Fingerstyle Exercises - Backward Rolls
Reverse Roll Technique
- Position each finger (thumb, index, middle, ring) over a string. The thumb gets the bass or root note.
- Pluck each string slowly, in succession, from high to low.
- Use the fingertips to pluck; the function of the fingernail is to provide a smooth surface for the string to slide away from.
- Repeat slowly and work up speed.
The below exercises will help you develop fingerstyle technique. These exercises emphasize the backwards roll which is often used to play four consecutive strings. The roll can take place on four adjacent strings or be spread out across all six. For this technique, be sure to use ring, middle, index fingers, in that order, very strictly.
Fingerstyle Backwards Roll Exercise 1
Listen:
no_fingerstyle-ex5Fingerstyle Backwards Roll Exercise 2
This exercise also implies a bit of metric modulation. The result is that the roll gets faster and faster. This requires a delicate touch. At sufficient speed, this pattern can have a very fluttering and dreamy effect.
Listen:
no_fingerstyle-ex6Key Tasks
- Practice the fingerstyle backwards roll until you can produce it smoothly.
- Use a metronome at least half of the time with this exercise, but spend some time without it.
