Power to the Pinky Podcast

Episode 25: PIMA Patterns & Exercises!

🎸 Power to the Pinky – Episode 25: PIMA Pattern
Welcome back! Today we’re putting everything together with a full episode dedicated to one of the most versatile and musical fingerstyle tools you’ll ever learn: the PIMA pattern. We’ll break down classic quarter-note PIMA exercises, introduce the “inside-out” pattern (P-I-M-A-M-I), and then apply both patterns to a set of foundational chords — E minor, C, G, and D. The focus today is on clarity, consistency, and most importantly, maintaining a steady tempo as you move between chords and patterns.
🎧 What You’ll Hear:✅ Quarter-note PIMA patterns to build timing and right-hand structure✅ The “inside-out” roll (PIMAMI) — what it is and why it feels so musical✅ A step-by-step exercise for mastering the PIMAMI pattern✅ Applying PIMA and PIMAMI patterns to Em, C, G, and D chord shapes✅ How to keep a solid, steady tempo while switching chords and rolls
🔔 Listen, Follow, Share!If Power to the Pinky is helping your fingerpicking feel smoother and more musical, hit follow and share it with another guitarist leveling up their right hand.
📩 Got a question?Email me at taylormarberrymusic@gmail.com — your question might appear in a future episode!
📱 Let’s Connect:YouTube | Instagram | TikTok → @TaylorMarberryMusic
🌸 Don’t miss my daily “Beautiful Chord of the Day” — your quick burst of guitar inspiration!

Episode 24: IMA Speed & Control

🎸 Power to the Pinky – Episode 24: IMA Speed & Control
Welcome back! Today we’re shining a spotlight on your I–M–A fingers — the core of clean, expressive fingerpicking. In this episode, we’re diving into how to build real speed, accuracy, and control in your upper fingers. We’ll break down basic finger rolls like I–M–A and A–M–I, talk about proper string approach (including why you don’t want to pull the string sideways), and explore smart string assignments that keep your technique consistent. You’ll also get several exercises you can start using today — plus we’ll talk about when and why alternating I–M can actually be the faster, cleaner option.
🎧 What You’ll Hear:✅ I–M–A basics: proper attack, hand shape, and consistent movement✅ Understanding string assignments for I, M, and A✅ Not pulling the string sideways — how to get a clean, centered tone✅ Classic rolls: I–M–A, A–M–I, and variations for flow and speed✅ Exercises to build accuracy, dexterity, and rhythmic confidence✅ When to alternate I–M for speed runs and fast arpeggio lines
🔔 Listen, Follow, Share!If Power to the Pinky is leveling up your fingerstyle game, hit follow and share it with another guitar friend working on their right hand.
📩 Got a question?Email me at taylormarberrymusic@gmail.com — your question might show up in a future episode.
📱 Let’s Connect:YouTube | Instagram | TikTok → @TaylorMarberryMusic
🌸 Don’t miss my daily “Beautiful Chord of the Day” — your quick dose of tone, color, and inspiration

Episode 23: P in PIMA — Thumb Training

🎸 Power to the Pinky – Episode 23: P in PIMA — Thumb Training
Welcome back! Today we’re dedicating an entire episode to the “P” in PIMA — your thumb. This little powerhouse is the bass player of your right hand, and mastering it will open the door to smoother patterns, cleaner grooves, and eventually full Travis picking. We’ll talk about why the thumb owns the E, A, and D strings, how to build real thumb independence, and we’ll walk through beginner-friendly bass-string exercises. Then we’ll finish by introducing alternating bass patterns — your first step toward true Travis-style fingerpicking.
🎧 What You’ll Hear:✅ Why the thumb is the “bass player” in fingerstyle✅ How the thumb controls the E, A, and D strings in most patterns✅ Thumb independence — what it is and how to build it✅ Simple bass-string exercises to strengthen timing and accuracy✅ Intro to alternating bass patterns✅ First look at Travis picking and how the thumb sets the foundation
🔔 Listen, Follow, Share!If Power to the Pinky is helping you grow as a fingerstyle guitarist, hit follow and share it with someone working on their picking hand.
📩 Got a question?Email me at taylormarberrymusic@gmail.com — your question might be featured in a future episode.
📱 Let’s Connect:YouTube | Instagram | TikTok → @TaylorMarberryMusic
🌸 Don’t miss my daily “Beautiful Chord of the Day” — your mini dose of guitar inspiration!

Episode 22: Fingerpicking Posture

🎸 Power to the Pinky – Episode 22: Fingerpicking Posture
Welcome back! Today we’re zooming in on one of the most important elements of fingerstyle technique: your posture. In this episode, we’ll break down exactly how to position your hand for relaxed, efficient, beautiful fingerpicking. We’ll talk wrist angle, tension (or the lack of it!), thumb placement, how to properly curl your I–M–A fingers, and the difference between rest stroke and free stroke. We’ll wrap up with some simple quarter-note exercises using the PIMA pattern — including trying the pattern backwards for an extra coordination challenge.
🎧 What You’ll Hear:✅ How to find a natural wrist angle and avoid unnecessary tension✅ Thumb placement: where it should sit and how it should move✅ Curling the I, M, and A fingers for proper attack and tone✅ Rest stroke vs. free stroke — what they are and when to use each✅ Quarter-note PIMA exercises (forward and backward) to build foundation and flow
🔔 Listen, Follow, Share!If Power to the Pinky is helping you improve your technique, hit follow and share it with a fellow guitarist working on their fingerpicking.
📩 Got a question?Email me at taylormarberrymusic@gmail.com — your question might show up in a future episode.
📱 Let’s Connect:YouTube | Instagram | TikTok → @TaylorMarberryMusic
🌸 Don’t miss my daily “Beautiful Chord of the Day” — bite-sized guitar inspiration delivered fresh every day!

Episode 21: Intro to Fingerpicking + PIMA

🎸 Power to the Pinky – Episode 21: Intro to Fingerpicking + PIMA
Welcome to your first deep dive into fingerstyle technique. In this episode, we’ll break down the fundamentals of proper picking-hand posture, introduce the PIMA system, and explore how to apply all of it musically around a simple E minor chord. You’ll also hear a bit about how I first got into fingerpicking and why it became such a core part of my playing.
🎧 What You’ll Hear:✅ Proper fingerpicking hand position: wrist angle, finger curvature, and anchoring options✅ How I first learned fingerpicking and the habits that helped me progress✅ What PIMA stands for:• P = pulgar (thumb)• I = índice (index)• M = medio (middle)• A = anular (ring)…and how these labels guide finger assignment✅ How to apply PIMA patterns over an E minor chord✅ Simple exercises to begin coordinating thumb and fingers smoothly
🔔 Listen, Follow, Share!If Power to the Pinky is helping you grow as a guitarist, hit follow and share it with someone learning fingerstyle.
📩 Got a question?Email me at taylormarberrymusic@gmail.com — your question may be featured in a future episode.
📱 Let’s Connect:YouTube | Instagram | TikTok → @TaylorMarberryMusic
🌸 Check out my daily “Beautiful Chord of the Day” for quick inspiration and bite-sized lessons.

Episode 20: The A Natural Minor Scale

🎸 Power to the Pinky – Episode 20: The A Natural Minor Scale
Welcome to The A Natural Minor Scale — where we unpack one of the most expressive and essential sounds in all of music. In this episode, we’ll explore what makes the natural minor scale unique, the intervals that give it that moody, melodic flavor, and the notes that make up A Natural Minor. Plus, we’ll walk through a bunch of different scale patterns you can use across the fretboard to bring the sound of A minor to life in your own playing.
🎧 What You’ll Hear:✅ What defines the natural minor scale and how it differs from major✅ The interval formula: Whole–Half–Whole–Whole–Half–Whole–Whole✅ The notes of A Natural Minor: A, B, C, D, E, F, G✅ How to visualize A minor scale patterns all over the neck✅ Practice tips for connecting positions and creating fluid melodic runs
🔔 Listen, Follow, Share!Loving Power to the Pinky? Hit that follow button and share it with your fellow guitar nerds — it seriously helps more than you know!
📩 Got a question?Email me at taylormarberrymusic@gmail.com — your question might get featured in a future episode!
📱 Let’s Connect:YouTube | Instagram | TikTok → @TaylorMarberryMusic
🌸 Don’t miss my daily “Beautiful Chord of the Day” — bite-sized guitar lessons & inspiration!

Episode 19: The World of A Minor

🎸 Power to the Pinky – Episode 19: The World of A Minor
Welcome to The World of A Minor — where we step into the moodier side of music theory and explore how A minor paints emotion across your fretboard. In this episode, we’ll dive into what makes A minor the relative minor of C major, the notes that form its natural scale, and how simply shifting your tonal center can completely change the vibe of your playing.
🎧 What You’ll Hear:✅ How A minor connects directly to C major — same notes, totally different mood✅ The A natural minor scale: A, B, C, D, E, F, G — and what makes it sound “sad” or “mysterious”✅ How to shift your tonal center from C to A to create new emotional colors✅ Famous songs written in A minor (and why the key works so well for them)✅ The essential chords in A minor and how to use them for songwriting or soloing
🔔 Listen, Follow, Share!Loving Power to the Pinky? Hit that follow button and share it with your fellow guitar nerds — it seriously helps more than you know!
📩 Got a question?Email me at taylormarberrymusic@gmail.com — your question might get featured in a future episode!
📱 Let’s Connect:YouTube | Instagram | TikTok → @TaylorMarberryMusic
🌸 Don’t miss my daily “Beautiful Chord of the Day” — bite-sized guitar lessons & inspiration!

Episode 18: The "D" in CAGED

🎸 Power to the Pinky – Episode 18
The CAGED System: Exploring the “D” Shape in the Key of C
If you’re ready to connect chords, scales, and arpeggios across the neck, the CAGED system is your roadmap. Today we’re zeroing in on the “D” shape—and we’re staying in the key of C so you can see how everything lines up in one position.
🎧 What You’ll Hear:✅ How the open D major chord shape forms the backbone of this CAGED position✅ A C major arpeggio that lives inside that shape✅ The C major pentatonic scale right in the same spot✅ The full C major scale mapped neatly around the D shape✅ Tips for connecting these ideas so you can improvise, write melodies, and visualize the neck
🔔 Listen, Follow, Share!Loving Power to the Pinky? Hit that follow button and share it with your fellow guitar nerds—it seriously helps more than you know!
📩 Got a question?Email me at taylormarberrymusic@gmail.com — I might feature it in a future episode!
📱 Let’s Connect:YouTube | Instagram | TikTok → @TaylorMarberryMusic🌸 Don’t miss my daily “Beautiful Chord of the Day” — bite-sized guitar lessons & inspiration!

Episode 17: The "E" in CAGED

🎸 Power to the Pinky – Episode 17
The CAGED System: Exploring the “E” Shape in the Key of C
If you’re ready to connect chords, scales, and arpeggios across the neck, the CAGED system is your roadmap. Today we’re zeroing in on the “E” shape—and we’re staying in the key of C so you can see how everything lines up in one position.
🎧 What You’ll Hear:✅ How the open E major chord shape forms the backbone of this CAGED position✅ A C major arpeggio that lives inside that shape✅ The C major pentatonic scale right in the same spot✅ The full C major scale mapped neatly around the E shape✅ Tips for connecting these ideas so you can improvise, write melodies, and visualize the neck
🔔 Listen, Follow, Share!Loving Power to the Pinky? Hit that follow button and share it with your fellow guitar nerds—it seriously helps more than you know!
📩 Got a question?Email me at taylormarberrymusic@gmail.com — I might feature it in a future episode!
📱 Let’s Connect:YouTube | Instagram | TikTok → @TaylorMarberryMusic🌸 Don’t miss my daily “Beautiful Chord of the Day” — bite-sized guitar lessons & inspiration!

Episode 16: The "G" in CAGED

🎸 Power to the Pinky – Episode 16
The CAGED System: Exploring the “G” Shape in the Key of C
If you’re ready to connect chords, scales, and arpeggios across the neck, the CAGED system is your roadmap. Today we’re zeroing in on the “G” shape—and we’re staying in the key of C so you can see how everything lines up in one position.
🎧 What You’ll Hear:✅ How the open G major chord shape forms the backbone of this CAGED position✅ A C major arpeggio that lives inside that shape✅ The C major pentatonic scale right in the same spot✅ The full C major scale mapped neatly around the G shape✅ Tips for connecting these ideas so you can improvise, write melodies, and visualize the neck
🔔 Listen, Follow, Share!Loving Power to the Pinky? Hit that follow button and share it with your fellow guitar nerds—it seriously helps more than you know!
📩 Got a question?Email me at taylormarberrymusic@gmail.com — I might feature it in a future episode!
📱 Let’s Connect:YouTube | Instagram | TikTok → @TaylorMarberryMusic🌸 Don’t miss my daily “Beautiful Chord of the Day” — bite-sized guitar lessons & inspiration!