FIELD GUIDE No. 01OPEN G MINOR · D G D G B♭ D

A fingerstyle practice atlas

Impressions
of Susan

D₆G₅D₄G₃B♭₂D₁

Your picking map
Thumb: 6 / 5 / 4  ·  Index: 3  ·  Middle: 2  ·  Ring: 1

SECTION 01 · VII position

The seventh-fret gate

Opening D-minor shape · first and second endings

density
ONE JOB

Make the 7→8 hammer speak without disturbing the held barre.

SYNCED TAB · WRITTEN BARS 1–8low string → high string: x · 7 · 7 · 7 · 7/8 · 7/9
EXPANDED PLAYBACK VIEW

Use “Loop measure” on any card to isolate it. The bright column is the sound you are hearing now.

m. 1
D
77
B♭
7h888
G
77
D
77
G
77
D
m. 2
D
99977
B♭
88
G
77
D
77
G
77
D
m. 3
D
77
B♭
7h888
G
77
D
77
G
77
D
m. 4
D
B♭
G
77
D
77
G
77
D
m. 5
D
77
B♭
7h888
G
77
D
77
G
77
D
m. 6
D
99977
B♭
88
G
77
D
77
G
77
D
m. 7
D
77
B♭
7h888
G
77
D
77
G
77
D
m. 8
D
00
B♭
88
G
777
D
70
G
70
D
Show the original compact working excerpt
D |--------7---------7----9--------9-----7-----|
Bb|---7h8---------8----------8-----------------|
G |------------------7----------7-----------7--|
D |--------7---------7----------7-----------7--|
G |---7--------7----------7-----------7--------|
D |--------------------------------------------|
                 1st ending: 7 / 7     2nd: open → fret 8

SCORED SOUND MODEL · WRITTEN BARS 1–8

Hear the notes in time

This uses real sampled steel-string guitar notes with score-derived rhythm—not the original recording. Use it to hear note order, duration, and where the thumb lands.

13-page score · repeats and alternate endings expanded · open G minor
Real acoustic-guitar samples: University of Iowa collection via tonejs-instruments, CC BY 3.0.
PRACTICE PULSE54 BPM
L

Left hand

  1. Lay finger 1 lightly across strings 5–1 at fret 7. You need clean notes, not maximum pressure.
  2. Hammer string 2 from fret 7 to 8 with finger 2. Reach top-string fret 9 with finger 3; let finger 4 stay relaxed.
  3. Keep the barre planted through the first ending. For ending 2, release all at once and land on open strings—do not peel fingers off one by one.
R

Picking hand

  1. P (thumb): strings 5 and 4. I: string 3. M: string 2. R: string 1.
  2. Plant M on string 2 before the opening hammer. The hammer supplies the second sound; do not pick twice.
EXIT ROUTE

After the second ending, use the open bass as travel time: the left hand moves from VII position back to the nut while the open note rings.

PRIVATE STUDY GUIDE · Based on the James Calton transcription supplied by the player · Acoustic samples: University of Iowa via tonejs-instruments, CC BY 3.0 · Shape names are analytical aids, not claims of authorial intent.