Picking Patterns - Lesson seven 4/4 time with 8th notes
This pattern carries on from the last and remains with 8th notes. But as we’re going back to 4/4 time this means you have to count it differently.
There are four beats to each bar but eight notes. The way to count this is to count the main four beats with ‘and’ between each main beat. This gives you ‘one and two and three and four and’. Don’t forget the last ‘and’ after the four otherwise it doesn’t flow. Also, you’ll notice that from now on for the next few patterns we’ll be using slightly different chords. Dm, Am and G. Make sure you listen to the sound of these minor chords as they give a totally different feel to the music than the major chords we’ve been using until now. So here’s pattern seven using fingers. So now we have eight notes but still only one bass note with the thumb (multiple and alternating bass notes to follow later).
Using the first chord of Dm the thumb (p) plays the bass note of the chord followed by the first finger (i) playing the third string then the second finger (m) on the second string returning to the first finger playing the third string a second time. Next we jump up to the first string played by the third finger. Finally we repeat the first finger playing the third string then the second finger on the second string returning to the first finger playing the third string a final time. You can see below the first two bars the ‘one and two and three and four and’ count for this pattern. Now the same pattern using a plectrum. As you can see this is neither straight up and down nor an alternating picking pattern. So you start with two downward picks on the bass note and string three, then an up pick on string two followed by another down pick on string three. Next you jump up to string one for an up pick. Finally the tricky bit so be careful with this. A down pick on string three, then two up picks on strings two and three. You may feel a strong inclination to play the last note as a down pick, but if you use an up pick then you will be ready for the down pick on the first beat, bass note of the next bar. It will become apparent why this mechanism for picking the pattern was chosen when you try the switch to the Am and subsequently the G. As before keep with it and don’t try it too fast to begin with.
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