Fingerpicking Accompaniment
Chords are usually played to accompany a melody, which is sung or played by another instrument (eg., guitar, sax, keyboards, etc). The chords can be strummed using a pick (playing all six strings together), or played fingerpicking style (one string at a time).
Below is the melody for Ode to Joy. On the CD the melody has been played by another guitar so you can play along with it (accompany it), by applying Fingerpicking Pattern 1 or 2 to the chords shown above the notation.
When you play the accompaniment to any song, you can choose to either strum or fingerpick the chords. Some songs sound best with a strummed accompaniment while others sound best with a fingerpicked accompaniment.
Fingerpicking Pattern 2
This famous melody is also in the key of C major. Try using an alternating bass when playing a fingerpicking accompaniment. You can select any bass note on the 6th, 5th or 4th string depending upon which one sounds the best. Generally you should start on the root note. Remember to always hold the complete chord shape.
Now try using Fingerpicking Pattern 2 to accompany this traditional Welsh song. When there are two chords per bar, the fingerpicking pattern begins on the root of the each chord – one on the first beat of the bar, and one on the third beat.
Fingerpicking Pattern 2
