[mus]

He everybody,

I have a beginners-question about fingerpicking:
I read somewhere, that you can't pick a string twice with the same finger.
Are there rules for wich finger you have to use when? Do you always use one finger up, when you play a second note on the same string?

[allthumbs]

Playing classical or flamenco may have rules like that but, just general finger picking does not. Hit the same string as many times as you need to with the same finger. If you want to play a single string really fast then use an index thumb combination. It ultimately boils down to what is most comfortable for you.

[__tsidewinder__]

"It ultimately boils down to what is most comfortable for you."

or how fast you intend to play.

In some songs it makes sense to pick the string twice with one finger, in some using thumb-index picking makes more sense. Take it song by song, and if one doesn't work try the other.

[Fretsource]

Apart from bass runs and chords, picking a string with the same finger twice is the same as hopping on one leg. If that's how you want to get around, fine. Me, I mostly prefer walking.

[wcostley]

Hi mus,
I'm glad I opened your Post, I evidently read the same thing you did or at least something to the same effect, I haven't been playing long and have been playing with an assigned finger for each of the 3 (G,B, & E) strings, I was glad to hear some of the replies that said it's ok to play the way it's most comfortable to you. I also read Fretsource's analogy about the hopping instead of walking, since he's a teacher what he say's is no doubt the proper way, but I'm having enough difficulty already with out adding another problem to think about, so for now I'll probably put the walking on the back burner, at least for awhile, I'm sure it'll be nagging at me though.
Skip

[Fretsource]

Originally Posted by wcostley

I'm having enough difficulty already with out adding another problem to think about, so for now I'll probably put the walking on the back burner, at least for awhile, I'm sure it'll be nagging at me though.
Skip

I hear what you're saying Skip, If you're used to hopping, then walking could seem quite difficult at first. But I'm sure you'll agree it's well worth doing because once you learn how to walk, you'll never hop again except on rare occasions where you have to, such as stubbing a toe.

[scott58]

Spanish style is taught alternating fingers. After hours of playing Malaguena and concentrating on nothing but alternating fingers I got comfortable with it.. My pinky finger is still pretty dead, but I can live with that.