Fingerstyle Guitar Guide

listen: soundcloud.com/fingerstyleguitarist

contact: frenzitti1976@gmail.com
author: francesco renzitti

1. Goal Of This Guide

The goal of this guide is to be a free and useful resource to fingerstyle guitarists.

This paper attempts to:

1. convince the reader of the utmost importance of learning songs, the role of the melody, bass, harmony, open strings, and key choice.

2. illustrate some of the common devices and techniques used in building a solo guitar arrangement thus preparing the reader with enough knowledge to understand other peoples arrangements

3. provide direction to important resources

2. Summary

If I were to summarize this paper in eight points it COULD be these!

1. Learn Songs. Songs are what people want to hear. They don't want to hear noodling or scales or chords. They just want songs. It’s also a good idea to stick to songs that people know. Give them a good shot of songs they like to keep their attention then throw in a few songs off the beaten path or even a few of your own. I also must say that is important to eventually learn songs by both ear and sheet. Relying on tab is probably not a good idea in the long run but is fine for the beginning. Reading music really develops an in depth understanding of the fretboard. Playing by ear develops the ear and the memory.

2. Melody is king! Melody is the musical line that everyone remembers and identifies with. It is usually the one sung; but not in our case. Make sure the melody is a priority in your music. Remember, this should be the most prominent voice of your song. I can't stress this enough. The melody line is usually placed in the highest voice landing on the top three strings. I try to think of a melody as a line that is being woven or threaded through a chord progression. The melody should sound much like a singing voice.

3. Bass is the second most important voice only subservient to the melody. The relationship the melody and the bass have is of utmost importance. The bass and melody serve as the structure to the song whereas the harmony fills in the gaps. In fact when the bass and melody are played our ears fill in the harmony. Also the bass affects the mode (mood) of the melody played over top of it.

4. Open strings are your best friend. Trust me when I say this. They take advantage of the full tonal range of the instrument. Open strings sustain longer, they don't require a fretting finger, and they use less energy. Choosing chord voicings with open strings makes your playing sound more fluid and connected. Open bass strings also allow more freedom for the left hand. Open strings also allow interesting harmony that would be impossible or difficult otherwise. Keys with open strings are the most preferred keys to play on in solo guitar. Sympathetic resonance is also another benefit of open bass strings.

5. The guitar is best suited to certain keys. In standard tuning solo guitar music is usually played in the keys of C Major, A Major, G Major, E Major, A Minor, E minor, and B minor. In drop D tuning solo guitar pieces are commonly played in D major and D minor. This comes back to the use and availability of open strings and using less barre chords. This also frees up otherwise taken fingers. The open chords, like the keys that are the most usable are: C major, A major, A minor, G major, D major, D minor, E major, and E minor. They have an unfair advantage over the other chords. Make sure to use these chords as much as possible as they have the most potential. Don't forget to play these chords in a different octave too!

6. Enjoy the process. This is important as the guitar can sometimes seem a daunting task. There are too many songs, scales, rhythms, styles etc. to learn in a hundred lifetimes. Understand and accept that there is not enough time to master everything. Try playing just for fun. One should challenge themselves but be patient too. Try not to worry about progress or lack thereof. All in all, just have fun. There will be good days and bad days.

7. To give the music variety try playing in different textures, timbre, pitch, and volume. Music can becomes boring if it doesn't change. Try to:

-play melody and triads

-play melody in 3rds with open bass below

-play melody in 6ths with open bass below

-play melody in tenths

-play in different octave

-modulate to different key

-play softly

-play loudly

8. Keep things moving! This creates interest. During and in between the melody is the time to arpeggiate or play melodic counter lines. These counter melodies can be in the bass, middle or upper voice.

3. Different ways of learning Songs

1. Get the TAB on the internet.

TAB actually predates standard notation on guitar. Tab is easy to learn and it shows you where to put your fingers. Sometimes it comes with rhythm sometimes not. Tab does not tell you note names, just fret numbers. It is okay to start with TAB but one should not rely on it forever.

2. Get the sheet music.

Sheet music takes longer to learn but contains more information than TAB. Sheet music gives note names, key signature, rhythm, fingering, and fret or string number. Reading sheet music is the key to mastering the fretboard.

3. Get a chart of the chords.

Chord charts are easy to follow if you know the shapes of the chords you need. Chord charts allow the player to sound out the melody and develop the year. It helps to sound out the melody if you know the key scale and its placement on the fingerboard. If not you will be 'trying' a lot of notes. The melody note is usually a chord tone on the first and third beats.

4. Learn the song by ear.

When figuring out a song by ear it is a good idea to narrow down the notes and chords by determining what key or mode you are in.

Once a key is established we can use a key chart to help us figure out the chords.

Once we have the chords it is easier to find the melody as the melody is usually within the chord of the moment.

Tip: Most songs are diatonic and contain only the chords and notes within the key.

Tip: The first melody notes of a song are usually the 1st,3rd or 5th of the tonic chord.

In saying that, melody and harmony go out of key often enough to need to know why.

Becuase not all songs are purely diatonic one should know the Secondary Dominant and Parallel Minor chords of the key also.

Diatonic chords:

	C major	A major	G major	E major	D major	F major
I chord	C major	A major	G major	E major	D major	F major
ii chord	D minor	B minor	A minor	F# minor	E minor	G minor
iii chord	E minor	C# minor	B minor	G# minor	F# minor	A minor
IVchord	F major	D major	C major	A major	G major	B flat major
V chord	G major	E major	D major	B major	A major	C major
vi chord	A minor	F# minor	E minor	C# minor	B minor	D Minor
vii chord	B dimin	G# dimin	F# dimin	D# dimin	C# dimin	E dimin

Secondary Dominants:

	C major	A major	G major	E major	D major	F major
V/I chord	G7	E7	D7	B7	A7	C7
V/ii chord	A7	F#7	E7	C#7	B7	D7
V/iii chord	B7	G#7	F#7	D#7	C#7	E7
V/IV chord	C7	A7	G7	E7	D7	Eflat7
V/V chord	D7	B7	A7	F#7	E7	G7
V/vi chord	E7	C#7	B7	G#7	F#7	A7

Parallel Minor:

	C major	A major	G major	E major	D major	F major
i	C minor	A minor	G minor	E minor	D minor	F minor
ii	D dimin	B dimin	A dimin	F# dimin	E dimin	G dimin
Flat III	E flat major	C major	B flat major	G major	F major	A flat major
iv	F minor	D minor	C minor	A minor	G minor	B flat minor
v	G minor	E minor	D minor	B minor	A minor	C minor
Flat VI	A flat major	F major	E flat major	C major	B flat major	D flat major
Flat VII	B flat major	G major	F maj	D major	C major	E flat major

4. Getting a Good Sound

1. Equipment

Instrument is tuned properly
Instrument is in tune with itself. (intonation)
Instrument preferably has a solid top and or sides depending upon budget. Having a solid top affects the amount of resonance, sustain, and volume. Basically the wood vibrates better.
Newer strings. With nylon strings the basses need to be changed more frequently than the trebles. Old strings do not sustain as long and have intonation issues.

2. Room Acoustics

Room acoustics can play a big role in the sound of your guitar. Ideally large reflective rooms are the best as they reverberate the sound of the instrument. This reverb is ideal as it produces a smooth, tied together legato sound.

3. Technique

When fretting with the left hand strive for tall fingers. Using the tips of the fingers produces a clean note and prevents the deadening of neighboring strings. This is important because we want strings to ring clearly without buzzes or accidental deadening.
Hammer ons, pull offs and slides are useful to produce a more legato sound. Using these techniques gives the guitar a more vocal quality. They also lend itself well to the natural decay of sound. These are useful when the melody has consecutive notes on the same string. It smooth’s them out.
Two consecutive melody notes on the same string can sound more staccato or detached. When playing a passage like this take care to be aware and match the volume of the next note to the volume of the preceding note when it changes.
Playing melody across strings rather than on the same sounds very nice and smooth. This effect is called campanella. This can only be done when physically possible. Mainly it is something to think about.
When fretting notes strive for accuracy over strength. Fret the note as close to the fret wire as possible for the least amount of effort.
When 'plucking' with right hand one should push the string into the guitar with the nail and flesh if nails are used.

4. Smooth chord changes

Smooth chord changes are paramount when playing in this style. We want everything to flow smoothly.
Ideally when changing chords one should have at least one open string to lead us into the next chord. This is only possible with chords that contain an open string as a chord tone. These chords are C major, A major, A minor, G major, E major, E minor, D major, D minor. Chords that require a barre are more difficult to use as there is no open string to create the legato effect. This produces a more staccato sound. Sympathetic resonance can help produce smoothness when there are no open strings. For instance B minor has no open strings but the open E resonates the B note when it is plucked allowing for smoother transition from chord to chord.
Shifting positions when playing a chord should only be permitted when there is open string to keep the shift together. Only the chords C major, A major, A minor, G major, E major, E minor, D major, D minor should be used when a shift is needed.
Sometimes a shift can be avoided by using a different position,
When changing chords it is best not to move all fingers at once. I find it is better to move the finger that will fret the bass note first then form the rest of the chord. This also allows for smoother transitions between chords. A sort of an overlap if you will.
When changing chord try to be the most economical of movement. Don’t move more than you have too.

5. Chord voicing

When choosing a chord voicing I would usually opt for the one that has an open string in it given the choice. Usually if you come across an A major, A minor, E major, E minor, D major or D minor you should use an open string bass note. Not always but usually. Sometimes when the bass note is on the 4^th string one might opt for a 5^th string bass because it allows more strings between the bass and the melody for accompaniment. This exception is usually for a D bass note.
When choosing a chord voicing for a G or C chord one should use open voicing’s and less of the barre.
Barre chords are necessary but one should only use them when they have to. They don’t sustain as long, difficult to shift, and are more difficult to change smoothly.
When choosing a voicing try to allow two strings for harmony between the bass string and the melody string
Try to follow good voice leading and be aware of common tones and stepwise movement within the voices when changing chords.

6. Open strings

On the guitar the keys of C major, A major, A minor, G major, E major, E minor, D major, D minor, F major and B minor are the most favorable by far. This comes back to open strings.
Open strings take advantage of full tonal range of string.
When strings are shortened (fretted) they do not sustain as long.
Open strings take advantage of sympathetic resonance. Sympathetic resonance is the vibrating of the bass strings when the notes A,D,E or B are played. These are the only notes than have sympathetic resonance on the guitar. Below is a chart that contains the intervals that have sympathetic resonance.
The keys that have that most resonant notes are C major,A major, A minor, G major, E major, E minor, D major, D minor, and F major.

Sympathetic Resonance Chart:

Any chord or note that contains an e o r b in it will activate an open E strings.
Any chord or note that contains an a o r e in it will activate an open A strings.
Any chord or note that contains an e o r d in it will activate an open D strings.
Any chord or note that contains a g in it will activate an open G strings.

Common chords that contain E:

E major, E minor, C major, A minor, A major

Common chords that contain A:

A minor, A major, F major, D minor, D major

Common Chords that contain D:

D minor, D major, B minor, G major, G minor

Common chords that contain G:

G major, G minor, E minor, C major, C minor

F major	C major	G major	D major	A major	E major	B major	F sharp major
A,d,e,g	A,d,e,b,g	A,d,e,b,g	A,d,e,b,g	A,d,e,b	A,d,e,b	B,e	none
3^rd,6^th,7th 9th	3^rd, 5th, 6^th,7^th, 9th	1st, 3^rd,5^th,6^th, 9^th	1^st,4th 5^th,6^th, 9th	1^st,5^th,9^th, 11th	1^st,5^th,11th	1^st,11th	none

D flat major	A flat major	E flat major	B flat major	D minor	A minor	E minor	B minor
none	g	d,g	A,d,g	A,d,e,g	A,d,e,b,g	A,d,e,b,g	A,d,e,b,g
none	7th	3rd,7th	3^rd,6th, 7th	1^st,4th 5^th,9th	1^st,5^th,7th 9^th, 11th	1^st,3rd 5^th,7^th, 11th	1^st,3^rd,6th, 7^th, 11th

F sharp minor	C sharp minor	G sharp minor	D sharp minor	B flat minor	F minor	C minor	G minor
A,d,e	A,e,b	B,e	none	none	g	d,g	A,d,g
3^rd,6^th,7th	3^rd,6^th,7th	3^rd,6th	none	none	9th	5th,9th	1st,5^th,9th

7. Melody

1. Should be the most prominent voice.

2. Should be on top three strings. Better if only on top two. Best if on top string. This boils down to tonal range, and number of string between melody and bass note for accompaniment.

3. Should fall nicely on the fretboard

4. Should be able to stand on it’s own

5. Should sound like it is being sung. Should have a vocal quality

6.Can be played slightly behind the bass

8.Other effects

1.Dragging or speeding up tempo. Making time elastic.
2.Play melody note slightly behind bass note or accompaniment.
3.Timbre
4.Vibrato
5.Volume dynamics and accenting

5. The Keys

I find that when choosing a key for an arrangement the most important factor is where the melody falls on the fretboard. If you are playing in major I would suggest trying it in the keys of C, A, G, E, D, and maybe F. If in the minor try the keys of A, E, D, or B.

Melodies with a narrow range usually fit in a wider variety of keys whereas melodies with a wide range usually fit in a narrower variety of keys. That being said one must test the melody to see if it 'fits' the key. Fitting is usually determined if the melody falls predominantly on the top one or two strings. This is desirable because it allows more strings between the melody and the bass note for accompaniment. I also personally like to keep the melody on the top string as much as possible because it increases the tonal range, allows more accompaniment, and sounds more open.

Choosing a key can also be determined by your familiarity or limitations with the keys. If you are unfamiliar with E major you may have problems arranging in that key. Or maybe you know E major in first position but are lost when you go up the fretboard. To remedy this one should strive to practice in all guitar keys described above. Try to play songs that get you out of first position and get you moving all over the neck. Try playing a simple song in all guitar keys and you will see that some keys are easier than others for certain melodies.

In the end one should play the song in the key it plays most beatifully in.

Arranging in the Key of C major:

Because the open bass strings are on the Supertonic, Mediant, and Sub Mediant songs that use the 3,6, and 2 chords are a good choice for this key.

The open strings of the guitar are all in the key of C. This makes the key very suitable for the guitar. This is a great advantage for this key because tenths and sixths can be used with open string harmony and chords can be voiced simply by fretting the bass note. This allows for movable bass lines with static harmony. Moveable bass and static open string chords are what make this key so great. Bass and melody arrangements can also be employed with open harmony.

This key is also great because only melody and bass need to be fretted due to open strings all belonging. Sometimes neither the melody or the bass need to be fingered! Sometimes just the melody. Sometimes just the bass.

Some strengths of C major:

No sharps or flats
Bass string on Super Tonic or ii chord
Bass string on Mediant or iii chord
Bass string on SubMediant or vi chord
Top three open strings (G,B,E) spell out Cmaj7 (no root) or E minor chord
(D,G,B) strings spell out a G major chord which is the V chord
All open strings are in the key of C
Modulation to dominant is guitar friendly
7th string harmonics share the same notes as the Leading Tone (albeit with a natural fifth)
12th string harmonics share the same notes as the Mediant or iii chord
Great for pedal tone on the Dominant bass note
Relative minor is A minor
Tenths and sixths are great for this key due to available open harmony in between bass and melody is always diatonic.

Some weaknesses of C major:

Tonic or I, SubDominant or IV, Dominant or V chords do not have open bass strings.
Parallel minor is C minor
Does not utilise the full range of bottom end in so does not sound as full

Common Voicings I like to use in the key of C:

Arranging in the Key of A major:

This is a great key for playing in. The open bass strings on the tonic subdominant and dominant make it a great choice for a song that uses the 1 4 5 chords extensively. This makes it great for playing 3rds and 6ths above a static bass note.
The open strings of the guitar are all in the key of A except for the G string. This makes the key very suitable for the guitar.
Open bass strings are really useful too because they allow our fretting hand to move up and down the fretboard while still maintaining the bass note. This also allows more movement through sliding and freedom to move the hand while the bass note is sustained.
This key is particularly great because all the Primary chords have open bass notes. This is a huge advantage of this key.

Some strengths of A major:

Bass string on Tonic or I chord
Bass string on Sub Dominant or IV chord
Bass string on Dominant or V chord
All open strings are in the key of A except the G string
Parallel minor is A minor
Modulation to subdominant and dominant are of guitar friendly keys
7th string harmonics share the same notes as the super tonic or ii chord
Great for pedal tone and moveable chords
Great for pedal tone and moveable chord shapes

Some weaknesses of A major:

Open G string is not in the key of A
Relative minor is F# minor. An unfriendly guitar key.
F# minor, C# minor, B minor must all be barred

Common Voicings I like to use in the key of A:

Arranging in the Key of G major:

Because the open bass strings are on the Super Tonic, Sub Mediant, and Dominant songs that use the 6,2, and 5 chords a lot are a good choice for this key.
The open strings of the guitar are all in the key of G. This makes the key very suitable for the guitar. This is a great advantage for this key because tenths and sixths can be used with open string harmony and chords can be voiced simply by fretting the bass note. This allows for movable bass lines with static harmony. Moveable bass and static open string chords are what make this key so great. Bass and melody arrangements can also be employed with open harmony.

Some strengths of G major:

Bass string on Super Tonic or ii chord
Bass string on SubMediant or vi chord
Bass string on Dominant or V chord
Top three open strings (G,B,E) spell out Cmaj7 (no root) or Emin
(D,G,B) strings spell out a Gmaj chord
All open strings are in the key of G
Modulation to subdominant and dominant are of guitar friendly keys
7th string harmonics share the same notes as the Mediant or iii chord
12th string harmonics share the same notes as the SubMediant or vi chord
Great for pedal tone on the Dominant bass note
Relative minor is E minor
Tenths and sixths are great for this key due to available open harmony between bass and melody
Melody and Bass only are great for this key too because the harmony of open strings in between is always diatonic.

Some weaknesses of G major:

Tonic or I and Sub Dominant or IV chord do not have open bass strings.
Parallel minor is G minor

Common Voicings I like to use in the key of G:

Arranging in the Key of D major (Drop D tuning)

This is one of my favorite keys to play in because all open strings belong to d major and the tonic and the dominant have an open bass string too. It's a great choice for a song that uses 1 and 5 chords extensively. This makes it great for playing 3rds and 6ths above a static bass note.

The open strings of the guitar are all in the key of D. This makes the key very suitable for the guitar. This is a great advantage for this key because tenths and sixths can be used with open string harmony and chords can be voiced simply by fretting the bass note. This allows for movable bass lines with static harmony. Movable bass and static open string chords are what make this key so great. Bass and melody arrangements can also be employed with open harmony.

Playing in Drop D tuning is great for getting the droning low d when playing the chords with d in the bass. This string can resonate for a long period of time too. This allows freedom for the left hand to move when the chord has a d in the bass. Dropping the D also gives the guitar more tonal range.

Open bass strings are really useful too because they allow our fretting hand to move up and down the fretboard while still maintaining the bass note. This also allows more movement through sliding and freedom to move the hand while the bass note is sustained. This is particularly good for playing 3rds and 6ths while the bass note resonates behind them.

This key is particularly great because the Tonic and the Dominant have open bass notes. This is a huge advantage of this key.

Some strengths of D major:

Bass string on Tonic or I chord
Bass string on Dominant or V chord
Top three open strings (G,B,E) spell out an E minor chord
(D,G,B) strings spell out a G major chord
All open strings are in the key of D
Modulation to Sub Dominant or Dominant is guitar friendly
7th string harmonics share the same notes as the SubMediant chord
12th string harmonics share the same notes as the Super Tonic or ii chord
Great for pedal tone on the Tonic and Dominant bass note
Relative minor is B minor
Tenths and sixths are great for this key due to available open harmony in between bass and melody is always diatonic.
Melody and Bass Arrangements are great for this key too because the harmony of open strings in between is always diatonic.
Parallel Minor is D minor

Some weaknesses of D major:

Sub Dominant or IV chord does not have open bass string
F# minor and is a bit of a difficult barre chord

Common Voicings I like to use in the key of D:

Arranging in the Key of E major

This too is a great key to play in because the tonic and the subdominant have an open bass string. It's a great choice for a song that uses 1 and 4 chords extensively. This makes it great for playing 3rds and 6ths above a static bass note.

The open strings of the guitar are all in the key of E except for the D string and G string. This makes the key very suitable for the guitar.

Open bass strings are really useful too because they allow our fretting hand to move up and down the fretboard while still maintaining the bass note. This also allows more movement through sliding and freedom to move the hand while the bass note is sustained.

This key is particularly great because the Tonic and Subdominant have open bass notes. This is a huge advantage of this key.

Some strengths of E major:

Bass string on Tonic or I chord
Bass string on Sub Dominant or IV chord
All open strings are in the key of E except the G and D string
Parallel minor is E minor
Modulation to subdominant is a guitar friendly key
7th string harmonics work with some exceptions
12th string harmonics work with some exceptions
Great for pedal tone and movable chords on Tonic and SubDominant
Great for pedal tone and movable chord shapes on Tonic and SubDominant

Some weaknesses of E major:

Open D string and G string is not in the key of E
Relative minor is C# minor. An unfriendly guitar key.
C# minor must be fully barred, , F# minor, G# minor can be half barred

Common Voicings I like to use in the key of E:

Arranging in the Key of F major

The open strings of the guitar are all in the key of F except for the B string. This makes the key suitable for the guitar.

Open bass strings are really useful too because they allow our fretting hand to move up and down the fretboard while still maintaining the bass note. This also allows more movement through sliding and freedom to move the hand while the bass note is sustained. In this key the iii chord (A minor), the vi chord (D minor), and the vii chord (E diminished) contain open string bass notes.

Some strengths of F major:

Bass string on iii chord (A minor)

Bass string on vi chord (D minor)

Bass string on vii chord (E diminished)

All open strings are in the key of F except the B string

Modulation to dominant is a guitar friendly key

Great for pedal tone and movable chords on ii, vi, and vii chords

D minor is relative minor

Some weaknesses of F major:

Parallel minor is F minor an unfriendly guitar key

B string is not in the key of F major

Tonic and subdominant require a barre chord

Common Voicings I like to use in the key of F:

Arranging in the Key of A minor:

This is a great key for playing in. The open bass strings on the tonic subdominant and dominant make it a great choice for a song that uses the 1 4 5 chords extensively. This makes it great for playing 3rds and 6ths above a static bass note.
The open strings of the guitar are all in the key of A minor. This makes the key very suitable for the guitar.
Open bass strings are really useful too because they allow our fretting hand to move up and down the fretboard while still maintaining the bass note. This also allows more movement through sliding and freedom to move the hand while the bass note is sustained.
This key is particularly great because all the Primary chords have open bass notes. This is a huge advantage of this key.

Some strengths of A minor:

Bass string on Tonic or I chord
Bass string on Sub Dominant or IV chord
Bass string on Dominant or V chord
All open strings are in the key of A minor
Parallel major is A major
Relative major is C major
Modulation to subdominant and dominant are of guitar friendly keys
Great for pedal tone and moveable chords
Great for pedal tone and movable chord shapes
Tenths and sixths are great for this key due to available open harmony in between bass and melody is always diatonic
Top three open strings (G,B,E) spell out an E minor chord (V chord)
(D,G,B) strings spell out a G major chord (bVII chord)
12th string harmonics share the same notes as the Dominant or V chord
Great for pedal tone on the Tonic Sub Dominant and Dominant bass notes

Some weaknesses of A minor:

None to mention

Common Voicings I like to use in the key of Am:

Arranging in the Key of D minor (Drop D):

This too is a great key to play in because the tonic and the dominant have open bass strings. It's a great choice for a song that uses 1 and 5 chords extensively. This makes it great for playing 3rds and 6ths above a static bass note.
The open strings of the guitar are all in the key of D minor except for the b string
Playing in Drop D tuning is great for getting the droning low d when playing the chords with d in the bass. This string can resonate for a long period of time too. This allows freedom for the left hand to move when the chord has a d in the bass. Dropping the D also gives the guitar more tonal range.
Open bass strings are really useful too because they allow our fretting hand to move up and down the fretboard while still maintaining the bass note. This also allows more movement through sliding and freedom to move the hand while the bass note is sustained.
This key is particularly great because the Tonic and the Dominant have open bass notes. This is a huge advantage of this key.

Some strengths of D minor:

Bass string on Tonic or I chord
Bass string on Dominant or V chord
All open strings are in the key of D minor except the b string
Modulation to the Dominant are guitar friendly
Great for pedal tone on the Tonic and Dominant bass note
Relative major is F major
Parallel Major is D major

Some weaknesses of D minor:

Sub Dominant or IV chord does not have open bass string
B string is not in the key of D minor
F major and B b are barred
Great for pedal tone on the Tonic and Dominant bass notes

Common Voicings I like to use in the key of Dm:

Arranging in the Key of E minor:

This is a great key for playing in. The open bass strings on the tonic and dominant make it a great choice for a song that uses the 1 and 4 chords extensively. This makes it great for playing 3rds and 6ths above a static bass note.
The open strings of the guitar are all in the key of E minor. This makes the key very suitable for the guitar.
Open bass strings are really useful too because they allow our fretting hand to move up and down the fretboard while still maintaining the bass note. This also allows more movement through sliding and freedom to move the hand while the bass note is sustained. This is a great advantage for this key because tenths and sixths can be used with open string harmony and chords can be voiced simply by fretting the bass note. This allows for movable bass lines with static harmony. Moveable bass and static open string chords are what make this key so great. Bass and melody arrangements can also be employed with open harmony.
This key is particularly great because the Tonic and Subdominant have open bass notes. This is a huge advantage of this key.

Some strengths of E minor:

Bass string on Tonic or I chord
Bass string on Sub Dominant or IV chord
Bass string on b7 chord
All open strings are in the key of E minor
Parallel major is E major
Relative major is G major
Modulation to subdominant is a guitar friendly key
7th string harmonics spell out bmin7-11 (V chord)
12th string harmonics spell out emin7 (i chord)
Great for pedal tone and movable chords on Tonic and SubDominant
Great for pedal tone and movable chord shapes on Tonic and SubDominant
Top three open strings (G,B,E) spell out Cmaj7 (no root) or Emin
(D,G,B) strings spell out a Gmaj chord
Tenths and sixths are great for this key due to available open harmony between bass and melody

Some weaknesses of E minor:

No bass note on the dominant

Common Voicings I like to use in the key of Em:

Arranging in the Key of B minor:

This is a great key for playing in. The open bass strings on the IV chord( E minor), Flat III chord (D major), and Flat VII chord (A major) make it a great choice for a song that uses those chords extensively.
The open strings of the guitar are all in the key of B minor. This makes the key very suitable for the guitar.
When playing the E minor, D major, or A major chords within the key of B minor our fretting hand becomes free to move up and down the fretboard while still maintaining the bass note. This also allows more movement through sliding and freedom to move the hand while the bass note is sustained.

Some strengths of B minor:

Bass string on Flat III chord
Bass string on Sub Dominant or IV chord
Bass string on Flat VII chord
All open strings are in the key of B minor
Relative major is D major
Modulation to subdominant is a guitar friendly key
Great for pedal tone and moveable chords when dealing with open bass strings
Great for pedal tone and movable chord shapes on chords with open bass strings
Tenths and sixths are great for this key due to available open harmony in between bass and melody is always diatonic
Top three open strings (G,B,E) spell out an E minor chord (IV chord)
(D,G,B) strings spell out a G major chord (Flat VI chord)
12th string harmonics share the same notes as the Sub Dominant Dominant
Great for pedal tone on the Sub Dominant bass notes

Some weaknesses of B minor:

Parallel major is B major

No open string on the tonic.

No open string on the dominant.

Tonic and dominant require a barre

Common voicings I like to use in the key of B minor

7. Harmony

Melody and Chords

Uses familiar chord shapes. Melody is typically played on top three strings and the bass in the bottom three. This is the most common way to do chord melody. Holding chord shapes is useful for arpeggiating between melody notes. This device works best when chords are in open position. When up the neck some chords must be barred making them more difficult for chording and melody due to increased need of more fingers. Triads are a three note texture that sounds richer than that of the intervals. Harmony when played in triads too much can lead to boredom of uninteresting harmony. Another plus is that it is easier to see the fretboard when you have the chord shape to landmark to.

Bass and Melody in Parallel 3rds

Parallel 3rds are a common harmonic device used in fingerstyle guitar. Parallel 3rds are comprised of two notes an interval of a major or minor 3^rd apart. Because it is only two notes and the interval is close the result is a thin texture. Parallel 3rds are a good example of close harmony in that the space between the two intervals is close. When playing parallel thirds it is a good idea to play an open bass note beneath them that allows for some freedom to move up and down the fretboard. In other words use these intervals when the bass note of a chord is an A, an E, or a D.

Bass and Melody in Parallel 6ths

Parallel 6ths are also a common harmonic device used in fingerstyle guitar. Parallel 6ths are comprised of two notes an interval of a major or minor 6th apart. Because it is only two notes and the interval is relatively close the result is a thinner texture than that of a 10^th or a triad. Parallel 6ths are a good example of semi close harmony in that the space between the two intervals is less than an octave. When playing parallel sixths it is also a good idea to play an open bass note beneath them that allows for some freedom to move up and down the fretboard. In other words use these intervals when the bass note of a chord is an A, an E, or a D.

Parallel 10ths

Parallel 10ths are also a common harmonic device used in fingerstyle guitar. Parallel 10ths are comprised of two notes an interval of a major or minor 10th apart. Because the interval is relatively wide the result is a thicker texture than that of a 3^rd or a 6th. Parallel 10ths are a good example of wide harmony in that the space between the two intervals is more than an octave. Parallel 10ths can be useful for creating movement in the bass. Parallel 10ths are also great when the open strings belong to the key to produce interesting harmony.

Travis Picking

Travis picking is a type of alternating bass accompaniment. The bass notes are all played with the thumb. A good way to learn travis picking is to isolate and get the thumb working first without the use of the other fingers. Once the thumb becomes automatic other fingers should be added.

Inner Lines

Keep things moving with Inner Lines. It is good to use these when the melody is taking a break. Inner lines are commonly started on the sixth or seventh of the chord of the moment. Think of them as a counter line or response to the main melody.

Arpeggios

Keep things moving with arpeggios. Arpeggios are usually the most obvious choice when accompanying a melody. The notes of the arpeggio are usually played in between melody notes to keep it flowing. It is best to have at least two string between the melody string and the bass note string.

Approach notes

Approach notes can be added before chord changes. This is usually done on the weak beat before the first beat of the next measure. Approach notes add tension and resolution to chord changes. Approach notes are usually chromatic and come from a half step above or below the new chord. Approach notes give the same tension/release sound as secondary dominants.

Secondary Dominants

Approaching chords with their secondary dominant is also a good way to create tension and resolution. It is quite similar to approach notes except done with a whole chord rather than a single note. Any chord can be approached with it's own dominant. This can create added tension, variety, or length to a chord progression. Secondary dominants are also a good means to modulating to a different key.

Stepwise Bass Lines

Keep things moving by connecting chords with a stepwise bass lines.

4 minor Chord

Try getting back to the major 1 chord with the 4 minor chord.

5 minor Chord

Another way to get to the 4 chord from the 1 chord is through the 4 chord.

Turnarounds

Turnarounds are commonly used at the end of a musical phrase. A typical turnaround chord progression goes I-(Vofii)-ii-V. This can be varied in many different ways. One way is to vary it with tritone substitutions. Another way is to use a common tone between some or all of the chords to smooth the changes out.

Pedal tone

A pedal tone is a constant note that keeps sounding while other notes change. Pedal tones are usually in the bass but can be in any voice. Open strings make very good pedal tones.

Intros

Song intros can start with a turnaround but I prefer to use the measure of a song as the intro. This usually involves the V chord and the melody over it.

Descending bass with static chord

Chord stays the same but the bass descends. A common harmonic device.

Diminished chords

Diminished chords come in handy for chromatic movement and as a substitute for dominant chords. A diminished chord is basically a rootless dominant flat 9 chord. Ex. G7 flat 9 is the same as A flat diminished. Basically you substitute the dominant chord with a diminished chord a half step above it. Also the diminished chord can act like a dominant if put a half step below the target or tonic chord.

Strong and weak beats

Strong or accented beats are beats 1 and 3 whereas weak beats are beats 2 and 4. When playing bass lines one should usually put the root, or in the case of an inversion, a chord tone on the first beat. What precedes the root on the fourth beat of the previous measure could be anything but usually is a half or whole step away as it provides smooth voice leading.

9. Enjoy the process

This is important as the guitar can sometimes seem a daunting task. There are too many songs, scales, rhythms, styles etc. to learn in a lifetime. Understand and accept that there is not enough time to master everything. Try playing just for fun. One should challenge themselves but be patient too. Try not to worry about progress or lack thereof. All in all, just have fun. There will be good days and bad days.

10. Books, Websites, and Fingerstyle Guitarists

Books

1. Building Guitar Arrangements from the ground up- Muriel Anderson

2. Hearing and Writing Music- Ron Gorow

3. Chord Chemistry- Ted Greene

4. The Advancing Guitarist- Mick Goodrick

5. The Martin Taylor Guitar Method- Martin Taylor

6. Through Chord Melody and Beyond- Howard Morgen

7. The Howard Morgen Guitar Method- Howard Morgen

8. Open String Fingerstyle Method for Guitar (A beginner's guide)-Daniel Ho

9. The Art of Solo Fingerpicking- Mark Hanson

10. Contemporary Travis Picking- Mark Hanson
11. Fernando Sor Method
12. Matteo Carcassi Method

Websites

1. Martin Taylor Guitar Academy

2. Ralph Patt’s Jazz Website

3. Steve Krenz’ Learn and Master

4. Tuck and Patti website- Tuck's Corner

5. John Hall Guitar

6. Adam Rafferty- Guitar and Spirit

7. SoundCloud

8. YouTube

Solo Guitarists

1. Chet Atkins

2. Merle Travis

3. Bill Piburn

4. Steve Krenz

5. Mark Hanson

6. Martin Taylor

7. Tuck Andress

8. Adam Rafferty

9. Tommy Emmanuel

10. Jerry Reed

11. Andres Segovia

12. Julian Bream

13. Francisco Tarrega

14. Fernando Sor

15. Matteo Carcassi

16. Bob Evans

17. Muriel Anderson

18. Earl Klugh

19. Julian Lage

20. Lenny Breau

21. Joe Pass

10. Quotes

Quotes from Fernando Sor:

"To regard the effect of the music more than the praise as to the skill of the performer"

"To require more from skill than from strength"

"To be sparing of operations called barring and shifting"

"With the knowledge of thirds and sixths it is possible to finger the most difficult of guitar music"

"To hold reasoning for a great deal and routine for nothing"

"A true comprehension of the scale is the key to all musical knowledge"

"The entire key to mastery of the guitar (as an instrument of harmony) consists in the knowledge of thirds and sixths"

Quotes from Tommy Emmanuel:

“One day you pick up the guitar and you feel like a great master, and the next day you feel like a fool. It’s because we’re different every day, but the guitar is always the same…beautiful.” Tommy Emmanuel

"I think it's so important to have good music to play. You don't want to waste time and energy on songs that don't mean anything. You need to find songs that are strong in every way. Good melody, good structure, good feeling and memorable."

"As for my fingerings, I try to work out the best/economical way of playing songs when I arrange them. Finding the right key to play a song in is so important."

"Work on the motor skills until you don't need to think about the motor skills and can listen to the music..."

Quotes from Chet Atkins:

“A long apprenticeship is the most logical way to success. The only alternative is overnight stardom, but I can’t give you a formula for that.”

#1 It is in the hands, the individual touch, and in the expression of emotion that touches the inner soul, not the equipment.

#2 Play a style that you want to play, not one that you think others want you to play.

#3 When learning a song, the first thing is to figure out the chords, find the substitution, and the inversions that will enhance the tune.

#4 Do not memorize the song, but only “kind of know it.” That way it is an expression of emotion at that moment.

#5 When you play, don’t play mechanically, play like you are singing the notes.

#6 Don’t learn from tab.

#7 Play like yourself…be recognized by your style.

#8 Don’t copy. It’s okay to borrow, but never copy.

#9 Most importantly, don’t over-play. (Chet said, “ A good musician should be like a good poet, he should use as few notes (or words) as possible to convey the thought and feeling.” Les Paul said essentially the same thing. He felt that overplaying is a sure sign of a poor musician, and that while you may appear to be a flashy at first, it will tire the listener eventually, and you lose the respect of others. Chet felt that when playing with others, a good musician should not showboat, but instead hang back and help others sound their best.

# 10 Don't over-stay your welcome. Chet said, "There's a difference between being an artist and being an entertainer. An entertainer knows when to leave the stage."

#11 Slow down so the listener can savor your music. Fast and flashy is unnecessary and usually undesirable.

# 12 Stay close to the melody. Don’t just play notes to fill up space.

#13 Musical rests are just as important as the notes.

#14 Help others be successful.

Quote from Laurence Juber:

"I think for beginners the best thing to do is to get some lessons just so you understand what the guitar's about. I always recommend people to learn about music - because if you understand music, then the guitar makes more sense. Then you can really empower yourself."

Quote from Matteo Carcassi:

"The guitar may be played in all keys,but, like all intruments It has keys that are more favorable to it. These keys are c major, d major/minor, e major/min, g major, a major/minor, and f major. The other keys are difficult because they require the use of the barrer (barre) too often."

Quote from David Russell:

"There is no shortcut to becoming a good player. Being constant in your practice is perhaps the main secret."

"With tenacity and perseverance you will be able to make beautiful music on the guitar."

Quote from Albert Einstein:

"If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music."

Quote from Julian Bream:

"Passion and the desire to communicate...that's the key"

Quote from Andres Segovia:

"The guitar is a small orchestra. It is polyphonic. Every string is a different color, a different voice.”

“The guitar is the easiest instrument to play, and the hardest to play well”.

Quote from Jimi Hendrix:

"Sometimes you want to give up the guitar, you'll hate the guitar. But if you stick with it, you're gonna be rewarded."

Quote from Keith Richards:

“You're always learning about this thing every time you pick it up” ~ Keith Richards

The End

Thursday, 11 April 2013

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