The First Step to Learning How to Finger Pick

Think about this; A young child can learn the extremely complicated patterns of speech and grammar and do it all - simply by listening to others talk.  If exposed 
to two languages, a child can learn to speak both languages - and do it without a 
lick of an accent.  There have been cases where some were exposed to up to seven different languages while growing up, and they can now speak all seven tongues, fluently - all without any accent.  Is that not incredible?  Yes, it's 'MIND BOGGLING!  Isn't it?  This shows that the human brain has an incredible ability 
to learn and to learn simply by listening.  

Never underestimate the importance of your needing to "listen" to finger picking guitar music.  This is what I would say is the FIRST STEP to learn finger picking guitar.  You will be greatly helped in your finger picking endeavors if you start LISTENING to others as soon as you can and as often as you can.  The more you listen, the better.  What you will be doing is starting to make those connections in
your brain.

So listen to finger picking music when you get up. While you eat.  Take a portable player with you (an IPOD or a CD player) and listen throughout the day.  You will be pleasantly surprised how much this will help you.  Of course you can start by buying my CDs.  This will SHOW your appreciation to me for all of my hard work in provide you with this FREE web site about finger picking.  (By the way, I thank you for that!)  You will also benefit from listening to the finger picking music on those CDs.  But please don't stop there.  Please, buy other artist too.  In fact I recommend that you get as many CDs as you can, and start listening to them as soon as you can, and listen to them as much as you can.  (Of course you need to be reasonable, because there are other things in life too) The reason for this is because learning is done by making those connections.  As you listen to music being played, as easy as that is to do, some of those important connections are actually being made.  They're being made even though you don't consciously realize it.  The more you listen to finger picking music, the stronger those connections will become.  This is exactly what you want to do.  The stronger those connections are, the better your memory will be and the easier it will be for you to actually pick up the guitar to attempt to play that way.  Please remember this - Your mind has an incredible ability to learn just by listening.  Just like a child learns complicated languages simply by listening.  The beautiful thing about this is it's so easy and enjoyable to do.

I'm not suggesting that it's possible to completely learn how to finger pick guitar simply by listening to others play.  (At least I have never heard of anyone doing that)  Still, please do not underestimate the benefits that can come to you by simply listening to finger style guitar work.  For example, you can "learn" the way changes in guitar chords can be made while finger picking.  How other notes can be added while picking, to make progressions sound appealing.  Also how to put emphases and accents on particular notes of picking patterns and much, much, much more.  Actually you couldn't possible list all the benefits you will get by listening.  Even things you don't consciously realize are happening, will be "recorded" in your marvelous brain.  It's for these reasons I strongly recommend that you spend as much time as you can just listening to finger style guitar work.  That's the first step!  Why not start now?

What's particularly nice about my CDs is they incorporate the very picking patterns you will be learning on this web site.  I know you realize that I suggest purchasing mine because I want to sell my CDs.   But as I explained, if you listening to them, you will benefit.  You will be "hearing the sounds" of these finger picking patterns and those connections will be made in your brain and they will become stronger and stronger as you continue to listen.  Of course CDs by other artists may not have exactly these same patterns but you will still benefit by listen to them too.  What you will naturally do is "pick out" what appeals to you and then when you begin the process of using your guitar, you will incorporate those things that you heard.   As you learn the picking patterns on this site you will want to "hear" what you liked when you heard others playing it.  So your efforts will be towards imitating those things that appealed to you.  A beautiful thing about this "learning" is that what appeals to you, may be different then what appeals to me or to someone less.  You will pick out what you like and imitate and incorporate those things as you learn how to finger pick guitar. 
   

                 So please SHOW your appreciation and order my CDs.
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