The following musical examples are to provide a glimpse into both the classical and folk guitar genres of guitar playing. Classical may feel a little more “formal” than folk, but it certainly wakes your hand up for better right-hand development and finger dexterity.

Classical Guitar Examples

FIGURE 8-15 provides right-hand exercises in the classical style, which you can listen to on Track 48 of this book's CD.

Folk Guitar Styles

The main difference between the right-hand approaches of folk and classical styles is that folk guitarists tend to use their thumb, first, and second fingers for their playing technique. You will usually see fingering notation like this:

T = Thumb

1 = 1st finger

2 = 2nd finger

The right-hand pattern will be thumb, index, thumb, middle. This is an alternating fingerpicking technique. The third finger is not used as much, as the whole folk style approach to guitar is to primarily accompany a singer. But if you don't sing, then you can have just as much fun as the next person! Listen to CD tracks and maybe you will begin to secretly hum along.

FIGURE 8-16 provides examples of the folk style, which you can listen to on Track 49 of this book's CD.

You have certainly learned some intense techniques. To hear how an advanced classical or fingerstyle technique sounds, listen to “An Andante” by Justin Holland on Track 50 (shown in FIGURE 8-17).