Basic Fingerpicking Licks
The first fingerpicking examples you will learn are basic lead guitar licks played within the first five frets. Although it is possible to play these licks with a plectrum you will notice a difference in tone when the notes are picked with the fingers.
In order to play a lead guitar lick you will need to be familiar with a lead guitar scale or pattern. For further information on lead guitar scales and patterns see Progressive Lead Guitar. The first scales you will encounter in this book are the A Minor Pentatonic and A Blues Scale. Study the following diagrams.
The first strings are mainly used when playing licks using the previous patterns. The following example ascends the notes in the afforementioned minor pentatonic pattern from the key note (A) on the 3rd string to the higher key note on the 1st string.
Allocate the right hand thumb (p) to the 3rd string, the right hand index finger (i) to the 2nd string and the right middle finger (m) to the 1st string.
The next example ascends and descends the A minor pentatonic scale.
The next example ascends and descends the A blues scale.
Once you are comfortable ascending and descending the A minor pentatonic and Blues scales try the following examples which are more typical of a basic Rock lick. Special attention should be given to the suggested right hand fingering.
The next example uses triplets, the playing of three notes per beat.
Second Position - Right Hand
The following licks are played with the right hand in the second position. The right hand thumb (p) is allocated to the 4th string, the right hand index finger (i) to the 3rd string and the right middle finger (m) to the 2nd string.
Note: for music readers, when two eighth notes are notated together the notes are played as the 1st and 3rd parts of a triplet, indicated by the symbol 6 = z above the music. This rhythm will apply to almost all the examples, licks and solos that follow in this book.
The next example uses sixteenth notes, the playing of four notes per beat.
Changing Right Hand Positions
When playing a lick that uses four or more strings it will be necessary to change the position of the right hand. There is no rule to when the right hand will change position. Changing the position will depend on which strings and notes are played.
The following lick is played on the first four strings. The right hand first position is used first before changing to the second position midway through the lick. Try using the suggested right hand fingering but feel free to vary the fingering to suit yourself.
