Fingerstyle guitar TABs: Everything to know about TABs to grow your fingerstyle guitar vocab fast and play better sooner (10 songs listed)

TABs and expressive techniques

Classic fingerstyle guitar TABs will be fairly straightforward and just contain the notes you need to play.

When you get into other genres like fingerstyle blues or chord melody arrangements of pop songs, you’ll likely find additional symbols to indicate different playing techniques.

Hammer-on

The letter “H” indicates a hammer-on.

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Pull-off

The letter “P” indicates a pull-off.

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Bend

The first arrow indicates a half-step bend that is released back to the original note.

The other two arrows indicate a whole-step bend without release.

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Slide

A diagonal line between notes and/or “sl.” indicates a slide.

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Muted notes and ghost notes

The “X” represents a muted note.

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You can find a full list of TAB symbols in our article The ultimate guide to reading guitar TAB.

Which fingers to use for fingerpicking?

Each finger has a role of its own.

You will either see instructions referring to PIMA (Spanish origin) or T1234.

• P or T = thumb
• I or 1 = index finger
• M or 2 = middle finger
• A or 3 = ring finger

Even top fingerstyle guitar TABs typically don’t include information about which finger to use for which string so when in doubt use the graphic below as a reference.

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Not all songs are created equal however and not all players use all four fingers.

Some use only the thumb and index finger or thumb, index, and ring finger.

Picking patterns starter kit with TABs

Below are TABs for three common and popular patterns. Try these out while muting the strings with your fretting hand first.

Then try them out with a chord shape you’re familiar with.

Fingerstyle picking pattern #1 – T123

Your thumb (T) will pluck the bass notes.

Your index (1), middle (2), and ring (3) fingers will pluck your higher string sets.

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Fingerstyle picking pattern #2 – T12321

Here’s another one that you can use with a song in 6/8 or 3/4 time.

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‍Fingerstyle picking pattern #3 - Multiple notes together

If all of this feels super easy, try out this trickier picking pattern. 

It incorporates “the pinch” where you pluck two strings at the same time.

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Top 10 fingerstyle guitar songs

Not sure which songs you’d like to go on and learn?

Below are my 10 recommended (and favorite) fingerstyle songs.

You can play these on an electric or acoustic guitar. 

There’s no rule when it comes to fingerstyle playing so go with the tool that suits you best.

#10 - Freight Train by Elizabeth Cotton

#9 - Look Up by Joy Oladokun

#8 - More Than Words by Extreme

#7 - Tears in Heaven by Eric Clapton

#6 - Fast Car by Tracy Chapman

#5 - Jolene by Dolly Parton

#4 - The Wind by Yusuf / Cat Stevens

#3 - Heartbeat by José Gonzalez

#2 - Hallelujah as played by Jeff Buckley

#1 - Blackbird by The Beatles

Advanced  fingerstyle guitar tips & techniques

Hybrid picking

You don’t have to choose between using your fingers and a pick, you can do both.

Chet Atkins is one player who is known as a fingerstyle icon but would typically play with a thumb pick.

Other types of players hold a pick with their thumb and index finger to play notes on the lower strings while using their other finger(s) to play the upper strings.

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Molly Miller, who teaches Pickup Music’s CAGED Learning Pathway, is another great example of a hybrid picking enthusiast.

Check out our beginner guide to hybrid picking if you want to learn more.

Using a capo

A Capo is a device you can clamp on your guitar neck and it’ll shorten the strings and thereby change the pitch.

Generally speaking, when a capo is involved, the fret with the capo becomes fret 0 on TABs.

Learn how to use a guitar capo here if you’ve never tried one or would just like some tips on how to use it best.

Alternate tunings 

The standard guitar tuning is E - A - D - G - B - E but many fingerstyle guitarists like to tinker with tuning the strings of their guitar differently.

Drop D and DADGAD are probably two of the most popular alternate tunings.

Top tip: When you pull up TABs for a song, make sure to check if there’s a note at the top about which tuning to use.

The fret numbers will stay the same no matter how your guitar is tuned so if you don’t adhere to the suggested tuning, you’ll end up playing a very different song.

Read about the 7 reasons to try alternate guitar tunings.

6 of my favorite fingerstyle guitar players

Below are five of my influences and inspirations when it comes to fingerstyle playing.

I recommend you make your own list and let it inform what kind of songs and techniques you practice.

Jewel

The singer-songwriter from Alaska was one of the musicians that made me fall in love with the sounds of the guitar.

She uses the acoustic guitar to support her storytelling both with picking patterns and strumming chords.

Fingerstyle Video Recommendation: You Were Meant For Me by Jewel

Paul Simon

My mom had a Simon & Garfunkel record in her collection that I inherited and I must have listened to the trickling fingerpicking patterns on The Boxer a thousand times. 

Paul Simon went on to write many gems as a solo artist with a sound rooted in folk and blues but expanding into so much over the decades.

Fingerstyle Video Recommendation: Still Crazy (unfinished version) by Paul Simon

José Gonzales

The Swedish singer-songwriter became famous in the early 00s with his indie folk tunes played on a nylon string guitar.

He creates dynamic but sweet sound beds that are the perfect foundation for his vocals. 

Fingerstyle Video Recommendation: Heartbeats by José Gonzales

Chris Buck

I love watching the British guitarist Chris Buck mix picking techniques.

He always has a pick in his hand but you can see him frequently using his fingers to make his electric Revstar guitar sing.

Fingerstyle Video Recommendation: Warm Love by Cardinal Black

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Simon Kempner

The German guitarist and music producer is known for writing infectious R&B riffs using his electric with fingerstyle.

Some of his compositions are featured on Pickup Music and members can study them using TABs and video instruction.

Fingerstyle Video Recommendation: Freestyle Chordin’ by Simon Kempner

Molly Miller

The LA-based guitarist has an expressive hybrid-picking style that she showcases across genres such as jazz (with her trio) or in the world of pop music (most often on tour with Jason Mraz).

Her playing is full of joy and attitude.

Fingerstyle Video Recommendation: The Weight by Molly Miller Trio

Fingerstyle guitar playing techniques 

There are many ways to interpret fingerstyle progressions.

Below are a few unique flavors to explore.

Percussive techniques

Many modern fingerstyle guitarists incorporate sounds into their playing that mimic a drum set.

You can start simple by adding a “kick drum” sound by hitting the body of the guitar gently with your palm.

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Travis picking

Fingerstyle legend Merle Travis used a playing style that became so widely known, that people refer to it as Travis picking. 

It only involves playing bass and melody notes with the thumb and index finger. 

Tremolo

Tremolo picking is a classical technique distinctly known for its rapid-fire repeating cascades of notes. 

It takes the concept of a drone tone and adds a helicopter pulse to the note.

You can drone a note on the high E string while playing a bass line for example.

Alternate between picking the high E string with your index and middle finger while playing notes on the lowest three strings with your thumb.

My 5 steps for how to read fingerstyle guitar TABs

The biggest takeaway for me from years of learning fingerstyle songs is the importance of being patient and practicing the building blocks of a song slowly and separately.

Here’s how I usually approach fingerstyle TABs for guitar these days:

#1 – Match TABs to audio

Try to match what you see in the TABs to a recording. 

It’s the easiest way to make sense of what the song sounds like and where the notes go.

#2 – Map out the song’s structure

Sometimes TABs just cover the intro or include each part only once.

Listen to the song and write down the order of song parts (intro, verse, chorus, bridge etc.).

Figure out the meter and how many bars each part has.

#3 – Find chord shapes

Figure out what the chord progression is by looking at all notes within one bar to see if they form a well-known chord shape, using your ear, or looking for a chord chart of the song.

Very likely the TAB looks complicated but the foundation are chord shapes you already know. 

Play through the song just using chords, preferably the voicings that match up with the TABs.

#4 – Teach your thumb what to do

If it’s a picking pattern where the thumb does one thing and the rest of the fingers do another, practice playing only the bass part first.

Look for notes on the lowest three strings.

#5 – Teach your fingers what to do

Then you put everything together, bar by bar if you need to.

Learn the tune in chunks, and slow down the recording to a point where you can play along comfortably.

Avoid practicing a sloppy version with lots of mistakes and simply speed up the tempo over time once you know how to play the tune.

Daily repetition and dedication will get you there faster.

How to find fingerstyle guitar licks and TABs

One great spot to find TABs is YouTube.

It’s a great search engine for guitar stuff, so you can type in the title of the song plus the word TAB and you might get lucky.

There are quite a few talented content creators who produce videos for fingerstyle music with guitar TABs.

Check the description to see if they offer PDF downloads for the tune you’re trying to learn.

There’s also Ultimate Guitar with a vast archive of TABs. 

Be aware: The free ones are provided by other members so not all of them will be accurate – if it doesn’t sound right, it probably isn't.

But even if they’re not perfect, they can give you a headstart when you’re trying to learn a riff or solo by ear. 

Fingerstyle lead guitar TABs, as mentioned above, often don’t include rhythm notation but knowing which notes to play will make learning licks by ear a lot easier.

If you’re searching for slow fingerstyle guitar TABs, Soundslice is a great website for that.

You can easily slow down any audio that accompanies the TABs.

For classic fingerstyle guitar TABs, you can try your local library. 

Many libraries have a music section where you can find instructional books. 

In general, I’d say there are far more fingerstyle TABs for intermediates than beginners floating around on the internet online since those are the songs folks usually struggle with.

If you’re just starting out, I recommend learning the basics with the help of an online course or a teacher instead of spending all your time googling “easy fingerstyle riffs and guitar TABs”.

FAQs

Can you learn fingerstyle guitar techniques from TAB?

You can learn fingerpicking patterns and songs from TABs. 

However, when it comes to how to hold your picking hand, it’s best to work with a teacher or refer to online lessons with videos.

What TABs should I practice for fingerstyle guitar?

Start with easy fingerstyle guitar TABs such as Fast Car by Tracy Chapman or just with a riff to get used to reading TABs.

What TABs should I try for fingerstyle soloing?

You can pick any popular solos you like, look up tutorials or the fingerstyle guitar solo tabs online, and then practice playing them without a pick.

Tennessee Whiskey by Chris Stapleton has a short but sweet intro lick that you could try out.

He plays a double stop at the end of the line that is fun to pluck with two fingers simultaneously.

Can you learn fingerstyle guitar using only TAB?

Yes, I learned fingerstyle guitar using only a book with TABs and audio recordings but for a long time, I struggled to master songs beyond the beginner level.

I found all the numbers and lines very confusing and kept wondering if I generally got the technique right or if my method of learning was holding me back.

There’s a risk of developing weird habits that will make it harder to progress.

Learning with the help of teachers or from videos is definitely easier. 

How to read fingerstyle guitar TABs for beginners?

Read TABs from left to right, like you would a sentence.

The six lines represent the six strings.

The numbers represent notes and which fret to play those notes on.

Here is our ultimate guide to reading TABs if you need to level up your reading skills.

Is fingerstyle harder than picking?

It’s all about personal preference. 

Some folks find it really hard to hold a pick and play with it.

Other people are intimidated by the thought of coordinating their fingers with the six strings and prefer playing with a pick.

Is it ok to learn fingerstyle guitar with TABs?

Yes, whatever method is accessible to you is totally fine. 

It may not be the easiest method to learn only using TABs but it’s ok.

Are fingerstyle guitar TABs hard?

They are harder to comprehend and follow than chord charts, that’s for sure.

Luckily, there is a whole community of fingerstyle enthusiasts who are usually willing to help out newbies when it comes to guitar TAB notation.

Wrapping Up

TABs are an incredibly useful visual tool that can help you master fingerpicking patterns and complex fingerstyle arrangements.

You will be able to find many free fingerstyle TABs for beginners online but developing a good picking technique is easier when TABs are accompanied by video lessons and feedback from experienced guitarists.

One great option is Pickup Music’s dedicated Fingerstyle Learning Pathway.

Once you complete the course, you’ll have gained practice in learning fingerstyle songs with guitar TABs so that you can start using your new skills to write your own tunes or learn your favorite songs that were previously out of reach.

Yes, I’d Love A Free 14-Day Trial Of Pickup Music To Learn Fingerstyle Guitar From Experts >

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Author: Julia Mahncke

‍Julia Mahncke is a journalist and musician based in Pittsburgh, PA. Holding a degree in musicology from the University of Bonn and having studied guitar at the University of Oregon, Julia is a skilled guitarist with a knack for communicating musical concepts in a straightforward manner.

She has written, recorded, and performed music as a solo artist, as part of a duo, and as the lead guitarist for the band Meeping. With hundreds of shows under her belt, Julia plays bass in various projects, enjoys participating in jam sessions in Pittsburgh, and remains active as a singer-songwriter.