20 fun, challenging fingerpicking songs

when you need some inspo for super fun fingerpicking songs that are more challenging in both left and right hands😊

these suggestions are geared towards those who have had previous experience with fingerpicking songs. i’d classify these around the intermediate-advanced levels. some techniques will include alternate tunings, slurs (hammer-ons and pull-offs), slides, percussive slapping, etc.

There’s a wide range of difficulty within this collection of songs, so you’ll find some more challenging than others. But all are on this list because I think they have lots of different skills to explore than solely the basic single note fingerpicking.

Happy playing!

1. “No Other Way” - Jack Johnson

featuring: drop D tuning, capo 3rd fret, slurs (hammer-ons and pull-offs), slides

UltimateGuitar: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/jack-johnson/no-other-way-tabs-396099

YouTube: https://youtu.be/PfrVjWnCLY4?si=OJIuJUlBc3jF7teS

2. “Heart’s on Fire” - Passenger

featuring: capo 6th fret, slurs (hammer-ons and pull-offs)

UltimateGuitar: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/passenger/hearts-on-fire-tabs-1489529

YouTube: https://youtu.be/4XC64LMBd3Y?si=Kuam-XHeY8PjTuZU

3. “Mexico” - James Taylor

featuring: fingerstyle playing (mix of fingerpicking and strumming chords), capo 2nd fret, slurs (hammer-ons and pull-offs), slides

YouTube: https://youtu.be/gRvjd9Z3Z-w?si=rQiqoYs7fqNmMbio

4. “More Than Words” - Extreme

featuring: half-step down tuning, open and block chord shapes, right hand plucking of the chords and percussive slapping

UltimateGuitar: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/extreme/more-than-words-tabs-41780

YouTube: https://youtu.be/y5Wk_uOUPGw?si=4hbbaeZmD6zSlbQv

5. “Never Going Back Again” - Fleetwood Mac

featuring: drop D tuning, capo 4th fret, slides, slurs (hammer-ons and pull-offs)

YouTube: https://youtu.be/h5R-cg1M_Oc?si=N6tVDs2s7CAjUTFt

6. “Dear Prudence” - The Beatles

featuring: drop D tuning, traveling up and down the neck (wide range)

UltimateGuitar: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/the-beatles/dear-prudence-tabs-91737

YouTube: https://youtu.be/O4kymxYVUdc?si=RAceI1MeybAcdTp5

7. “Better Together” - Jack Johnson

featuring: barre chords, slides

YouTube: https://youtu.be/Yz3rOWnvPSc?si=QlDpB7Hrkpw81xLl

8. “Edge of Desire” - John Mayer

*this would be so satisfying to learn but especially so if you use your fingers instead of using a pick

featuring: challenging right hand patterns, slides

YouTube: https://youtu.be/8rgwH0V-XRE?si=Fa-DV2QFK5jG2vuJ

9. “Old Pine” - Ben Howard

featuring: alternate tuning, percussive slapping, slurs (hammer-ons and pull offs), slides

YouTube: https://youtu.be/fMGUmB8ZvyE?si=2MM8AI3EG0ge4PpQ

10. “The Chain” - Fleetwood Mac

featuring: drop D tuning, capo 2nd fret, slurs (hammer-ons and pull offs),

PDF (found online): https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5ef0ba160fd0842145419b7c/t/5f1729d743f48b0b702c9977/1595353559366/The+Chain+-+Fleetwood+MAc.pdf

YouTube: https://youtu.be/YrdTLCYSewo?si=QfrPlVjKU_6nRI69

YouTube: https://youtu.be/LuaIOmKshz4?si=xvZKgtHzHz8z56aU

11. Invisible String - Taylor Swift

featuring: repeated right hand pattern, fast tempo

UltimateGuitar: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/taylor-swift/invisible-string-tabs-3262076

YouTube: https://youtu.be/A79LzWYX7M0?si=96u3hv23JwKVYWZ1

12. Cherry Wine - Hozier

featuring: capo 6th fret, slurs (hammer-ons and pull-offs), repeated note bass line

UltimateGuitar: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/hozier/cherry-wine-tabs-1450130

YouTube: https://youtu.be/_QMRToOW98w?si=JXu_oTuzIB0iRHf-

13. Like Real People Do - Hozier

featuring: slurs (hammer-ons and pull-offs), repeated note bass line

UltimateGuitar: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/hozier/like-real-people-do-tabs-1670420

YouTube: https://youtu.be/NLCySDy_VGs?si=ostgbhTLULUWQQnl

YouTube: https://youtu.be/96qV4LuYTjw?si=c17m41kdg-hKKd8z

14. Mercurio - Karol G

featuring: jazz chord shapes, latin/bossa nova rhythms, slurs (hammer-ons and pull-offs)

YouTube: https://youtu.be/0fJ7_0ASx0Q?si=kOFbHVP4js4iiJWv

15. Billie Bossa Nova - Billie Eilish

featuring: open jazz chord shapes, percussive slapping, bossa nova rhythms

UltimateGuitar: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/billie-eilish/billie-bossa-nova-chords-3813032

YouTube: https://youtu.be/CDR0a6jW9r8?si=HBxPenf2YMTUo_5n

16. Only Love - Ben Howard

featuring: alternate tuning, capo 3rd fret, percussive slapping, slurs (hammer-ons and pull-offs)

YouTube: https://youtu.be/x9yZzCn3CBI?si=3poLymwSOmouvvhJ

YouTube: https://youtu.be/vnGTueklGqA?si=B4BNMBM4qJyDBguo

17. Heart of Life - John Mayer

featuring: half-step down tuning, slurs (hammer-ons and pull-offs), slides, percussive slapping, (solo includes bends and vibrato)

YouTube: https://youtu.be/dgEQvqHTQbw?si=gAul45jkKuefrGUi

YouTube: https://youtu.be/aDGBwIjzL9E?si=xmRoaukQViq_oQV7

18. A Thousand Years - Christina Perri

featuring: capo 3rd fret, fingerpicking and strumming

UltimateGuitar: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/christina-perri/a-thousand-years-tabs-1212677

YouTube: https://youtu.be/DNob0o8PtkY?si=BGLkMBpYp0Pal2Gs

19. Don’t Know Why - Norah Jones

featuring: capo 6th fret, slurs (hammer-ons and pull-offs), barre chords, percussive slapping, rapid chord changes

UltimateGuitar: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/norah-jones/dont-know-why-tabs-1727234

YouTube: https://youtu.be/l9ATTZ_0QqU?si=EEaC830jgtCV98JH

20. Thinking Out Loud - Ed Sheeran

featuring: percussive slapping, slurs (hammer-ons and pull-offs), repeated chord structure

UltimateGuitar: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/ed-sheeran/thinking-out-loud-tabs-1517140

YouTube: https://youtu.be/rzpbeFdQt8E?si=PS5eyAozKYumyNfx