
A E
e:-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:-------2-------2-|-------2-------2-|-------0-------0-|-------0-------0-|
G:---2-------2-----|---2-------2-----|---1-------1-----|---1-------1-----|
D:-----2-------2---|-----2-------2---|-----2-------2---|-----2-------2---|
A:-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------|-----------------|-----------------|
E:-----------------|-----------------|-0--------0------|-0-------0-------|
PATTERN #5
A E
e:-------------|-------------|-------------|--------------|
B:---------2---|---------2---|---------0---|---------0----|
G:-----2-------|-----2-------|-----1-------|-----1--------|
D:---2-------2-|---2-------2-|---2-------2-|---2-------2--|
A:-0-----0-----|-0-----0-----|-------------|--------------|
E:-------------|-------------|-0------0----|-0------0-----|
PATTERN #6
A E
e:---------0-------|---------0-------|---------0-------|---------0-------|
B:-----2-----2---2-|-----2-----2---2-|-----0-----0---0-|-----0-----0---0-|
G:-----2-------2---|-----2-------2---|-----1-------1---|-----1-------1---|
D:---2---2---------|---2---2---------|---2---2---------|---2---2---------|
A:-0---------------|-0---------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E:-----------------|-----------------|-0---------------|-0---------------|
PATTERN #7
A E D A
e:---0-----0-----|---0-----0-----|---2-----2-----|---0------0---------|
B:---2-----2-----|---0-----0-----|---3-----3-----|---2------2---------|
G:---2-----2-----|---1-----1-----|---2-----2-----|---2------2---------|
D:---------------|---------------|-0-----0-------|--------------------|
A:-0-----0-------|---------------|---------------|-0------0-----------|
E:---------------|-0-----0-------|---------------|--------------------|
PATTERN #8
A E
e:----------0-----|----------0-----|----------0-----|----------0-----|
B:-------2----2---|-------2----2---|-------0----0---|-------0----0---|
G:-----2--------2-|-----2--------2-|-----1--------1-|-----1--------1-|
D:---2------------|---2------------|---2------------|---2------------|
A:-0--------------|-0--------------|----------------|----------------|
E:----------------|----------------|-0--------------|-0--------------|
PATTERN #9
A E
e:---0-------------|---0-------------|---0-------------|---0-------------|
B:-----2---2-------|-----2---2-------|-----0---0-------|-----0---0-------|
G:-------2---2---2-|-------2---2---2-|-------1---1---1-|-------1---1---1-|
D:-------------2---|-------------2---|-------------2---|-------------2---|
A:-0---------------|-0---------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E:-----------------|-----------------|-0---------------|-0---------------|
PATTERN #10
A E A
e:----------0---------|----------0----------|----------0----------|
B:-------2----2-------|-------0----0--------|-------2----2--------|
G:-----2--------2---2-|-----1--------1---1--|-----2--------2---2--|
D:---2------------2---|---2------------2----|---2------------2----|
A:-0------------------|---------------------|-0-------------------|
E:--------------------|-0-------------------|---------------------|
PATTERN #11
A E
e:-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:---------2-------|---------2-------|---------0-------|---------0-------|
G:-----2-----2---2-|-----2-----2---2-|-----1-----1---1-|-----1-----1---1-|
D:---2---2-----2---|---2---2-----2---|---2---2-----2---|---2---2-----2---|
A:-0---------------|-0---------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E:-----------------|-----------------|-0---------------|-0---------------|
PATTERN #12
A E
e:-------------0-----------|-------------0------------|
B:-2-------2-----------2---|-0-------0-----------0----|
G:-----2-----------2-------|-----1-----------1--------|
D:---2-------2---2-------2-|---2-------2---2-------2--|
A:-0-----0-----0-----0-----|--------------------------|
E:-------------------------|-0------0----0------0-----|
PATTERN #13
A E
e:-------------0-----------|-------------0------------|
B:-----2-----2-----2-----2-|-----0-----0-----0-----0--|
G:---2-----2-----2-----2---|---1-----1-----1-----1----|
D:-------2-----------2-----|-------2-----------2------|
A:-0-----------0-----------|--------------------------|
E:-------------------------|-0-----------0------------|
PATTERN #14
A E
e:-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:---2-------2-----|---2-------2-----|--0-------0------|---0-------0-----|
G:-------2-------2-|-------2-------2-|-------1-------1-|-------1-------1-|
D:-----2-------2---|-----2-------2---|-----2-------2---|-----2-------2---|
A:-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------|-----------------|-----------------|
E:-----------------|-----------------|-0--------0------|-0-------0-------|
PATTERN #15
A E
e:-------0-------0-|-------0-------0-|-------0-------0-|-------0-------0-|
B:---2-------2-----|---2-------2-----|---0-------0-----|---0-------0-----|
G:-----2-------2---|-----2-------2---|-----1-------1---|-----1-------1---|
D:-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A:-0-------0-------|-0------0--------|-----------------|-----------------|
E:-----------------|-----------------|-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------|
PATTERN #16
A E
e:-------------|-------------|---------------|----------------|
B:-----------2-|-----------2-|-------------0-|--------------0-|
G:-------2-----|-------2-----|--------1------|--------1-------|
D:---2-----2---|---2-----2---|---2-------2---|---2-------2----|
A:-0-----------|-0-----------|-----2---------|-----2----------|
E:-----0-------|-----0-------|-0-------------|-0--------------|
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cool, good stuff (also for guitarstudents)
Hi Michael,
Indeed great for students and a good post for teachers as well. :-)
Good luck with it!
Klaus
This is it Klaus!
Great post, I believe it’s exactly what people need to do in order to improve!
This is an excellent jumping point for someone who’s been wanting to dabble in fingerpicking but never knew a good place to start. Guitarhabits has been a worthwhile addition to my online activities. Thanks a bunch!
Hi Vincent,
Thanks mate.
I think these are good exercises to improve and expand your fingerpicking vocabulary.
Klaus
Hi Phil,
I’m really happy to hear that.
If you got any questions about the patterns or anything else let me know.
Thanks for turning to Guitarhabits.
Klaus
# 16 leaves me wanting more!!!think i’ll and my own end to it!….Love your site Klaus,your a good man,its easy to see…
mi piace mi sembra efficente
all such additions are gratefuly accepted thank you
Hey Thanks so much for this! The exercises are great and it’s set up so nicely with the audio examples. I’ve been wanting to expand my picking skills and this makes it very easy. Thanks again…we appreciate it!
Hi Neva,
Glad you like it. Keep on improving those skills, it’ll pay off!
Best regards,
Klaus
How do you read these tabs?
Great stuff,much appreciated
Thanks so much for this, very helpful with the audio. It has gone a long way in helping my fingerpicking skills, and I try to run through one of these a day as part of my practise. Much appreciated!
Any ideas for songs that match up well with a some of these patterns?
This is an awesome list. I’ve been trying to improve my finger picking a lot lately and this is a huge help. To anyone else trying to learn to finger pick, I would suggest you learn the song Freight Train by Elizabeth Cotton. It has been a huge help in getting my right hand fingers used their string assignments.
Answer to mark, (8th of jan, 2012). From the 12th to the end you will find it in songs like:
-Helplessly hoping – CSN. You can find the tabs almost anywhere in tablature sites in the net.
-Check some mississippi John Hurt songs beautiful picking. Be patient!!
-Bron-yr-yaur -Led Zep. It is an arpeggio very nice but at the beggining it´s quite tricky. U´ll find the tab in lots of sites. The problem is u´ll find a little bit lost as it is a funny tunning invented by Page in a sort C!
-Some country and rockabilly songs have patterns like that, check Merle Travis, like “9 pounds hammer” which is not really tough.
-Beatles, Dear Prudence. It is drop D. Very beautiful and easy. Try with Blackbird as well. Very helpful.
Good luck mate
Really interesting and useful information. It would be an additional help if the appropriate time signature had been provided against each pattern. A further bonus would be the actual musical score in conventional notation. This would help me to practice when I don’t have access to the Web.
Many Thanks
Thanks a lot brother – this is just wonderful to have all those patterns collected in one place – and including the soundclips is just great idea – cause sometimes it’s really hard to get the style of playing just reading the tabs. Once again THANK YOU !!
Can I ask a dumb question. Just learning here. what do the numbers refer to? I understand PIMA but am lost here. Thanks for any help.
I’m just learning and am lost. How do you read these things. I know PIMA but what do the numbers apply to.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks.
Margie,
If I understand your question correctly the answer is:
The numbers stand for the guitar fred.
When I look at the first pattern it starts with the A cord. That is 3 fingers on the second fred on the strings DGB. You only pick the A, G, B, e string. therefore you see 0 2 2 0 2 2
Hope this helps.
Dear Sir,,,
I really appreciate your work. These patterns are really matching with our songs.
If you have any lessons about hammer on and finch off etc. pls send me
God bless you.
Priyantha – Sri Lanka
That’s some nice patterns
Loved it!!!
Can you list other chord combinations that sound as nice? I love the E & A, but it would be nice to practice with other combos as well.
I am teaching myself to play guitar, so this is a big help!! Thanks!
These 16 patterns are helping me with my fingerpicking.
Can you tell me what songs are played with each of the different patterns.
Thank you
Great patterns. Thanks for posting them.
Thank you for the array of different patterns. These offer some new ones that go beyond many of the book patterns out there and offer a good challenge. See, who says you can’t get decent information on the net?
Hi great lesson mate just wandering about my right hand.What fingers should pluck what strings?
Klaus,
Thanks! This is exactly what I have been looking for. I am beginner to intermediate level, and wanted a place where I could find some common picking patterns. I recognize a few patterns from some Jack Johnson songs I know. Are you familiar with John Prine and know which patterns he favors?
PATTERN #12 is sooooo Romeo and Juliet by Dire Straits!
Does anyone know the fingerpicking pattern for Mary Gauthier’s Mercy Now?
Exactly what I was looking for to jump start my fingerpicking lessons. I am a beginner about 9 months in and felt it was time to try some different approaches to playing. This is a great training tool that I come back to all the time. Thanks so much!
#12 is my favorite! Awesome website, very helpful.
:)
Hey, Georgie, I mentioned it before but if you like #12, definitely check out the song Romeo and Juliette by Dire Straits. Exact same pattern and amazing voice!!
Coolest thing ever man, thanx a mill
I actually use #14 all the time (figuring it out after a bit of playing around), and didn’t realise it was so popular. :)
Will definitely be checking the rest of these out more thoroughly.
thanks, been playing with a pick for too long and want to get used to fingerpicking. Trying to take it slow. Can anyone tell me some songs that use the first 5 so I can play along?
Nothing else matters kinda uses a variation of the first 5. There’s just a bunch of fills and stuff though.
Another great song to learn fingerpicking is Broken by Seether. I don’t really know if it’s based on any of these styles but there’s some pretty straight forward tabs. Make sure to tune a half step down. Especially if you’re trying the one with Amy Lee.
Hi Chris,
Amy Lee definitely brings an amazing flavor to the song. Love it!
Best regards,
Klaus
to play music is a wounderful gift but to give freely of skill knowledge and the ability to teach and to reach people in this process
is honorable. from this 78 yr old guy to a young guy THANK YOU
i have just started on this musical journey and your gift to us on
this site sure has taken alot of the bumps out of the road for me
my learning is much more fun now sounds lot better to
THANK YOU YOUNG MAN
Hi Robert,
Thank you for your kind words. Hearing that you enjoy your musical journey like this keeps me writing posts on guitarhabits.
Thank you I really appreciate it.
Best regards,
Klaus Crow
[...] In Guitar Exercises, Guitar Lessons, Lead Guitar & Scales | No comments Tweet 16 Legendary Fingerpicking Patterns November 16th, 2010 | Author: Klaus [...]
Travis picking style is my passion, and I hope to master the pattern. And I’m looking for G maj., F , Bminor , B minor 7. thanks for your music.
Its a pleasure to play all these and equally soothing to hear them.
Thanks Klaus for the patterns!!!
Dear Klaus, I agree with Robert that it is extremely generous of you to take the time to share all this information with us. Many thanks. I have a question: when you play #1 with an Em chord all the strings that you pluck are in fact open – is that just part and parcel of the method? It still sounds great to me as you move through a succession of chords but I was wondering if I am doing something wrong? Regards Emer.
Hi Klaus,
I just found this page while doing a search. Great resource for finger-picking! It’s great to have the tabs & the audio of the pattern to verify that you’re playing it correctly when doing new patterns.
I will have to spend some time browsing the rest of the site.
Thanks!
Klaus,
I am just learning to pick up a guitar and I frankly am not sure I understand how to read the patterns above. I am sure I sure I should understand. Can you give me a little guidance as to how to read so that I can try and learn to use the exersises.
Thank you
Hi Klaus-
I’m really glad that I found your site. I’ve been looking at your 16 picking styles. Is it possible to get the tabs for each of these – in a larger format. The ones accompanying your videos are a bit too narrow and the spacing makes pinches look like sequences and visa versa.
Marc
Hey Marc,
Try to zoom in or out on the page. Maybe that helps.
Best regards,
Klaus Crow
Really great stuff, Claus! This site would be really top notch if you also would give some examples of songs to apply the picking patterns to.
As the tabs concerns, change the font to “Courier new” and the picking patterns 2 – 16 will be as neat as pattern no.1! =)
//Magnus, Sweden
Thanks, Magnus. I don’t know how to make that change on the web page itself but by copying and pasting onto Word, it automatically cleaned up the spacing problem. I also agree that it would be great to have some examples of what songs apply to the patterns.
I am 72 years old. I’ve been a painter photographer and film director most of my life. I have filmed and photographed some of the biggest rock stars. I have just decided to teach myself guitar and you are an inspiration…The gentle approach to teaching you take is great …Many thanks…Maybe we will meet one day…Thanks…Keep up the good work!!
David
Just stumbled across this wee page, can’t wait to get home a give this a go, I know a few of these already… Ps… Magnus… It’s up to you now to find what works with what songs… But you will have lots of fun trying it out..
i enjoy picking alot more than strumming and this helped me learn alot, thank you :)
I haven’t played (strummed) a guitar since I was at school 30-some years ago and last week,I decided to buy a good quality guitar to learn to play finger-style i.e. properly!
Because of your well constructed tutorials and delivery, you have taught me so much in such a short space of time.
Klaus, you are brilliant!
Thank you, Sir
[...] 16 Legendary Fingerpicking Patterns [...]
Hey thanks so much for setting this out so clearly. Anyone got tips to fast track your brain into making your fingers follow a pattern please help!
What would take this even further is maybe ten popular songs alongside each pattern to help us learn but hey we always will want more!
Thanks again.:)
I agree with Chris. Having even one or two iconic songs tied to each pattern would make it much more useful than trying out all 16 styles for any new song, particularly when we are not as versed in the finger picking as Klaus.
marc
hey I have been playing guitar for twenty years now only playing rhythm on a 12 string, I decided I wanted to start learning how to pick and didnt know were to start, I came across your page the other day and you have helped me heaps. Thank you so much for making this amasing page.