A pinch is when you pinch two strings between your thumb and 1st finger. You can also pinch between your thumb and middle finger and even the ring finger. Let’s try it. All examples below are using a G chord. Use a metronome. Focus on thumb independence.

     i             i             i             i
p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p
E------------------------------------------------------------
B------------------------------------------------------------
G----0-------------0-------------0-------------0-------------
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
Move the pinch to the 2nd beat.
i i i i
p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p
E------------------------------------------------------------
B------------------------------------------------------------
G-------0-------------0-------------0-------------0----------
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
Move the pinch to the 3rd beat.
i i i i
p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p
E------------------------------------------------------------
B------------------------------------------------------------
G----------0-------------0-------------0-------------0-------
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
Move the pinch to the 4th beat.
i i i i
p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p
E------------------------------------------------------------
B------------------------------------------------------------
G-------------0-------------0-------------0-------------0----
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
Try a pinch with an alternating bass line.
i i i i
p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p
E------------------------------------------------------------
B------------------------------------------------------------
G----0-------------0-------------0-------------0-------------
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
Move the pinch to the 2nd beat.
i i i i
p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p
E------------------------------------------------------------
B------------------------------------------------------------
G-------0-------------0-------------0-------------0----------
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
Move the pinch to the 3rd beat.
i i i i
p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p
E------------------------------------------------------------
B------------------------------------------------------------
G----------0-------------0-------------0-------------0-------
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
Move the pinch to the 4th beat.
i i i i
p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p
E------------------------------------------------------------
B------------------------------------------------------------
G-------------0-------------0-------------0-------------0----
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
What if there were multiple pinches per bar?
i i i i i i i i
p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p
E------------------------------------------------------------
B------------------------------------------------------------
G----0-----0-------0-----0-------0-----0-------0-----0-------
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

Add Chords

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Finger Picking – Alternating Bass

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Practice Routine

You should focus on building a practice routine. It is important that you: For now, focus on the things covered in this chapter. Practice holding your guitar properly. Practice comfortable