Acoustic Guitar Intermediate Fingerstyle

Author: Leon Lewington

Introduction

At this level we will develop skills and techniques, which will improve finger independence, dexterity and fluency as well as making you aware of the musicality of your playing. We will also look at altered tunings in more depth and look at 'special effects' including percussive techniques and tapped harmonics. By this stage you should already have a well-established warm-up routine and have a reasonable knowledge of chords and scales (at least 2 octave major, minor and basic knowledge of modes).

Developing left hand finger independence

One of the most important aspects of finger style is the ability to play more than one part at the same time. The more advanced players sometimes have a bass line, melody and accompaniment in their arrangements. Developing finger independence is crucial in creating these kinds of textures.

Left hand exercise 1

For this exercise the right hand should maintain a steady rhythm with (a) playing only on the 1st string, (m) on the 5th and (i) the 4th. The left hand should also follow simple directions: the 1st finger should only be used on the 1st fret, the 2nd finger on the 2nd fret and the third finger on the 3rd. Aim for a legato approach, so each finger should fret for three beats. Start slow and build up the tempo until you reach the recommended 120 – 180 bpm. Make sure that all notes sound clearly and that there are no accidental noises, i.e. fret buzzing or left hand fingers blocking open strings etc.

To view the score for this exercise click here.

Left hand exercise 2

This is similar to the previous exercise, with an added level of difficulty. The same guidelines should be followed, this time add the 4th finger of the left hand for any notes on the 4th fret and (p) should play all notes on the 4th string. Again aim for a legato approach and a steady tempo; each note should last for four beats. Initially your left hand fingers will want to leave the fretboard before they should, but with a little concentration and practice you will find that you have better control of your fingers.