Fingerstyle lab

Thumb-plus-fingers on four strings. Hold C Am F G and walk pima patterns — independence loops and a small pattern library. No pick-lab shredding on this instrument. The fuller classical method stays on Classical drills.

Pair with Folk drills · Classical drills · Classical · pima.

Play becomes Stop on the same button. Tempo follows the metronome. Letters: p thumb, i index, m middle, a ring. TAB is A string on top — Foundations · TAB.

pima over G C Am Em

Hold the open shape. Thumb takes the bass (G or C); i m a sit on C, E, and A. One cycle of p–i–m–a per beat (sixteenths at 60). Do not re-press the left hand between notes.

G                     C                     Am                    Em
A|-----------2-----   A|-----------3-----   A|-----------0-----   A|-----------2-----   a
E|--------3--------   E|--------0--------   E|--------0--------   E|--------3--------   m
C|-----2-----------   C|-----0-----------   C|-----0-----------   C|-----4-----------   i
G|-0---------------   G|-0---------------   G|-2---------------   G|-0---------------   p

One bar each on the progression loop. Keep the right hand moving through the change — same rule as Folk · boom-chick through a change.

Thumb independence

The thumb is a clock. Fingers decorate around it. Start with bass only, then add off-beats, then a walking bass under a frozen treble.

    1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
A|----0-------0----   m
E|--0-------0------   i
C|-0---0---0---0---   p   (thumb-only omits the treble)
G|-----------------

Walking: p on G–C–E–C while i–m–a stay on open C E A.

Deeper gym: Classical · independence and Classical · independence seed.

Classical crossover

Fingerstyle on this page is folk / campfire pima: nails optional, sitting however you already sit, open chords. The classical door is the same four letters with extra rules — rest stroke vs free stroke, planting, first-position reading, and studies.

When p–i–m–a over Em is even, take it to the method page. Do not skip planting; that is what kills buzz.

Pattern library

Four right-hand jobs on one held chord (or around G–C–Am–Em). Pick a pattern, pick a shape, loop to the click.

Dynamics / nail vs flesh

Flesh only is the right starting point — quieter, fewer variables. Flesh plus nail (when you add nails): a short ramp, polished, so the string leaves the nail in a straight line. Flesh first, nail as the release.

Thumb is usually flesh (or the side of the nail) and a little louder than the fingers — that is the folk / classical bass-melody split. Play the model at two levels; the samples are one recorded spot, so the loud/soft is gain, not a real nail.

Contact point: over the soundhole is warmer; toward the bridge is brighter. That drill is ears-only. Full tone note: Classical · nails, flesh, contact.

Ready when

Move on when all of these are true on a normal day, not your best one:

p–i–m–a over G, C, Am and Em runs at 60 bpm, one cycle per beat in sixteenths, with the left hand held down and not re-pressed between notes.
Your thumb plays steady bass, quarters then off-beats, while the fingers move around it without making the thumb hurry or stop.
Travis (thumb on 1 and 3, fingers on 2 and 4) and boom + brush each loop on one held chord, with the thumb a little louder than the fingers.
On the G – C – Am – Em loop the right hand keeps moving through every chord change with no gap.