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May 25, 2024

Florian Kockott

HG12: This 200-Year-Old Fingerpicking Exercise Will Help You Progress

I selected 1 of Mauro Giuliani’s 200-year-old fingerpicking exercises and gave it a new touch.

The exercise sounds more like a piece of music than an exercise.

So, it’s worth twice checking out: You’ll train your fingers and enrich your repertoire.

Give it a go on your guitar and enjoy!

This late beginner lesson features…

… 1 fingerpicking exercise.

… The movable C major chord shape.

You can download the tabs by clicking here (search for HG12 – This 200-Year-Old Fingerpicking Exercise Will Help You Progress).

Download it. Print it. Use it.

In this video, you can listen to the exercise, you can watch me play it, and I’ll teach you through it:

And here is everything else you need to know. Enjoy!

💪 Action Steps

    1. Get familiar with the 3 chords used (C x32010, Dadd9/11 x54030, Fmaj9 x87060). All strings (except the thickest E) should ring out clearly.
    2. Practice the exercise ‘The Flow’ without time pressure. Get the fingerpicking pattern right. Get the sound right. Get the position shifts right.
    3. Practice the exercise ‘The Flow’ with time pressure. Get the rhythm right. (If in doubt, listen back to me demonstrating it.

📈 Difficulty

3/10 (This gives you a rough idea of how difficult it is. If you feel it’s actually easier, great. If not, don’t feel bad.)

⏰ Time Estimation

15 Minutes (This is a rough estimation that can vary widely. If you’re faster, great. If not, don’t feel bad.)

✏️ Extra Tips

  • Keep your left-hand fingers close to the fretwires.
  • Keep your right hand rather still in position (without tensing up). Don’t let it jump away from the strings when fingerpicking.
  • Keep your right-hand thumb left and all other fingers right so they don’t get in each other’s way.

🎯 Encouragement

Good fingerpicking is so nice to have in your repertoire. With this exercise you can improve yours. But this is not any old boring exercise. It sounds more like a little piece of music. So, you’ll have something nice to play for your partner, friends, and family, too. Enjoy!

Talk soon,

Florian from Hi Guitar

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Who Is This Guy?

Hi, I’m Florian,

Just a passionate guitarist since 2004, with (almost) two decades of teaching experience and two degrees in music education.

I’m the go-to guy for guitar players who…

Feel trapped in a loop of tutorials, courses, and gear, yet still sound the same as they did a year ago.

… Want to fully understand and master the guitar but don’t know where to start.

Realize it’s time to stop struggling alone and start making meaningful progress.

Since 2007, I’ve empowered guitar players to turn challenges into victories, giving them the tools to play freely and creatively—and ultimately, fall back in love with their guitar.

Still loving it!

Here is how I can help (if you let me):

'The Spark' - Go From Beginner to Intermediate Guitarist in 5 Stages

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