How do I learn tremolo picking? What should I focus on first? …

Hey everyone! I just started learning guitar yesterday and I’m following a basic playlist. I think the plan is:

First, work on basic guitar chords, strumming, and learning major and minor scales. Then move on to fingerstyle chords and melodies, and learn a few songs. Finally, focus on tremolo picking.

Is this the right approach or should I do something else before starting tremolo or fingerstyle?

And by the way, what’s the difference between fingerstyle and fingerpicking?

Thanks for reading and sorry for my English! (•⁠‿⁠•⁠)

There is a difference between fingerstyle and fingerpicking.

Both involve playing with your fingers instead of a pick, but fingerstyle usually involves combining a bass line and melody together in a solo guitar piece. Fingerpicking, on the other hand, is just picking the strings with your fingers.

So, fingerpicking is a technique, and fingerstyle is a style of playing.

By the way, is your playlist focused on classical/fingerstyle guitar? If not, tremolo picking is simply using three fingers in a row to pick the same note. Just work on a good fingerpicking motion and the rest is about getting your fingers to go one after the other smoothly.

@Sam
Thank you so much! My doubt is now cleared.

The playlist is all about basic guitar stuff like chords, minor and major scales, and theory, so there’s no focus on style or classical guitar.

Thanks again! (•⁠‿⁠•⁠)

Tremolo isn’t too hard to learn. Just look at how BB King does it: you just shake your hand.

Xan said:
Tremolo isn’t too hard to learn. Just look at how BB King does it: you just shake your hand.

That’s actually vibrato, not tremolo. This forum is kind of backwards sometimes.

Here’s a video of Dick Dale doing tremolo picking: https://youtu.be/Wal5AawnlDc?si=Bo4l7JN5OkXwNxgI

@Zen
Oh right, sorry! I got them mixed up. Dick Dale is the one who did tremolo picking.

What’s the difference between fingerstyle and fingerpicking?

Fingerpicking is just using your fingers to pick the strings instead of a pick.

Fingerstyle is more about combining both the bass and melody to play a solo arrangement of a song.

Should I focus on basic guitar chords, strumming, and major/minor scales before learning tremolo?

You don’t need to follow a strict order. If you want to learn tremolo, just find a course or video on it and start practicing. You can still learn chords and strumming patterns, but it’s fine to mix in techniques you’re excited about right away.

@Kei
Thanks for the help! (⁠ ⁠╹⁠▽⁠╹⁠ ⁠)