Picking The Strings

Lesson 2/54 | Study Time: 5 Min

Course: Beginner Classical Guitar

Picking The Strings

It is best to fingerpick the strings with your fingernails as this gives a better sound. Let the fingernails of your right hand grow to a length that is comfortable for your playing with attention to the following points.

The length of the nail should be approximately 2 - 3mm (3/32 - 5/32"). Generally the middle finger has the shortest nail and the ring finger the longest.
The thumb nail should be longer than all three fingers.
Fingernails should be shaped using a nail file (emery board) so that they have a rounded edge and flow smoothly off the string after it has been picked.
Experiment with the overall shape of each nail. You may find having a fingernail longer on one side of the finger helpful with picking a string cleanly.

Picking With Your Right Hand Fingers

Before trying to pick the strings with your right hand make sure you understand the correct use of right hand technique; as shown in the introduction. Once you are comfortably seated with the right arm and right hand in position, the rest stroke can be practiced.

The Rest Stroke

The rest stroke is when the finger picks the string and then rests on the adjacent string. When executed correctly it produces a strong clear full sound. The photos that follow show the position of the first finger, before and after picking the first string. Particular attention should be given to the position and shape of the right hand finger. Notice the right hand finger braced on a bass string.

Position first finger to pick first string.

First finger rests on second string after picking first string

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Class Sessions

1- The Eighth Note 2- GLOSSARY OF<br>MUSICAL TERMS 3- How to Tune Your Guitar 4- The Sixteenth Note 5- New Notes 6- The Dotted Quarter Note 7- Classical Guitar Pieces 8- The Free Stroke 9- The Sharp Sign 10- INTRODUCTION 11- Classical Guitar Music Notated in Two Parts 12- Notes on the Fourth String (D) 13- Rests 14- Notes on the Second String (B) 15- Picking The Strings 16- Approach to Practice 17- New Note 18- Summary - The Notes So Far 19- Notes On The First String (E) 20- Using the Right Hand Thumb and Fingers Together 21- The Half Bar 22- Notes on the Fifth String (A) 23- Scales 24- Using the Rest and Free Stroke Together 25- The Lead-In 26- The G Major Scale 27- Notes on the Sixth String (E) 28- Chords 29- Parts of the Classical Guitar 30- Key Signatures 31- The Major Scale 32- Notes On The Third String (G) 33- Alternation Fingers 34- The Full Bar 35- Guitar Preparation 36- Arpeggios 37- New Chords 38- Duets 39- The Minor Scale 40- The Major Scale 41- The Repeat Sign 42- Dynamics 43- Keys and Key Signatures 44- Combining the Notes E, F and G 45- Electronic Tuner 46- New Notes 47- Fretboard Diagrams 48- Relative Keys 49- Left Hand Position - Review 50- Reading Guitar Music 51- Rhythm 52- Playing Position 53- Left and Right Hand Technique 54- Using a Metronome

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Picking The Strings