Fingerpicking

Fingerpicking, or playing fingerstyle, is a technique for playing the guitar using the fingertips and/or fingernails, rather than with a plectrum (or "pick"). It is used for classical guitar, and some other acoustic styles, but it has found its way into other genres as well, including rock and roll, although its use in such genres is relatively rare. There is a whole school of jazz guitar playing using the technique. Joe Pass was a leading exponent of the technique and currently Britain's Martin Taylor is noted for this chord-melody approach. It is not the only way to play the guitar without a pick, but it is perhaps the most common method used by professional guitar players.

See also

• American fingerstyle guitar
• Pattern picking
• Clawhammer (a banjo fingerpicking style adaptable to guitar)
• Scruggs style (a banjo fingerpicking style)