Guitar Finger Picking Basics: Learn Groove Style Slap Percussion

One of the most popular percussive techniques used in playing acoustic guitar is the Right Hand Slap

Usually this technique is used to emulate a backbeat on a drum. It sounds great in a rhythm guitarists’ arsenal as well in solo work.

Simply raise your wrist above the strings and allow your thumb to slap on the lower strings (either 5th or 6th string) and the knuckles just above your nails to follow simultaneously.

Don’t be to soft with the slap, you won’t break your strings. You should hear a defined attack on the strings.

Keeping your right hand in playing position at all times is very important also so that you can transition from the slap technique to fingerstyle seamlessly.

Below are 2 examples of the Slap.

Example 1 applies the technique to fretted chords, example 2 applies the technique to open chords.

Example 1

E |——————————————————-|

B |–5—x———–3—x—5—5—x————3—x—|

G |–5—x———–4—x—5—5—x————4—x—|

D |–3—x———–5—x—3—3—x————5—x—|

A |–5—x——————–5——x——————–|

E |———–0—5————————-0—5———|

Example 2

E |————————————–|

B |–0—x—0—x—0—0—x—0—x—|

G |–0—x—2—x—0—0—x—2—x—|

D |–2—x—0—x—2—2—x—4—x—|

A |–3—x————3——————|

E |———–3–x———————–|

If you’ve always wanted to learn finger picking on your guitar but didn’t know where to start we’ll give you all the tools necessary to perfect the technique of finger picking without tearing your hair out with frustration during the learning process!

When you learn how to finger pick on your guitar it will open a whole new world of skills to you. It is a great challenge but it will bring you much satisfaction for years and years to come.

http://www.guitartips.com.au/fingerpicking/