All examples below are using a G chord. Use a metronome. Focus on thumb independence. These exercises focus on pinches with thumb and middle finger. I suggest you also try them with thumb and ring finger.

     m             m             m             m
p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p
E------------------------------------------------------------
B----3-------------3-------------3-------------3-------------
G------------------------------------------------------------
D------------------------------------------------------------
A------------------------------------------------------------
E----3--3--3--3----3--3--3--3----3--3--3--3----3--3--3--3----
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
        m             m             m             m
p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p
E------------------------------------------------------------
B-------3-------------3-------------3-------------3----------
G------------------------------------------------------------
D------------------------------------------------------------
A------------------------------------------------------------
E----3--3--3--3----3--3--3--3----3--3--3--3----3--3--3--3----
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
           m             m             m             m
p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p
E------------------------------------------------------------
B----------3-------------3-------------3-------------3-------
G------------------------------------------------------------
D------------------------------------------------------------
A------------------------------------------------------------
E----3--3--3--3----3--3--3--3----3--3--3--3----3--3--3--3----
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
              m             m             m             m
p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p
E------------------------------------------------------------
B-------------3-------------3-------------3-------------3----
G------------------------------------------------------------
D------------------------------------------------------------
A------------------------------------------------------------
E----3--3--3--3----3--3--3--3----3--3--3--3----3--3--3--3----
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
     m             m             m             m
p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p
E------------------------------------------------------------
B----3-------------3-------------3-------------3-------------
G------------------------------------------------------------
D------------------------------------------------------------
A-------2-----2-------2-----2-------2-----2-------2-----2----
E----3-----3-------3-----3-------3-----3-------3-----3-------
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
        m             m             m             m
p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p
E------------------------------------------------------------
B-------3-------------3-------------3-------------3----------
G------------------------------------------------------------
D------------------------------------------------------------
A-------2-----2-------2-----2-------2-----2-------2-----2----
E----3-----3-------3-----3-------3-----3-------3-----3-------
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
           m             m             m             m
p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p
E------------------------------------------------------------
B----------3-------------3-------------3-------------3-------
G------------------------------------------------------------
D------------------------------------------------------------
A-------2-----2-------2-----2-------2-----2-------2-----2----
E----3-----3-------3-----3-------3-----3-------3-----3-------
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
              m             m             m             m
p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p
E------------------------------------------------------------
B-------------3-------------3-------------3-------------3----
G------------------------------------------------------------
D------------------------------------------------------------
A-------2-----2-------2-----2-------2-----2-------2-----2----
E----3-----3-------3-----3-------3-----3-------3-----3-------
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
     m     m       m     m       m     m       m     m
p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p
E------------------------------------------------------------
B----3-----3-------3-----3-------3-----3-------3-----3-------
G------------------------------------------------------------
D------------------------------------------------------------
A-------2-----2-------2-----2-------2-----2-------2-----2----
E----3-----3-------3-----3-------3-----3-------3-----3-------
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4

Explore More

Common Chord Progressions

Below are some common chord progressions. This is not a complete list. i bVI iv ivI bVI V Vi bVII bVI VI bVII IVI I bVII IVI I IV VI

Finger Picking – 3/4 Patterns

The following finger picking patterns are variations of 3/4 time. One note per beat. All of the following patterns are using a G chord. You can use any chord you