Yesterday’s down–down–pluck sequence was about combining pick strokes and a single pluck. Today adds another finger into the mix, introducing the classic banjo-roll pattern — pick, middle, ring — which opens up a whole new world of rolling, arpeggiated sounds that sit beautifully between traditional pick-style and pure fingerstyle.
What you’ll get out of this lesson: You’ll learn the down–middle–ring picking sequence applied to the same arpeggio shape from Day 2, with a particular focus on the turnaround — the section that will determine your overall speed with the pattern.
The Down–Middle–Ring Pattern
Where yesterday used pick–pick–middle, today’s pattern is pick (downstroke), middle finger pluck, ring finger pluck. That’s the “banjo roll” — a three-finger rolling motion that gives a harp-like, cascading quality to arpeggios and chord tones. It works beautifully for chords and ambient textures, and it’s a powerful addition to any hybrid picker’s toolkit. On the way down, the pattern reverses: ring, middle, pick.
The Turnaround — The Limiting Factor
The most challenging section of this exercise is the turnaround at the top — the moment where the ascending motion reverses into the descent. At the turnaround, the last few notes of the ascent and the first few notes of the descent require a short passage of alternation between the middle and ring fingers. The entire sequence — ascending and descending — needs to flow at a single consistent tempo, and that tempo is dictated by however fast you can execute the turnaround cleanly. There’s no point being able to ascend brilliantly if the turnaround forces you to slow down. Whatever speed you can do the turnaround at, practise the whole thing at that speed.
Practising the Parts Separately
The solution is to isolate the sections. Practise just the ascending pattern until it’s comfortable at a given speed. Then practise just the descending pattern at the same speed. Then practise the turnaround on its own. Only once all three parts are clean at the same speed should you attempt the full sequence. This methodical separation is what lets you build the turnaround without the rest of the pattern falling apart.
That turnaround is going to be a limiting factor. I do recommend practising it separate, too — practise just the ascending, so you can get that up to speed, and practise just the descending. Because otherwise, that turnaround is going to catch you out.
Taking it further: Once this sequence is comfortable on the E major shape, try applying the down–middle–ring pattern to other arpeggio shapes and voicings, or even to chord inversions played in a broken, arpeggiated style. The roll also works beautifully at slower tempos for a more ambient, classical-influenced sound.
Your homework: Find the tempo at which you can execute the turnaround cleanly. Practise the ascending section at that tempo, the descending section at that tempo, and the turnaround alone. Then run the whole sequence three times without stopping, keeping the tempo consistent throughout. Resist the temptation to speed up on the comfortable parts.