Fingerpicking is a technique of playing guitar by using the fingers of your "picking hand" to strike chords or pick notes instead of using a plectrum

The thumb, index, middle, and ring fingers are used.

Your fingers are labeled:

"P" : thumb

"I" : index finger

"M" : middle finger

"A" : ring finger

The last little pinky-finger is usually not used much and is therefore not assigned a letter.

This is called the PIMA method for short.

The diagram above should clarify any questions you have about "Pima".

Some folks grow their nails longer as they feel it is better than plucking the strings with just the fingertips. I myself don't grow them too long, as I sometimes want to be able to introduce a "blunt" sound in there by using only the finger tips...so I recommend that you grow them to such a length that will allow you to use both the nail and/or the finger-tip.

As a general rule...

The 4th, 5th, and 6th strings are plucked by your thumb (P)

The 3rd string is plucked with the index finger (I)

The 2nd string is plucked with the middle finger (M)

The 1st string is plucked with the ring finger (A)

Now try this...

Form any chord you like with your fretting hand - use your picking hand to fingerpick the appropriate strings...remember that the picking-thumb (unlike the other picking-fingers) controls the 4th, 5th and 6th strings...so as you come up with new patterns (like the ones below), you can alternate your thumb (whenever appropriate) between the 4th, 5th and 6th strings.

I say "whenever appropriate" because in some cases, the chord would sound "off" - so listen to what's happening and only use the thumb on strings that call for it.

In essence, your thumb is basically playing bass guitar while your other fingers are doing their own thing!

Try some of the patterns below with various chords - barre chords, regular chords ,whatever...just see what you come up with. Try and come up with different patterns, for example...

P-M-I-A-P-M-I-A-P-M-I-A-P-M-I-A-P-M-I-A-P-M-I-A-P-M-I-A...

or...

P-A-I-M-P-A-I-M-P-A-I-M-P-A-I-M-P-A-I-M-P-A-I-M-P-A-I-M...

or...

P-I-A-M-P-I-A-M-P-I-A-M-P-I-A-M-P-I-A-M-P-I-A-M-P-I-A-M...

or...

P-M-I-M-P-M-I-M-P-M-I-M-P-M-I-M-P-M-I-M-P-M-I-M-P-M-I-M...

or...

P-A-I-A-P-A-I-A-P-A-I-A-P-A-I-A-P-A-I-A-P-A-I-A-P-A-I-A...

or...

P-A-M-A-P-A-M-A-P-A-M-A-P-A-M-A-P-A-M-A-P-A-M-A...