Picking Patterns - Lesson eight - more 8th notes
Pattern eight, whilst still 8th notes in 4/4 time is actually very similar to pattern one. The first four 8th notes could be considered pattern one played twice as fast, then followed by the last three notes of pattern one, still played twice as fast, then followed by the second string.
So let’s talk this pattern through in a bit more detail. Firstly, as usual, the bass note of the chord is played with the thumb (p) and as with pattern one, the first finger (i) playing the third string, then the second finger (m) playing the second string followed by the third finger (a) playing the first string. Next you skip back to the third string and repeat the last three steps with the first finger (i) playing the third string, then the second finger (m) playing the second string followed by the third finger (a) playing the first string and finally the second finger (m) playing the second string.
As usual the pattern repeats for the other chords with the only difference being the placement of the thumb on the fifth string for the Am chord and sixth string for the G chord. Now to the plectrum version. As with the finger version, the first two beats (remember it’s ‘one and two and’) are the same as pattern one so three down picks across the base note, string three and string two, followed by one up pick on the first string.
Then it’s simply a repeat of the two down picks on strings three and two, followed by two up picks on strings one and two. As with pattern seven the last up pick will ensure you’re ready for the next bass note down pick on the first beat of the next bar. |