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Can anyone provide me with some help on how to play finger picking styles used in Garage Band application in "smart guitar" mode. I would like to learn to play this on real guitar.

Update: I've recorded the 3 samples of the finger picking in question

I've also post my answer to this question which I will try to improve it while I'm progressing with this finger picking styles.

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4 Answers 4

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To a great extent, what the Garageband fingerpicking simulations are what's known as "rolls".

To perform a roll, you hold down a chord shape, and pick the strings in a particular order. For example, hold down an open G chord, and pick:

  • G on the low E string for a crotchet
  • G on the high E string for a crotchet
  • B on the A string for a quaver
  • B on the B string for a quaver
  • D on the D string for a quaver
  • G on the G string for a quaver

... and repeat.

When you change chord, you change shape with your left hand. You might continue playing the same right-hand roll, or you might switch to a different pattern. Typically you'd be trying to get root notes at key beats in each bar.

More advanced rolls involve some extra movement in the left hand, and GarageBand augments the rolls with occasional fills. There's no simple answer to this, except to play the notes in the right order with the right timing!

There are books full of rolls, and lots of videos on YouTube.

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Slim has provided a good answer. I would suggest learning what garage band is playing by ear. Depending on your level of skill as a guitarist this shouldn't prove too difficult. If you have any knowledge of music theory, you can also analyze it and find why you like the way that it sounds, and from there you can come up with similar finger picking patterns and styles for any chord/progression.

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Hi Thanks for all the answers. I've updated the question with the recordings how exactly these finger picking styles sounds. I also spent some time playing with the app and discover that it is possible to record the track and then in "Edit mode" see exactly what notes where played when etc. Then I've spent some time with my guitar and so far I can play the "style no 2" it like this:

For G chord

E|----------------------     
B|-------------i--------    
G|--------i-------m-----   
D|----i------p-------a---   
A|------p---------------   
E|--p-------------------

For C chord

E|--------------i-------     
B|---------i-------m-----    
G|----i-------p-------a--   
D|-------p-------a-------   
A|--p-------------------   
E|----------------------

For Dm chord

E|--------i---i*---i------     
B|----i--------------m--- 
G|------p- - - ------------
D|--p--------------------
A|-----------------------   
E|-----------------------

Where to play i* you have to move Dm 4 positions so you play A on the high E string

I'm now practising to play it in this order in the right timing I will also post the other styles just need some more time to prepare them.

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I hear it as ...

G
E|----------------|----------------|
B|----0-----------|----0-----------|
G|0-----0---------|0-----0---------|
D|----------0---0-|----------0---0-|
A|------------2---|------------2---|
e|----------------|----------------|

You only played the G chord, but normally the roll would be the same (or almost so) structure in other keys.

C
E|----------------|----------------|
B|----1-----------|----1-----------|
G|0-----0---------|0-----0---------|
D|----------2---2-|----------2---2-|
A|------------3---|------------3---|
e|----------------|----------------|

Dm
E|----1-----------|----1-----------|
B|3-----3---------|3-----3---------|
G|----------2---2-|----------2---2-|
D|------------0---|------------0---|
A|----------------|----------------|
e|----------------|----------------|

or

Dm
E|----------------|----------------|
B|----3-----------|----3-----------|
G|2-----2---------|2-----2---------|
D|----------0---0-|----------0---0-|
A|------------0---|------------0---|
e|----------------|----------------|
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  • Can someone explain why now I see Hutch answer rendered as "pictures" while before it was "ascii art/plain text". I think in this case it should not be turned into pictures automatically. are these pictures right ? I think they are showing the cords only, but for "rolls/finger picking" it is better to just write the ascii/text. In my answer I had to do some trick to prevent this automatic conversion to pictures. Can someone tell me or point me to more info about how to control this automatic rendering
    – szydan
    Mar 3, 2014 at 10:55
  • @szydan: see e.g. meta.music.stackexchange.com/questions/240/… Jul 17, 2014 at 22:24

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