Guitar flatpicking

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Flatpicking is the art of playing a steel string acoustic guitar using a plectrum. The reason you would want to play guitar in this manner is to give a song your own uniqe interpretation without being hampered by having to learn fingerpicking techniques or the added burden of coping with fingerpicks. You cannot play the steel string guitar with any degree of cojones without using a flatpick. It is too hard on the fingers. Flatpicking began as just another way to play hillbilly fiddle music on the guitar but as it grew in popularity and guitar players expanded their technical expertise, the repertoire for flatpickers has grown way beyond the boundaries of country and folk guitar music.

Guitarists exploring the possibilities of flatpicking include Doc Watson, Dan Crary, Clarence White, Mark O’Connor, Pat Flynn, David Bromberg, Tony Rice, Norman Blake, Larry Sparks, Charles Sawtelle, and Russ Barenberg.

Here is a free video guitar lesson on gaining speed in flatpicking.