Travis picking

Made famous by Merle Travis and Chet Atkins, then by 1960s folk, alternating-bass picking turns the guitar into a small band: the thumb plays a steady bass like a double bass, the fingers add melody and offbeats.

Step 1: thumb alone

On a C chord, the thumb alternates C (string 5) and E (string 4) on every beat: 1-2-3-4. It must become automatic, to the point where you can talk while doing it.

M:4/4
L:1/4
Q:1/4=80
K:C clef=treble-8
"C"C E C E | C E C E | "G"G, D G, D | "C"C E C E |]

Step 2: fingers between the beats

Add i (string 3) and m (string 2) on the “ands”. Beat one is a pinch: thumb and middle finger (or ring finger on string 1) together.

M:4/4
L:1/8
Q:1/4=80
K:C clef=treble-8
"C"[Ce] G E c C G E c | "Am"[A,e] A E c A, A E c | "G"[G,g] G D B G, G D B | "C"[Ce] G E c C G E c |]