Fingerstyle References (Explanation)

If you’ve ever taken a fingerstyle lesson from me, then you know I do my best to make it an easy

concept. While the art of fingerstyle takes years to master, there is always a way to make even the most

difficult of chords to be played in the fingerstyle fashion easy to comprehend. The most important thing

to understand is the actions that are involved.

1. Rising Action

2. Falling Action

3. Climax

Just like your standard movie script, play composition, or book, you must create a sense of emotion

when playing. These three actions will do the trick – if you understand them.

Bear With Me Here….

You’ve probably seen this before from one of my other lessons, but if not then I’ll include it here.

To convey what I mean about fingerstyle, I use the standard roller coaster.

When you stand in line to ride a roller coaster the anticipation begins before you even set foot in the

cart. You’re watching the ride swoop up and down curves, upside down, etc. all from the ground while

you wait in line, waiting for your turn. Once you reach the cart, the anticipation grows even more.

Enough of my imagery – let’s get to the point.

The Rising Action:

You’re strapped in. You’re ready to go. Even if you start from the very top of a roller coaster, you MUST

get there first. This is the rising action. Let’s take a standard coaster that chugs its way up to the top of

the first hill – the biggest and baddest hill. In order to get the coaster moving along the tracks, we have

to build up enough height so that the fall will develop speed. This is what allows you to make it all the

way through the ride without the need of a secondary propulsion. The rising action takes place on the

climb.

An example of a rising action in a song might begin with a riff or a chord progression. It doesn’t

matter. The rising action just needs to set up the suspense of the song.

The Falling Action:

After you’ve completed the first (and most likely biggest) hill on the roller coaster, the adrenaline that

was once there begins to slowly subside. Not necessarily the fun or thrill, but the initial adrenaline. If

you attribute this to performance instead of the roller coaster concept, then an example of the rising

action to the song “Stairway To Heaven” might be the intro – which is completely different than the

verse. We all know that once that initial intro has finished, the song is about to ‘root’ itself with a

standardized progression to set the tone of the vocals that are needed. But back to the roller coaster, as

it is easier to explain these actions. The falling action is what allows the audience to become

‘accustomed’ to their experience. By setting the right mood, the listener can begin to feel comfortable

with the song, and then you hit them with the climax to pull them OUT of that comfort zone. It works

like magic – trust me. In essence the falling action is meant to lure the audience into the feeling of

‘normality’. The falling action takes place on the descent.

An example of the falling action would be, as mentioned, “Stairway To Heaven.” We all know

the opening notes. We know when Robert Plant is about to sing. Why? Because it begins feeling

natural. This could be due to the fact that we’ve heard the song so many times, OR it could be

due to the fact that the structure of “Stairway To Heaven” is technically perfect. It’s a long song,

but somehow Led Zeppelin keeps you interested. The falling action in “Stairway To Heaven” is

the verse theme, which begins on the ever-popular and easy to play C Major chord.

The Climax:

The climax is a bit more difficult to explain, because it comes in various forms. I like the idea of using

“Stairway To Heaven” because as mentioned before, it’s technically perfect. Can you guess what the

climax would be in this song? You guessed it I bet – but it’s NOT the solo.

It’s the outro chorus of “…and as we wind on down the road…!”

Why? Why not the solo? Well – for starters – the solo doesn’t create a sense of emotion (except for in a

guitarist – but remember we’re playing for the audience!) in the same way as a vocal delivery that forces

people to listen to what is being sung. Since the solo is played using the same backing chords as the

outro chorus, we can easily use the outro chorus as our example.

The climax serves a few functions. In some songs it is simply the chorus. In other songs it is the last

section of the song. With bands like Queen and Led Zeppelin, it can be found multiple times in multiple

sections.

How do you tell where the climax is? It’s pretty easy. Generally speaking the climax will be your most

powerful section of a song. Unlike some movies, the climax in a song does NOT necessarily need to be at

the very end of a song.

An example of a climax in a movie that doesn’t take place at the end would be “The Sixth Sense.” The

climax in this movie is actually when we find out that Bruce Willis’ character is dead. If you remember –

that’s not at the end of the movie. It’s NEAR the end, but remember that his character had a few more

‘things’ left to do in order to cross over. In a movie, the call to ‘resolve’ or ‘complete’ the story is actually

called the ‘denouncement,’ pronounced DEH-NOO-MAH. There are denouncements in music as well,

especially in blues. In case you’re starting to guess – it’s what you would call a ‘turnaround.’

However – in my teachings I don’t consider the turnaround or denouncement as official actions.

Not every song has one. Besides, as a guitarist you are familiar with the turnaround and my

references within each song clearly show you where they are located.

Using Fingerstyle:

Before you view the template I provide in playing fingerstyle, it’s important to refresh what you have

learned:

1. The Rising Action – this takes place on the ‘uphill’ climb. It sets the song up.

2. The Falling Action – this takes place on the ‘descent’ and normalizes the audience.

3. The Climax – many times it is the most powerful part of the song, but not always.

REMEMBER the denouncement or turnaround is what ties the song back together at the very end. This

can be the first few chords from the beginning of the intro riff, the chords used during the verse, or even

the last series of chord progressions in a key change {ex. “Dream On” just fades out in the last line of the

outro chorus during the key change} so it varies from song to song. Again – this is why I do NOT include

it in the guaranteed method of performing fingerstyle. It is too random.

Now I want to present you with tab that shows a series of chords picked out. These chords are used in

multiple songs.

Before you begin studying these chords, realize that they are arpeggiated, which means each note is

shown as a single note. However, this DOES NOT mean that you need to simply pick out the notes. That

is an arpeggio and not a standard fingerstyle concept. But, by understanding how these patterns

arpeggiate, you can pick and choose logical notes that will either fill the song out more or create a

dramatic low melody tension.

Low Melody – when I refer to low melody I am discussing the notes found on the Low E, A, and

SOMETIMES D string.

High Melody – when I refer to high melody I am discussing the notes found on the D string, G string, B

string, and High E string.

Depending on which chords are being played, the high melody can also simply be the G, B, and

High E strings. The same applies with the low melody being the Low E, A, and D string.

We have six strings on the guitar, so it makes sense that there are only two melodies in the world of

fingerstyle. True fingerstyle guitar uses BOTH the low and high melodies at the same time. This is an

experiment I want you to practice with. It’s MUCH easier than you think.

During the rising action – play the low melody ROOT note of the chord and accompany it with the high

melody duplicate root (in the case of an open G Major it would be the low melody 3rd

fret E string note

(Low E) and the high melody 3rd

fret E string note (High E).

During the falling action – play the notes found in between. In the case of the open G Major chord you

could use the 2nd

fret note on the A string, the open note found on the G string, and the 3rd

fret note

found on the B string when applicable. Of course, you could also choose the high melody 3rd

fret on the

High E string as well. This is an option. What you’re doing is creating a fuller sound for the chord you’ve

selected.

During the climax – at times you’ll just be strumming, but if there is a song that calls for a picked out, or

fingerpicked climax-based chorus, the best bet is to allow ALL notes to play. This is when it becomes a

little taxing on the picking fingers. You’ve just got to practice running the gamut of possible notes.

Finger Positioning:

The fretting hand isn’t nearly as important IN THIS CASE for what we are working with. The chords aren’t

altered much, so the positions for the fretting hand should be rudimentary by now. However, the

picking hand is a little different.

There are a handful of ways in which you can maximize your picking hand potential, but I’ve done my

best to make it easy. In almost every song I provide you in EZ Strummer/EZ Fingerstyle you’ll only be

using your thumb and your first finger. If you are a more experience guitarist, feel free to add additional

fingers.

The thumb – this digit is used to apply the lower melody notes. It’s that simple.

The first finger (and additional fingers for more experienced guitarists) – it’s/they’re used to accentuate

the higher melody notes. For an in-between sound, anchoring your thumb on the lower sounding strings

and using your first finger to ‘touch’ the higher sounding strings will work wonders for your playing.

You’ll hear many classically trained fingerstyle teachers tell you NOT to rest your fourth finger

on the body of the guitar, near the sound hole.

This is true for complex pieces. It’s not necessarily true for what we are working with.

Resting your fourth finger on the body near the sound hole works great to keep your picking hand from

getting tired and more importantly to ‘localize’ where your picking takes place.

Fingerstyle Tab:

Above you’ll see a series of chords that shows a ‘wave’ on the tab line. These waves indicate a great

reference point for deciding which chords need a higher or lower melody.

The A Chord: Your low melody here would be the A and D strings. The high melody would be the G, B,

and High E strings. If the A chord is played during the rising action, you’ll need to let the higher melody

notes come through quite obviously but STILL provide the root note of the A string played open.

The A7 Chord: There isn’t much of a change from the A Major to A7 chord. If these chords are played in

progression beside each other, you’ll need to make sure that you hit the open note on the G string to

show the difference. Notice that at the end of the A7 I included the 2nd

fret note that goes back to the A

chord. This is a great ‘added’ note that will suspend the audience a little and leave them guessing. It IS

intentional. Since the A7 usually comes in as a quick chord, that one little open note makes all the

difference in the world in terms of tonality while playing.

The Am Chord: Again not much of a change. BUT the Am has a ‘sadder’ tone to it, so it is again

important to accentuate the note found on the B string. It makes all the difference.

The Am7 Chord: As a variation of both the A7 and the Am chord, this chord follows the same principles

in that the key here is to accentuate the G string open note, the D string 2nd

fret note, and the ROOT

note found on the D string. Since you’re combining a few chords into one here, this chord MUST sound

as if it were a fully established (low and high melody as used in a climax) chord that changes the

perspective of the song.

Here we have another series of chords, but with a few ‘altered’ additions. Altered chords are basically

chords with the overall same approach, but with an added note found within the chord that usually

doesn’t appear. This is indicated by the “/” symbol. The note found after the / means that the root note

has been altered.

The Am/G Chord: Pay close attention and you’ll see it’s just an Am chord with an added Low E string 3rd

fret note. If you know your fretboard (which you should by now!) then you’ll see that this note is the G

note found on the Low E string. When playing this chord in fingerstyle, the G MUST be played or it will

just sound like an Am chord. The G note is the low melody.

The Am/F# Chord: The same applies here as with the Am/G chord. Instead it’s the F# note found on the

2nd

fret of the Low E string.

The A#maj7 Chord: So far we haven’t played this chord. It’s found in a Led Zeppelin song (figures!) and

doesn’t need much explanation. The big key here is to play the D, G, and B strings. The rest is just

optional. It’s a VERY quick chord, so there’s no need to go into detail with it.

The Bm chord: Your quite familiar with this chord by now, but the most important notes to play here are

the D, G, B, and High E notes. You can get by without playing the A string note. While it IS important,

there is no significant sound change found.

The C Chord: You’ve heard of the ‘middle’ C on the piano right? Well the good news is that it really

works here as well. The C major chord gives SO many possibilities. The only key here is to avoid the Low

E string. The rest of the notes are perfect to be played in any combination that follows the low and high

melody structure. Picking the A string note? Add the B string note to it and then work inward (inward

meaning into the 2nd

fret note, open notes, and so on.

The D Chord: Here is one of those chords that is mostly a high melody only chord. The D string open

note allows a bit of low melody, but only a little. When you’re playing a song that features the D chord,

notice that there is almost always a dramatic change that follows it. It could be an Em, a D7, or the

obvious G chord. When a D chord is played, the key here is to quickly change the ‘tone’ of the following

chord so that you create a dynamic. Any notes can be played at any combination for the D chord. It’s

VERY user-friendly.

The D7 Chord: The D7 works in the same way as the D chord. It’s basically just reversed.

The Dm Chord: With the Dm, you’ve got the same situation as the Am. It is important to include the

High E string note, as this changes the entire feel of the chord. All other notes can be played in any

melody.

Now we’re starting to get into the richer, deeper tone chords above.

The E Chord: This chord has limitless possibilities. You can literally play ANY note that is fretted and

follow with the unfretted open notes to round the chord out.

The E7 Chord: The same applies here as does with the E chord. The important thing to know here is to

use the G string 1st fret note as your ‘change up’ when playing this one.

The Em Chord: Since there is only ONE difference between this chord and the E chord, that being the

lack of the 1st fret note on the G string, again the possibilities are endless.

The F Chord: This chord is SO common. The beauty of this chord is that you can play it just like the E

chord to where there is any possible combination in note usage. The most important note here is the 1st

fret note on the Low E string. Add the 1st fret note on the High E string and you have your low and high

melody together.

We’ve still got a few rich chords, and then we move into the bright chords again.

The Fm Chord: This chord works just like the F chord, without using the 2nd

fret note on the G string.

The F#m Chord: By moving the Fm chord to the 2nd

fret, we have the F#m chord. It’s SUPER easy to pick

any note here as well.

The G Chord: The G chord again opens up any realm of possibility if using the concept of low and high

melody. Just make sure you pick the Low and High E strings. Add the 2nd

fret A string note as an

accompanying piece.

The Gmaj7 Chord: The Gmaj7 chord is a bit strange. This one is used sparingly, but it IS used. It’s

basically the same thing as the G major chord, but with the added seventh on the High E string. Using

low and high melody notes would require you to play the 3rd

fret Low E string note and the 2nd

fret High

E string note. It’s a weird feeling, but sounds great! (You’ll find this chord in the intro to “Bohemian

Rhapsody”.)

Now we’re down to these chords.

IMPORTANT: What you will see in the first measure is the same chord, labeled in a few different ways. I

won’t be getting into the theory behind it, but I wanted you to see that the G/B chord has a few

different names.

The G/B Chord: Also called the Em7 and G6 chord, all you are really doing is playing the G chord without

fretting the Low E string note. Instead you’re fretting the 2nd

fret note on the A string – which is a B note.

That’s why you’ve seen it called the G/B. However, the reason that I have included the additional names

is because USUALLY when you play A G/B chord you’ll be picking it out – and usually it comes in after a

standard G chord. It’s easier to remember the fingerings of this chord if you think of it as a G/B chord.

It’s been taught this way for centuries! In the song “Disarm” by Smashing Pumpkins, you’ll see this as an

example – even though it isn’t picked out but strummed. If this chord IS to be picked out, it is

IMPERATIVE that you strike the A string note on the 2nd

fret, and then follow up with the additional

notes in any order. Logically I would strike the A string note on the 2nd

fret and then follow up with the

higher melody notes.

The G7 Chord: It’s much like the Gmaj7, but instead you’ll be playing it on the 1st fret of the High E

string. In this chord, you MUST strike the Low E note and the High E note to make sense of the chord.