Travis Picking

Fingerpicking: Travis Picking and Bass Picking

As always:

thumb = t, index = i, middle = m, ring = a

Bass picking:

• Click for bass picking example 1 music
• Click for bass picking example 2 music
• Click for bass picking example 3 music

In bass picking, you use the same patterns as before but the bass line plays a more active part in the guitar technique. It doesn't necessarily lead the melody but it does set a tempo and is more prominent. It is very common to see alternating bass lines. You see it a lot in Travis picking too.

Fingerpicking: Bass Picking exercise 1

|-------------------------------------------------------3----|
|---1-------1-----1-------1-----0-------------0---------0----|
|---0-----0---0---0-----0---0---------0---0---------0--------|
|-----0h2-----------0h2-----------------0-------------0------|
|-3-------------3-----------------0h2-----------0h2----------|
|-----------------------------3-------------3----------------|


|-------------------------------------------------------3----|
|---1-------1-----1-------1-----0-------------0---------0----|
|---0-----0---0---0-----0---0---------0---0---------0--------|
|-----0h2-----------0h2-----------------0-------------0------|
|-3-------------3-----------------0h2-----------0h2----------|
|-----------------------------3-------------3----------------|

Fingerpicking: Bass Picking exercise 2

|------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---3---3---3-----------------------2-------2----------------------|
|---2---2---2-------4---4---4-------2---2---2---2------------------|
|-0-------0---------4---4---4-----------2-------2---------0-0-0----|
|-----0-------0-1-2-------2-------4-------4-------0-1-2-4----------|
|---------------------2-------2-4-----5-------5--------------------

Fingerpicking: Bass Picking exercise 3

|-------------------------------------------------|-------------------|
|---3---3---1---1---0---0---0---0---3---3---1---1-|---0---0---0---0---|
|---2---2---0---0---0---0---0---0---2---2---0---0-|---0---0---0---0---|
|-0-----------2---------------0---0-----------2---|---------3---2-----|
|-----0---0-----------2---3-----------0---0-------|-----2-------------|
|-----------------3-------------------------------|-3-----------------|

Travis Picking

• Click for Travis picking example 1 music
• Click for Travis picking example 2 music
• Click for Travis picking example 3 music

Travis Picking is like the Holy Grail of fingerstyle or fingerpicking patterns. It can make any regular progression sound great and it's so easy to play. Check out these 3 exercises.

Fingerpicking: Travis Picking exercise 1

|------------------------------------------------------------|
|-3-------3-----3-------3-----3-------3-----3-------3--------|
|-----0-------0-----0-------0-----0-------0-----0-------0----|
|---4-------4-----4-------4-----4-------4-----4-------4------|
|-2-----2-------0-----0---------------------------0----------|
|-----------------------------3-----2-------0----------------|

Fingerpicking: Travis Picking exercise 2

|---------0-----0---------------------0-------------0--------|
|-3---------------------3-----3-------------3----------------|
|-----0-------0-----0-------0-----0-------0-----0-------0----|
|---4-------4-----4-------4-----4-------4-----4-------4------|
|-2-----2-------0-----0---------------------------0----------|
|-----------------------------3-----2-------0----------------|

Fingerpicking: Travis Picking exercise 3

|--------------------------------------------------------------|
|-3-------0-----2-------2h3-----0------------------------------|
|-----0-------0-----0---------0-----0---0---0---0---0---0------|
|---4-------4-----4---------4-----4---2---0-------2---0---4----|
|-2-----2-------0-----0-----------------------4----------------|
|-------------------------------3------------------------------|


|--------------------------------------------------------------|
|-3-------0-----2-------2h3-----0------------------------------|
|-----0-------0-----0---------0-----0---0---0---0---0---0------|
|---4-------4-----4---------4-----4---2---0-------2---0---4----|
|-2-----2-------0-----0-----------------------4----------------|
|-------------------------------3------------------------------|