Fingerpicking Basics | Chordier lessons

Strumming treats all six strings as a chord. Fingerpicking separates them - the thumb handles the bass strings, each finger handles one treble string. Once your right hand knows which finger goes where automatically, you can play melody and accompaniment at the same time.

The standard system uses four fingers named after Spanish terms: p (pulgar/thumb), i (index), m (medio/middle), a (anular/ring finger). Their string assignments on guitar:

p (thumb) - E, A, and D strings (the three bass strings)
i (index) - G string (3rd)
m (middle) - B string (2nd)
a (ring finger) - e string (1st, highest)

A Basic Pattern

Hold a G chord. Thumb plays the low E string (6th). Then index plays G (3rd), middle plays B (2nd), ring plays e (1st). That's four picks: bass, then three treble strings in order from lowest to highest.

The pattern is: p - i - m - a. Repeat. Keep each note even in volume and duration. Don't rush the bass note relative to the treble notes - they should be equally spaced.

Alternating Bass

A common step up from pure PIMA: alternate the thumb between two bass strings. On a G chord, alternate between the low E (6th string) and the A string (5th). This gives the pattern a walking feel: bass - treble - bass - treble. It's the foundation of Travis picking and many folk patterns.

Moving to Em

Once G feels automatic without looking at your right hand, switch to Em. Same pattern. The left hand changes; the right hand continues the same motion.

The chord change is the left hand's job. The right hand keeps the pattern going through the change. Don't pause the pattern to get the chord - keep picking.

Practice

Set a timer for five minutes. Alternate between G and Em, four picks per chord, using the basic p-i-m-a pattern. Keep the tempo slow enough that every note is clear. Speed comes later.

Questions and Answers

What is PIMA fingerpicking on guitar?: PIMA (pulgar, índice, medio, anular) is a standard system for assigning fingers to strings. On guitar, the thumb (p) handles the bass strings (E, A, D), the index finger (i) plays the G string, the middle finger (m) plays B, and the ring finger (a) plays the high e string. Consistent finger-to-string assignment is what makes picking patterns reliable and independent from the fretting hand.
How do I start learning fingerpicking on guitar?: Assign each right-hand finger to its string using the PIMA system, hold a simple chord like G or Em, and pick one string per finger in order from bass to treble. Practice this basic p-i-m-a sequence until each note sounds even and the motion feels automatic. Only add pattern variations once the basic assignment is solid.

Next up: Fingerpicking Patterns: Travis Picking and Arpeggio - building thumb independence and pattern vocabulary.