Advanced Picking Techniques
This lesson covers fingerpicking techniques that are used in advanced Jazz fingerpicking styles. Some of these techniques will prove to be quite challenging so feel free to continue with the following lessons and return to this lesson later. Several new Jazz chord shapes are also introduced throughout this lesson.
Eleventh Chords
The eleventh chord is another chord type that is frequently used in Jazz. The following diagrams highlight three common Jazz chord shapes.
Eleventh (root three)
Eleventh (root five)
Eleventh (root four)
Thumb Percussion
An interesting effect to use is thumb percussion. To apply this technique the right hand thumb hits the 6th string against the fretboard causing a quick rattle sound. The strike normally occurs on the 2nd and 4th beats of the bar, simulating the sound of a snare drum.
Hit thumb against 6th string.
Thumb percussion is applied to the following progression.
Thirteenth Chords
Thirteenth chords are also frequently used in Jazz guitar. Three Jazz chord shapes are shown.
Thirteenth (root six)
Thirteenth (root five)
Thirteenth (root three)
Thumb Percussion - Variation
A variation on the thumb percussion technique is to hit the body of the guitar with the side of the left hand thumb to produce a "knocking" sound, simulating the sound of a wooden block. This technique, notated as a block, is demonstrated next.
Thirteenth chords are also featured in the following example.
Diminished Chords
At this stage it will be useful to review the diminished chord shapes. The diminished chords were used often in the Ragtime examples and solos that featured in earlier lessons.
Remember that although each shape has four names it is good to use diminished chords based upon one of these following root positions (see Lesson 16).
Diminished (root six)
Diminished (root five)
Diminished (root four)
Finger Roll
A finger roll is the playing of the notes in a chord very quickly from the lowest note to the highest note. Although each note is picked separately, all notes within the chord share the same time value. This technique is demonstrated in the next example, notated as a wavy line.
Finger roll and diminished chords feature in the following example.
Ghost Notes
Using ghost notes is a left hand technique that can also be used as a percussive tool. To play a ghost note the left hand playing the note releases the pressure on the string so when the note is picked a "muted" sound is produced. This technique, notated as a cross, is demonstrated next.
Ghost notes are featured in the following example.
Thumb Slapping
Thumb strikes string against fretboard.
This technique is usually employed by bass guitarists but can be adapted to the Jazz fingerpicking guitar style. Thumb slapping requires the side of the right hand thumb to strike the string against the fretboard as a note is fretted with the left hand. The thumb strikes the fretboard at the sound hole end, then immediately pulls away from the string. A slap is indicated with a down arrow.
