In this section we’re going to focus on adding a one-bar riff in at the end of a simple 4-bar chord progression. The “Rubber Rooms” have been included at the end of this video, as well as the drum tracks. The same drum tracks are also below, if that is easier to work with. Useful Resources:
Question: I like the soft sound of strumming and fingerpicking without a pick. As I start to look at the riff section I am wondering if the “no pick” option is merely a matter of preference or is the pick technique necessary to actually get to all of the notes. Can it be fingered as well as picked? I know this would not be the case with hybrid picking. Is it more than a question of the softer sound?
Hi Linda, the question of picks versus fingers is absolutely a personal preference one. There are exceptionally accomplished artists uses both techniques, so if you prefer to finger pick, then feel free.
That said, there are some advantages to using a pick, and speed is one of them, because of alternate picking. However, if you work on your finger picking skills, its definitely doable, it just requires more technique than I’ve covered in this particular course.
A few great finger pickers come to mind: Tommy Emmanuel, Phil Keaggy, Mark Knopfler… there are many more, it really just depends on the genre you’re looking at. Does that help?
Yes, thank you very much.