Arpeggios and Fingerpicking

In practice, there are two different ways to play them: Using a pick or directly with your fingers. Both techniques have of course their own advantages and disadvantages: On one side, the finger-picking probably enables a higher degree of accuracy in attack strings, while on the other side, the finger-picking offers a greater speed.
 

With or without a pick?

Generally speaking each person has his own style, but we will mainly use the pick (in alternate picking) for arpeggios made on low strings, or simple arpeggios, and finger-picking for reasons of comfort or more complex arpeggios.

* An alternative is to use a tab to get a sound close to the pick with the thumb, while using his fingers.

for simplicity's sake (arpeggios with a pick should be made in alternate picking depending on their length), we will discuss here mainly about the technique without mediator of “picking” and/or “finger picking”.
 

The notation that we will use on the following tabs:

t = thumb
i = index
m = middle
r = ring

Schematically, here is the task of each finger of your right hand:

Now we go straight to the point, train yourself to play the following “open strings” repeatedly, using your different fingers as indicated below:

e|--------0-
B|------0---
G|----0-----
D|----------
A|-0--------
E|----------
e|--------a-
B|------m---
G|----i-----
D|----------
A|-p--------
E|----------

Repeat the operation until your fingers become completely independent, then go (still playing open strings) to the basic rhythmic pattern of arpeggios fingers shown as below.

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

Now that you've understood the operating principle of arpeggios, we'll add up the chords. On the rhythmic pattern model that we've just seen, train yourself on "Everybody Hurts" from the group REM:

D                         G
e|--------2-----------2-------------3-----------3----|
B|------3---3-------3---3---------3---3-------3---3--|
G|----2-------2---2-------2-----0-------0---0--------|
D|--0-----------0------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------3-----------3----------|
e|--------a-----------a-------------a-----------a----|
B|------m---m-------m---m---------m---m-------m---m--|
G|----i-------i---i-------i-----i-------i---i--------|
D|--p-----------p------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------p-----------p----------|

As you may know, there are a multitude of rhythmic patterns, some very used, among which:

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

To give you an idea of ​​possible rearrangements from these different examples of rhythmic patterns, the song "Don't Cry" by Guns N'Roses (preferably to play with a pick due to the many arpeggios to be played on low strings) :

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

Finally, here's a little exercise (to carry out preferably on a bar chord) which will enable you for a while to gain in precision, speed, and independence of the fingers:

For a while, train yourself on songs such as "Nothing Else Matters (Metallica)," Stairway to Heaven "(Led Zeppelin)," Tears in Heaven "(Clapton), etc..