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Picking patterns (rolls) for systematic practice
When I started to fingerpick the tenor banjo in 1999, I asked myself two questions:
- How many picking patterns do exist? (let's count those where NO finger picks twice in row)
- Shall I practice and use only limited number of them or shall I practice all of them according to the credo "chain is as weak as its weakest link"?
Answer to first question depends on how many notes you consider as "pattern". With the help of math one can find that there are
- 6 two-note patterns (T I, T M, I T, I M, M T, M I)
- 12 three-note patterns (to each two-note pattern you can add one of two fingers different from the last one, so the amount of patterns doubles)
- 24 four-note patterns. Four-note pattern is usually half measure.
- 48 five-note patterns. These patterns are useful when there is a triplet - group of three equal notes played in space of two. Then triplet + other two notes give 5 notes.
- 96 six-note patterns, useful for 3/4 waltz rhythm.
- 192 seven-note patterns
- Finally, 384 eight-note patterns. (by the way, 222 of them use each finger at least twice, some are repeatable over and over as the first picking finger is different from the last one, another are non-repeatable as they start and finish with the same finger)
To the second question: it is clear nobody can practice thoroughly hundreds of eight-note patterns, which make one measure. But if you consider the half-measure as a basic unit, there are 24 four-note patterns only. I recommend to work on each of these 24 patterns and write down the achieved metronome speed for every of them. This will allow you to focus on the weaker ones and also to quantify your progress during weeks.
Concerning the longer patterns (six- or eight-note ones), you will gradually build your own set of preferred ones which will satisfy your needs in terms of placement of melody notes picked by thumb. The complete lists can serve as a pool for searching another patterns with e.g. unusual syncopation. Note the thumbs are highlighted, but it does NOT mean you should automatically play them harder (which usually means earlier!)
Until now there were discussed only patterns (rolls) without pauses. But to avoid machine-gun effect you should use also the patterns with pauses. You can also pause with your right hand, but play the tone with left hand using slide, hammer-on, or pull-off. And that REALLY requires good co-ordination. So, here are 60 four-note patterns containing one pause (OK, 3 tones + 1 pause).
Travis picking patterns
In Travis picking the thumb plays bass on downbeats and index and middle finger plays melody line sometimes on downbeats too, but often on upbeats to create the syncopation. Index and middle fingers can also pick simultaneously to produce pinch.
The total number of four note (that means half measure) Travis picking patterns is 64.